Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: The New Girl
Written By: Meg Cabot
Scholastic Press $17.99

In this second installment of Allie Finkle’s adventures, the young heroine is starting a new school in the quaint neighbourhood in which her parents have purchased an old farmhouse. Being the “new girl” at school brings with it a whole host of issues, the most daunting of which is Rosemary Dawkins. Rosemary sits at the back of the class with the boys who cause trouble. She taunts and teases Allie despite the fact Allie has never said a word to Rosemary (which as it turns out explains the bullying, thanks to the wisdom of the school janitor).

Besides staying out of Rosemary’s way, Allie concerns herself with her premature kitten, Mewsie, who requires constant care, studying for the school spelling bee and playing with her new best friends, Erica, Sophie and Caroline.

Allie is a typical fourth-grader with two younger brothers, an eccentric uncle who studies poetry, an obnoxious grandmother and parents that are just trying to keep one foot ahead of the other as they patiently wait for their custom-ordered period stove from Home Depot. Who says there is anything wrong with eating popcorn for breakfast and pizza pops for lunch everyday for a month?

Young girls who enjoy reading about the regular life of a ten year-old will relate to and enjoy this funny, new book by New York Times Bestselling author, Meg Cabot.