Children's Literature- Annotated Book Card Form

Student's Name: Maranda Kapell

Card No.: 10

Title: Freckle Juice

Author: Judy Blume

Illustrator: Sonia O.Lisker

Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers

Copyright: 1971

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Approximate Age Level: 8-11

Setting:  School  

Plot summary with introduction of main characters:

Andrew Marcus wants frekles like his friend Nicky Lane. NIcky has so many freckles Andrew can't count them. With freckles like Nicky, Andrew's life would be complete because his mother wouldn't be able to tell if he washed his face and neck! After hearing from Nicky that you can't make freckles, you have to be born with them, Andrew is sad until another classmate, Know- it -all Sharon comes to his rescue. She claims for a small fee, she has a recipe that will make freckles! Andrew reaces home to make the recipe but unfortunately, all he gets is a stomachache! Once he is feeling better he doesn't want to go back to school without freckles so he uses a blue marker to make "freckles" all over his face.When his classmates laugh at him, his teacher tells Andrew she has a secret recipe to remove his freckles. When Nicky hears Miss Kelly, say this he begs for some of that remover. This is when Andrew realizes that its okay to be the way he is. At that same moment know-it-all Sharon jumps in letting Nicky know she has a secret recipe for freckle remover too!

Additional features (choose any that apply):Multicultural, international, strong female character, good role model, written from more than one point of view, literary qualities (such as figurative language, good beginning, good use of dialogue, excellent description), other (explain).

The humor in this book makes it enjoyable to read while teaching a moral: Like yourself for who you are, just be yourself-nobody else. The title and the cover do a very nice job at grabbing the reader's attention by stirring up curiosity.

Reaction to or opinion of the book:

This is a hilarious early chapter book that will get a giggle out of any reader. It is quite entertaining to read about gullible Andrew really making up the recipe and worst yet, really drinking it! It is the kind of book that once you start reding it you can't put it down. It wouldn't take many capable readers long to read it as it is a quick read with short chapters. Besides the moral of the story (like yourself just as you are) this book teaches children not to believe everything you hear. I bet every reader knows an Andrew and a Sharon!

Beyond children's enjoyment, is there another way this book could be used?  Explain.

What a fabulous way to learn measurement skills in Math creating a freckle juice recipe or another recipe that would make or remove_______________. These would turn out as funny as the book, I believe! Students could use paint or Kidpix to draw a picture of the concoction or of a character that might want to use the recipe. Try doubling, tripling the recipe! This would also be an excellent book to do a compare and contrast diagram on the characters since they are all so full of personality and individuality!