Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain and the Great One

Judy Blume’s 27 books have won many awards. Judy Blume has received the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. She divides her time between Key West, New York City, and Martha’s Vineyard.

James Stevenson has written and illustrated more than 100 books for children. In 40 years at the New Yorker, he has published more than 2,000 cartoons and covers, as well as numerous written pieces. His illustrated column, “Lost and Found New York,” frequently appears on the op-ed page of the New York Times.
From the Hardcover edition.

Kindergarten-Grade 3—Abigail (the Great One) and Jake (the Pain) are back. The theme for this book is traveling, whether it is as close as the local mall, showcasing the Pain's attempt to walk down the up escalator, or as far as the Florida Everglades, where the Great One tries to keep from being bitten by alligators by wearing her leather cowboy boots. An emergency room trip to get a pussy willow removed from the Pain's nose will make readers laugh out loud. The nine short stories beautifully capture the experiences of siblings who love one another but who don't always get along. Their long-suffering cat, Fluzzy, gets his own chapter at the end. Stevenson's drawings perfectly complement the tales. Blume has delivered another funny story collection about two memorable characters.—Kathleen Meulen, Blakely Elementary School, Bainbridge Island, WA
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