I am all for works of fantasy and sci-fi to tell stories that pull the reader into different worlds and experiences. However, there's something to be said about introducing a piece of realistic fiction to an emerging reader so that they can feel that 'so someone has felt the same things that I have' feeling. When you're growing up, it's so easy to feel isolated and alien. You feel like your problems are huge and that no one could possibly understand your pains, frustrations, or anguish. And then a little book like this one comes along. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg follows a little girl called Eleanor who experiences suffers abandonment and all the attendant stages of grief that come along after when the babysitter she's had her entire life moves away. With Eleanor's adjustment to a new babysitter who is wholly different from Bibi, she learns that sometimes change is good and relationships can survive distance. This is a good lesson for us all I think. This book is perfect for the emerging reader (probably why it was recommended in Excellent Books for Early and Eager Readers). It's written in short, simple sentences (somewhat oddly structured on each page) with illustrations by Matthew Cordell liberally spread throughout.  7/10

 

What I'm Currently Reading: The Gods Themselves by Isaac Isamov

I had a bad August.

A very bad August.

As bad as pickle juice on a cookie.

As bad as a spiderweb on your leg.

As bad as the black parts of a banana.

I hope your August was better.

I really do.

 

What a cute book. It's an easy chapter book about an 8-year old girl named Eleanor. She has had the same babysitter her whole life, Bibi. And now, Bibi is moving to Florida. Eleanor is devastated. She doesn't want Bib to move; she doesn't want anything to change. 

 

It's a quick read and fun. It reminds us (adults) how scary the slightest change can be and how when you are a kid, everything seems monumentally important. For the kids, it shows that change isn't so scary and we can all adapt, even if (at first) it seems like the world is ending.

 

Recommended to:

Second or Third graders, especially girls will enjoy this book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this book, Eleanor loses her first and only babysitter. She is in third grade and I think her voice is written so well. I love how dramatic she can be, because it made her feel like a real kid. When she finds out Bibi is leaving, she claims it's as bad as someone dying.

Overall, this is just a cute book. Eleanor is sweet and funny, and has such supportive parents. Natalie, her new babysitter, was my favorite in this book.

I can imagine myself enjoying this when I was younger, even more than I loved reading it now, and it would be so helpful to a child in Eleanor's situation. It's hard, especially as a kid, when someone you care about moves away. This book captured that perfectly.

Like Bug Juice On A Burger is a delightfully fun and entertaining read from author Julie Sternberg. I quickly devoured this middle-grade book and am hungry for more stories about Eleanor and more of Sternberg's work!Nine year old Eleanor is excited when her grandmother surprises her with a two week trip to Camp Wallumwahpuck, the camp Eleanor's mother attended as a girl. But Eleanor quickly begins to doubt the trip as she gets nervous about being away from home. And when she arrives at camp, she finds it isn't exactly what she thought it would be. Bugs, less than appetizing food, and dreaded swim class are what she finds instead. But Eleanor decides to really give camp a try and finds that maybe it isn't so bad afterall.Julie Sternberg has created a plucky and unforgettable character in Eleanor and her free-verse writing style is refreshingly unique. I really enjoyed this simple, but laugh-out-loud funny and endearing story and I think readers of all ages will find it immensely amusing and entertaining as well.You don't often see free-verse in middle-grade, but Sternberg's writing style and voice are pitch-perfect for her intended audience. I loved the natural flow of the free-verse and how well it fits the story. Eleanor's adventures and misadventures at camp are equal parts funny, touching, and thoughtful, and always believable. Sternberg creates realistic situations that young readers will relate to and understand.I love Eleanor and her honest, curious personality. She has a plucky spirit and a wonderfully observational wit. And boy did I feel for this girl! Her first few disastrous days at camp reminded me so much of my first few days of summer camp when I was a child *cringes *. I too took a less than graceful tumble on the first day of camp, found myself terribly homesick, and hated swim lessons. But Eleanor really makes the best of her situation and sets out to make sure her entire camp experience isn't ruined. And with the help of some new friends, a goat, and a trampoline, she ends up having a lot of fun.Matthew Cordell's simple but charming illustrations are the perfect companion to Eleanor's story and I really loved them.MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Like Bug Juice On A Burger is a wonderfully fun, amusing, and well written book. Sternberg's charming free-verse writing style and her awesome main character will delight readers of all ages.

It's the summer before third grade, and Eleanor is so sad because her favorite babysitter Bibi moves away. But the summer passes by - making lemonade, waiting for letters, and preparing for the new school year. This is a sweet book with some touching moments, but I'm not sure how excited kids will be about it. I think girls at a similar point in life will think it's a nice read.