Gr. 3-5. The small girl from the picture book Amazing Grace (1991) and several chapter books, including Encore, Grace! (2003), is older now, and she finds lots of changes at home and at school. Mom remarries, and Grace must get used to her new stepdad and to Mom's having a baby. At school, boys and girls spend less time together as friends, though some connect as couples. The narrative becomes a bit therapeutic as Grace deals with a bully and analyses why her friend is anorexic. However, as always with the books about this strong, young girl, the real drama is in the reworking of the traditional fairy tales on stage and in her personal life. The book, with occasional, realistic black-and-white drawings, demonstrates, in both pictures and text, that there are plenty of new, positive roles and opportunities in today's diverse families. Hazel Rochman
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