So Long Stinky Queen

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

Samantha’s school year is not off to a good start. Her best friend,
Carol, has moved away. Her mother is going to teach at her school.
Evelyn, the class bully, is still teasing her relentlessly. And to top
it off, Ruthie Cramer, the new girl sitting beside Samantha, throws up
all over everything.

Despite the less than auspicious beginning, and even though her mother
is going to be teaching in her classroom and helping Evelyn with her
spelling, Samantha finds a new friend and playmate in Ruthie. All goes
well until Evelyn pushes her way into their friendship and Samantha is
left alone again. It seems that Evelyn has won until Samantha comes up
with a plan to teach her a well-deserved and long-overdue lesson.
Fortunately, Evelyn learns quickly and the story comes to a satisfying,
happily-ever-after conclusion.

For those on the lookout for beginning chapter books, this new First
Flight chapter book will be a welcome find. The issues dealt with in So
Long Stinky Queen—friendship, bullying, mom at school, etc.—will
make the story appealing to young readers and, if used as a read-aloud
book, lead to interesting and lively discussions. Recommended.