Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-Up
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Written in diary format, this latest mix-up in the ongoing Keena Ford series finds the African American Washington, D.C., student thoroughly upset after Tiffany Harris, the meanest muffinhead in the whole second grade, finds Keena's journal, filled with private and not-always-complimentary feelings about others. After threatening to share what she has read, Tiffany tries to blackmail Keena, who finally stands up for herself. Thomson sensitively captures Keena's everyday anxieties at school as well as the friction and love she feels at home with her divorced mom and older brother. Morrison's appealing, full-page illustrations will draw new chapter-book readers into the text.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2010 Booklist

Gr 1-3-Second-grader Keena Ford keeps a journal full of her thoughts about her friends and her family. When it falls into the hands of the resident mean girl, she risks having her secrets spill out unless she does whatever Tiffany commands. To make things more awkward, Keena must write a speech about friendship when an author comes to her school. She really wants to write about her best friend, Linny, instead of Tiffany. She has to choose between being stuck with her nemesis and coming clean about what she's been writing in her journal. Her single mother has even more on her mind as Keena's brother gets into trouble at school. The story is written in journal style, with Keena describing daily events. Young readers will relate to her friendship dilemma and appreciate her vibrant personality. Morrison's occasional full-page drawings capture the interactions of the children and are great at depicting their facial expressions. Readers of Sharon Draper's "Sassy" series (Scholastic) will enjoy meeting Keena.-Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Second-grader Keena keeps a detailed journal and, as Harriet the Spy could have told her, that can cause friend problems. After Tiffany gets her mitts on the book, she blackmails Keena into playing princess games or facing exposure. Thompson captures the day-to-day details of school life, and Keena, along with her divorced-but-civil parents and gruffly supportive brother, is likable. Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.

(Chapter book. 6-9)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Written in diary format, this latest "mix-up" in the ongoing Keena Ford series finds the African American Washington, D.C., student thoroughly upset after Tiffany Harris, "the meanest muffinhead in the whole second grade," finds Keena's journal, filled with private and not-always-complimentary feelings about others. After threatening to share what she has read, Tiffany tries to blackmail Keena, who finally stands up for herself. Thomson sensitively captures Keena's everyday anxieties at school as well as the friction and love she feels at home with her divorced mom and older brother. Morrison's appealing, full-page illustrations will draw new chapter-book readers into the text. Copyright 2010 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 1–3—Second-grader Keena Ford keeps a journal full of her thoughts about her friends and her family. When it falls into the hands of the resident mean girl, she risks having her secrets spill out unless she does whatever Tiffany commands. To make things more awkward, Keena must write a speech about friendship when an author comes to her school. She really wants to write about her best friend, Linny, instead of Tiffany. She has to choose between being stuck with her nemesis and coming clean about what she's been writing in her journal. Her single mother has even more on her mind as Keena's brother gets into trouble at school. The story is written in journal style, with Keena describing daily events. Young readers will relate to her friendship dilemma and appreciate her vibrant personality. Morrison's occasional full-page drawings capture the interactions of the children and are great at depicting their facial expressions. Readers of Sharon Draper's "Sassy" series (Scholastic) will enjoy meeting Keena.—Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH