The Long-Distance Dispatch Between Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang (Popularity Papers Series #2)

by Amy Ignatow

Overview

Best friends Julie and Lydia are back in this hilarious sequel to Amy Ignatow's breakout novel!
After spending all of fifth grade studying popularity together, Julie and Lydia are finally ready to put their hard-earned lessons to use in junior high. But before they can, tragedy strikes: Lydia's mom gets a job in London for six whole months! Before Lydia can say "fancy a cup of tea?" she's thrust into a new school, where she earns a reputation as "the Violent American." Meanwhile Julie's stuck navigating the cliques of American junior high on her own, where she is adopted by a group of troublemaking eighth graders known as the Bichons. The two best friends will have to learn to keep in touch and stand on their own, assisted as always by their trusty notebook. Amy Ignatow's signature sense of humor is on full display in this satisfying sequel.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810997240
Publisher:	Amulet Books
Publication date:	03/01/2011
Series:	Popularity Papers Series , #2
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Amy Ignatow is the author of the Popularity Papers series and the Odds series. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two kids, and on rare occasions she enjoys sleeping.

Editorial Reviews

BFFs Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang are now separated by a most inhospitable ocean, but nothing apparently can abate the strength of their friend. In this rib-tickling addition to Amy Ignatow's diary series, the junior high pair buzz messages back and forth across the Atlantic. Topics include, but are not strictly limited to, cliques, boys, schools, weird British customs, cultural misunderstandings, and, of course, popularity. A series entry just as hilarious as its popular young reader predecessor. Editor's recommendation.

Gr 4–6—Julie and Lydia are back with a brand-new dilemma. Just one month before entering junior high, Lydia's mother announces that she has taken a job in London for six months, leaving Julie with the task of becoming popular on her own while her best friend makes new friends and explores a new city. As in The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang (Abrams, 2010), the girls communicate often in handwritten notes or via email. Ignatow explores their individual personalities and develops them further through social interactions in their respective schools. Julie struggles with becoming one of the Bichons, an in-group, while Lydia corrals those she considers to be outcasts to try to boost their popularity. Creative illustrations abound, showcasing each character's unique style. This is a great recommendation for reluctant readers and fans of Jeff Kinney's "Wimpy Kid" books (Abrams), Rachel Renée Russell's "Dork Diaries" (S & S), and Jim Benton's "Dear Dumb Diary" books (Scholastic).—Lia Carruthers, Roxbury Public Library, Succasunna, NJ

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