Title: Ava and Pip
Author: Carol Weston
Publisher: Sourcebooks: Jabberwocky
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
Description:
Outgoing Ava loves her older sister, Pip, but can't understand why Pip is so reserved and never seems to make friends with others. When Ava uses her writing talents to help her sister overcome her shyness, both girls learn the impact their words and stories can have on the world around them.
Title: Ava and Taco Cat
Author: Carol Weston
Publisher: Sourcebooks: Jabberwocky
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Description:
Ava desperately wants a pet for her eleventh birthday-but gets way more than she bargained for when she adopts T-A-C-O-C-A-T.
When Ava Wren hears about an injured yellow tabby with mismatched ears, she becomes obsessed and wants to rescue him. She even picks out a perfect palindromic name: T-A-C-O-C-A-T. But when Taco joins the family, he doesn't snuggle or purr-all he does is hide. Worse, Ava's best friend starts hanging out with Zara, a new girl in fifth grade. Ava feels alone and writes an acclaimed story, "The Cat Who Wouldn't Purr." What begins as exciting news turns into a disaster. How can Ava make things right? And what about sweet, scared little Taco?
The New York Times called AVA AND PIP "a love letter to language. " With this second diary, Girls' Life advice columnist Carol Weston hits another home run.
Title: Ava XOX
Author: Carol Weston
Publisher: Sourcebooks: Jabberwocky
Publication Date: Feb 1, 2016
Description:
Love is in the air—and Ava thinks she’s allergic
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and Ava couldn’t care less. That is, until a new girl, Kelli, asks out Ava’s friend Chuck…and he says yes! What?!? Ava is NOT okay with this. But since when does she think about boys? For the first time ever, words fail Ava. She isn't sure what she’s feeling (Like? Love? Friendship? Frustration?), or what “going out” even means. After all, fifth graders aren't allowed to go anywhere by themselves, are they?
To top it off, Pip’s friend Tanya is being bullied for her size. Ava wants to help—but, uh oh, it's not as easy as she imagines.
The New York Times called AVA AND PIP “a love letter to language. ” With this third diary format, Girls’ Life advice columnist Carol Weston hits another home run.
My Series Review:
I received books 2 and 3 via netgalley.com and the publisher and felt like I might miss too much from the first in the series that I decided to pick it up on my e-reader.
I am sure happy I ended up doing that, This is a great middle grade contemporary story about a girl named Ava and all of her misadventures. As soon as I read this it took me back to the days of reading about Ramona Quimby and her silly sister Beezus.
I decided to consider each book individually and then talk about the series as a whole.
Ava and Pip:
Absolutely a delightful read about two sisters who couldn't be more different. We are introduced to Ava in this book and her precocious and outgoing and her sister Pip who is a bit more shy and reserved. Ava decides to put her writing talents to use and comes up with a plan to get Pip out of her shell and help her make friends.
I loved their relationship and the impact words and story telling had on these young girls lives. So adorable and fun to read. I can see this becoming a middle school girls favorite read and might help her relate to a friend or even a sister of her own. She might even be reading it from Pip's perspective and it might help her come out of her shell. Absolutely great family dynamic and pro-education. I loved this!
Ava and Taco Cat:
Carol Weston has a way of making language and writing fun for middle grade aged kids. She does it again in Ava and Taco Cat. Ava once again shows how big her heart and mind are when she adopts a quirky cat which she names T-A-C-O-C-A-T because it makes the perfect palindrome.
What a fun way to incorporate aspects of language and writing into a story for middle grade kids. Ava wanting to adopt Taco Cat despite his dramatic past is sweet and encouraging and I think a good message for kids. Taco is shy and does nothing but hide so Ava decides to write a story about her cat that never purrs.
Ava is also dealing with other drama that a normal 5th grader would face including trouble with her best friend. She is finding out how to navigate all of these new changes in her life and I think despite a few stumbles she really comes around and inspires the reader to be better too.
Ava XOX:
This newest Ava release find Ava experiencing her first crush. She is struggling to understand her new found hormones as she navigates what it means to like boys or to "go out" with someone when you are in the 5th grade and can't even leave without a parent or guardian. Words to describe how she is feeling are hard to find for the first time in Ava's life and I think that is the perfect way to illustrate what it means to have your first crush, you just can't find a way to say what is going on in your head or with your feelings and that is so realistic.
Also, she is approached with some bullying and body shaming issues and also finds that this isn't a topic that is easy to understand or explain. She tries to help but that also isn't the easiest task she has ever undertaken.
I think this last installment is very age appropriate and topical and that any middle school aged student would gain a lot from reading it.
Series:
Overall, a phenomenal collections of middle grade stories told through the importance of writing and language and with a tenacious main character that you can't help but love.
I will say that I do see these stories appealing more to a female reader than a male reader but they are definitely age appropriate and cover a wide range of topics and introduce children to social issues such as bullying, body shaming, pet adoption, friendship, family, and so much more.
I couldn't suggest this series with any more praise. It is wonderful.
Recommended for fans of:
Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1445826604
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1426727477
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1439812697
http://www.amazon.com/Ava-Pip-Carol-Weston/dp/1492601837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447862605&sr=8-1&keywords=ava+and+pip
http://www.amazon.com/Ava-Taco-Cat-Pip/dp/1402288735/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447862623&sr=1-1&keywords=ava+and+taco+cat&pebp=1447862690425&perid=14GKGVFVE6NJ38GZTS9N
http://www.amazon.com/Ava-XOX-Pip-Carol-Weston/dp/1492620777/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447862706&sr=1-1&keywords=ava+XOX
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