Tuesday 10 May 2011

Frankie Foster: Fizzy Pop! by Jean Ure (Children's, 9 years +, 10/10E)


March 2011, Harper Collins
around 216 pages (mine was a proof copy, Paperback
Review copy 

Themes: chock full of humour, living with older siblings, family issues, adoption, school life, school friends, coping with hormones, entertaining accidents, 

Summary from Harper Collins 

The first book about ten-year-old FRANKIE FOSTER – the girl who wants to help, but ends up causing chaos!


Frankie Foster loves fixing people's problems. Her help might not always be welcome – and she might cause the odd total disaster – but Frankie always fixes things. Eventually! It all started with the “My Beginnings” essays that Frankie and her classmates had to write for English. Her best friend, Jem, wrote all about how she felt being adopted and it was so good it got chosen to be read out at the end of term Speech Day! But writing the essay stirs up some questions for Jem, and she starts wondering about the identity of her biological mum. Needless to say, Frankie jumps at the chance to uncover the mystery and makes it her mission to reunite mother and daughter… regardless of the consequences!


Reasons for loving Frankie: her voice is loveable, the way accidents gravitate towards her happens to me a little (more so when I was child), she has a big heart. 

How evil/nasty is the enemy? From Frankie's view - her sister is very scary and doesn't do things logically. I just found Angel funny. 

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprise? Yes - especially with Frankie and her friends thinking one thing, and the reality turning out to be another. 

One of my favourite parts was...Frankie's tap incident (sink taps, not dance tap) with her mother. 

Be sure to check out more details of this and other books on Jean's website

Recommended reads
The Taming of Lily May by Vanessa Curtis - some serious issues addressed, but Lily is equally hilarious as Frankie 



The Mayfield Mysteries: The Case of the Ruby Necklace by Alex Carter - all four friends combined have similar views to Frankie 



Jane Airhead by Kay Woodward - Another hilarious girl when life doesn't go according to plan. 

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