I, Amber Brown by Paula Danziger

In elementary school, Amber Brown was one of my favorite chapter book characters in children's literature. My favorite all time, of course, was Babysitter Club's Little Sister books with Karen as the main character. When comparing Amber and Karen though, they have many similar characteristics. Both girls have parents who are divorced, and they feel the impact of having two families in their lives every day. Similarly, realistic problems surface that Amber and Karen must face.

Having just read I, Amber Brown by Paula Danziger for the first time since elementary school, I was still captured by the innovation of the story. Realistic fiction from a child's perspective provides a young reader with an outlet for his or her own personal viewpoints. Danziger takes an ordinary situation, getting your ears pierced, and twists it. This simple event becomes complicated because Amber has divorced parents. Amber Brown was specifically told that she could not get her ears pierced until she was twelve-years-old, but Amber plays the "divorce card" to her advantage. She asks her dad if she can get her ears pierced (without mentioning her mom's refusal of such action). Similarly, her parents must come to agreement as the holidays approach. This novel accurately captures Amber's real feelings and emotions as she struggles with the idea of both divorce and joint custody from a fourth grader's point-of-view. As Amber puts it, "It's not always easy."

Regaining the outlook of a fourth grader, I was transported back into childhood by reading this Amber Brown series novel. This novel provides both serious and humorous situations. Through Amber's eyes, I saw the mixture of important facts, random tidbits, and misunderstandings children encounter with adults. All of this is part of being a child, not yet grown up.

What I like most about Amber Brown is her direct honesty. It is as though we are reading Amber Brown's personal journal as we, the readers, make our way into her world. Amber's ability to rationalize and evaluate reality also makes her unique. She has ups and downs in her life like any other kid. Her constant reference to herself as 'I, Amber Brown' shows how this one fourth grader is slowly forming her identity and sharing her voice.With just the right amount of pictures interspersed throughout I, Amber Brown, Amber Danziger brings Amber Brown to life with real-life topics such as love, hope, guilt, strength, and forgiveness.