Publisher Description

Eight-year-old Mandy Berr learns life lessons with patriotic pizazz in the first adventure of a new chapter book series. Eight-year-old Mandy Berr has a lot going on. She has to share her parents' attention with her newborn twin siblings, who are always crying, and her little brother, Timmy, who is constantly in her way. And she also has to find a way to deal with her nemesis, Dennis, who has a knack for getting under her skin. At least Mandy has the upcoming Presidential Pageant to look forward to at school. She is determined to be President George Washington--she is perfect for the lead part, after all. But when Mandy's teacher makes a surprising choice, it looks like Mandy will have to keep sharing the spotlight. Can she find her own way to shine? Mandy has some valuable life lessons to learns in this adorable chapter book--including the fact that white pants and polka dot underwear are never a good combination.

Author Biography

Allison Gutknecht is the author of multiple books for young readers, including the Pet Pals series, Sing Like Nobody's Listening, Spring Break Mistake, The Bling Queen, and the Mandy Berr series. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she earned her master's degree in children's media and literature from NYU. Allison grew up in Voorhees, New Jersey, and now lives in New York City. Stevie Lewis grew up in Southern California and works in the animation industry as a visual development artist. She studied computer animation at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, rock climbing, baking cookies, browsing thrift shops, and drinking delicious coffee! She lives in San Francisco with her two little dogs.

Excerpt from Book

Don't Wear Polka-Dot Underwear with White Pants CHAPTER 1 The Trouble with White Pants I KEEP TELLING MOM ABOUT the White Pants, and she says to wear them anyway. "They will make me fall down," I explain. "Pants do not make you fall down, Amanda," Mom answers, because she does not understand anything at all. "Yes, they do." I stomp my foot and cross my arms and put on my very best "I am pouting now" face. "White pants like dirt, and they will make me fall in it." "Then be extra careful at recess, please," Mom says, holding the awful pants open for me to step in. "No." Mom sighs a big gust of breath in my face and stares at me with her "I mean business" eyes. "Amanda Berr, I am going to count to three." "I will get ketchup on them," I say. "One . . ." "I will drop marker on them," I say. "Two . . ." I groan like a dinosaur and lift up one leg just so Mom will stop counting. "Here is a deal," I begin. "I will wear these awful white pants if you buy me periwinkle pants." My favorite color is periwinkle. It is more beautiful than blue and more perfect than purple and it is a fun name to say. But I do not have one piece of periwinkle clothing, and I think this is unfair. I checked my whole entire closet--shirts and shorts and dresses and ugly fancy blouses that Mom keeps in plastic until Easter. No periwinkle. I had held my periwinkle crayon from my box of 152 colors up to each piece, just to be sure. And still nothing.

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