As a children’s librarian, my heart beat a little bit faster when Sara Pennypacker’s newest Clementine book, Clementine’s Letter, arrived at the library. I knew I’d have to wait my turn to borrow a copy, but I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!

Eight-year-old Clementine lives in an apartment building in Boston, with her artist mom, her building superintendent dad, and her baby brother (who she calls different vegetable names because he wasn’t lucky enough to be named for a fruit like Clementine!). And just like the springy red curls on her head, Clementine is always bursting with ideas, whether to give her next door neighbor Margaret a new haircut or to rid her building of pigeons in the Great Pigeon War.

In this third installment in the series, Clementine discovers that her beloved teacher, Mr. D’Matz may be leaving the class to do a research project in Egypt. Clementine is heartbroken at the thought of saying goodbye to her best teacher ever. So when the class is asked to write letters saying why Mr. D’Matz deserves to go to Egypt, Clementine knows that she has to do, for better or for worse…

If you like Ramona Quimby, Junie B. Jones, or Judy Moody, Clementine may be the next spunky girl for you! Click here for more spunky girl book recommendations (PDF) from the Mulberry Street Library.