I got this as a birthday present when I was younger and at the time I didn't enjoy it. I didn't relate with the character at all and it wasn't very intriguing. ( )

This is a sweet story about a young girl whose family moves from North Carolina to New York state. She has been home-schooled for her whole life so far and when her parents decide she should go to school, she is scared. She doesn't want to go. She dreads the bus, the other students, sitting in school all day... But, she finds something at school that she never had before... a best friend.

Young girls will love this sweet story about friendship, dealing with change, and discovering who you are.

Recommended to:
Grades 3 - 5, fans of realistic fiction. ( )

I enjoyed this book about an ordinary, everyday girl who is going through some changes in her life. I love how it starts and ends with the same sentence, it brings the book full circle in the life of Prairie. Prairie is a very likeable character with a loving family and a kind heart. However, she is never saccharine. One of my favorite things about her is at the end when a character moves into her home, she struggles a little bit with jealousy and possessiveness. She has to work to understand other people's feelings, but she eventually comes around. This is a sweet, good story.

Areas of concern:
Prairie's best friend, Ivy, comes from a very difficult home life. There are major issues there, which I won't delineate because that would give things away, but they are dealt with gently and shouldn't cause too much concern to parents. ( )

Prairie has always been a free child, growing up with her beloved Grammy and parents in the North Carolina mountains while being homeschooled. When her parents relocate to a farm in New Paltz, N.Y., Grammy returns to North Carolina and 10-year-old Prairie enters school for the first time.

Read the rest of my review at: http://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/prairie-evers-ellen-airgood/ ( )

In a word: refreshing! This was such a wonderful story. As our narrator, Prairie shows us the world - good, bad, and ugly - as a 10-year-old sees it. Whether it is the other citizens of Paltz, NY, or her classmates, you get an honest perspective. There is a nice blend of characters, who, as the story unfolds, may challenge your initial judgement of them. Through Prairie's eyes these people seem real. I, for one, wanted to walk right up to the rude woman in the diner!

Pros: Engaging characters and honest narrative combine in this beautiful, wholesome coming of age story.

To read our full review, go to The Reading Tub®.