Maddie Needs Her Own Life

Alison Mews is coordinator of the Centre for Instructional Services at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

These two early chapter books are the 10th and 11th stories about
Maddie. They are characterized by large fonts, short sentences, easy
vocabulary, and humorous illustrations by renowned Canadian illustrator
Marie-Louise Gay. There is plenty of child appeal here, to give emergent
readers incentive to persevere, as Maddie gets herself into all kinds of
predicaments.

In Maddie Needs Her Own Life, the youngster falls prey to peer pressure
when she attempts to join a really cool gang. But to be accepted by
them, she must obtain money and maintain the secrecy of their meetings,
so she begins to lie to her parents about her whereabouts and take
advantage of her beloved Gran’s generosity. When it is discovered that
the gang’s leader is using them to perpetrate a swindling operation,
Maddie comes to her senses. She comes clean with her Gran, who helps her
to appreciate her real friends and stay true to herself.

In Maddie’s Millionaire Dreams, she learns another lesson the hard
way—that gambling doesn’t pay. When they all lose money buying
lottery tickets from Nicholas, Maddie suggests they counterfeit Tokemon
cards to pay off their debts. Of course, the scheme backfires and they
all end up in the principal’s office. Again, it is Maddie’s Gran who
comforts her and gently provides the moral of the story.

The abundance of dramatic dialogue and nonstop action indicate that
these stories are written to entice and amuse readers rather than
provide enduring literature experiences. For this purpose they are
appropriate purchases. Recommended.