Tween Tuesday Review: Triple Trouble

 *5th book in the series*

**Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens. Join the fun! **  

Emma and Payton are no longer the only identical siblings in school. A set of triplet boys show up - causing trouble. The boys dress the same, they finish each other sentences, and they think three is much better than two. The girls hate their smug attitudes. They want to prove that twins rule!

Through an accidental twin switch, the triplets think they have out-maneuvered the girls. They may have won the battle, but Emma and  Payton declare war! The show down is set for a Twins & SuperTwins Festival on location broadcast for VOGS - just before the homecoming dance.

Can the girls prove themselves? 

My Thoughts: I really adore this series. It's funny, sweet, and charming. The twins have each other backs when it counts, especially when boys try to make them feel inferior. Of course, they're sisters and they still get on each others nerves. I like how everything came to a head at the festival where plenty of competitions were available. It feels like the last book in the series, I hope that's not the case. 

Cover Thoughts: Super cute - but doesn't exactly match the book
Source: my Library

Trading Faces: a Middle School Book Club

This past fall, I partnered with the Kelly Middle School and Teacher's Memorial Middle School ASPIRE program. After school, twice a week, they bused a group of kids to the library and we read Trading Faces. It's a favorite tween book of mine, one that added to the middle school summer reading list when the school librarian and I redid the lists this past year.

We took a few chapters and discussed the book each week, most of the questions were based on Would You Rather, a style they enjoyed. It also got them talking about the book in ways that other discussion questions didn't. We had trivia contests, mazes, and word searches just for fun.

At the end of the program, we decided to create a book trailer. This was several weeks of work, and one day of filming. Our filming was cut short thanks to Hurricane Sandy. They were split up into teams: acting, camera work, script writing, and editing. The editing team didn't get to do their job because we filmed on the last day of the program. However, the rest of the film is all their work.

Tween Tuesday Review: Cleared for Takeoff

*This is the 3rd book in the Liberty Porter, First Daughter series*


** Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens. Join the fun!  **


Liberty Porter will be getting her first stamp in her passport. She's not sure where's she's going yet as her parents are keeping the location a surprise. Liberty does know that she's required to take a manners class.

Luckily she convinces her whole class to brush up on their manners. Learning manners has never been more fun as Miss Crum has the students demonstrate what NOT to do.

Now that she knows how to behave, she can't wait until they're on the plane. That's when she learns they're going to Georgia. Soon she's worried if she's going to make a good impression and how to best represent American kids. What if she makes a huge mistake?

My Thoughts: I really like this series. I find Liberty to be refreshing and full of mischief. I love her antics, like the chocolate pudding competition. 


I like the illustrations. I really enjoy James who's a little polite, but can let himself relax around Liberty. I really like SAM, Liberty's Secret Service Agent and the way he interacts with her.


I like learning about Georgia and the country's customs. I also like how it connected with the author's personal life. 


Cover Thoughts: Super Cute!


Source: Inter-Library Loan


Fun Fact: I wonder if the Captain Tonya Stone on Air Force One is connected to the author?

Tween Tuesday Review: Double Feature

Payton and Emma have returned triumphant from New York City. They're both looking forward to things returning to normal when they're called into the guidance counselor's office.

They discover their names have been put forward to appear in a teen shampoo commercial. They leave for Hollywood the next morning.

Payton can't believe her good luck. It takes Emma a little while longer to get over missing the Geobee, but soon she's also excited about the trip.

When they get there, they realize there's more to shooting a commercial than they thought. First, one of them must have greasy hair and dress in comfortable clothes while the other dresses in cute clothes with shiny hair. Second, there are mean girls (including Ashlynn) in Hollywood who want to tear people down. Third, no one gets everything perfect while acting and sometimes taking directions proves too be difficult - especially when you're trying to pretend your someone else. Fourth, rumors are spread in Hollywood and in middle school.

Will Emma and Payton conquer Hollywood?

My Thoughts: The 4th book in this twin-tastic series is charming. I love the twins - and how they are both sisters and best friends. They stand up for each other. They support each other. They switch places to help each other. I loved their time in Hollywood- learning about the business, helping fellow actresses, meeting famous actors, and having the time of their lives. I love how the twins frustrate each other with their quirks. Just a fabulous series full of friendships, school issues, first crushes on boys, and drama.

Cover Thoughts: Adorable!

Source: My library

Tween Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted here at GreenBeanTeenQueen to highlight great reads for tweens. Join the fun

Tween Tuesday: Times Squared

Twins Emma and Payton can't believe their good luck. They're both going to New York City for a school field trip. Emma and her mathletes will be competing in an elite tournament, while Payton and the drama club will be attending an off-Broadway show.

They couldn't be more excited - until they arrive.

All Emma wants to do is study for the math event. The competition is fierce, especially right in her class. Jazmine James isn't going to go down without a fight. Emma is soon forced into joining the drama club and their activities. Can she keep her focus long enough to sweep her competition?

Payton can't believe the star of the off-Broadway show is none other than Ashlynn from summer camp. It's her worse nightmare come true. Now, everyone will know about her Summer Slave days, unless she becomes Ashlynn's stage slave.

Through drama, math, friendship, frenemies, and boy drama, the twins barely have time to enjoy their field trip. With so much going on, could they actually be thinking of switching places yet again?

My Thoughts: The third book in this series is full of fun, humor, drama, sisters, friendship, boys, and being comfortable in your own skin. I love these books, as they're wonderful reads for tweens. I can't wait to see what kind of trouble Emma and Payton will fall into next!

Cover Thoughts:

Source: My library -reviewed also for www.teensreadtoo.com where I gave it 5 stars

Review: Liberty Porter

Liberty Porter's father becomes the President of the United States today and Liberty's determined to become an amazing First Daughter. She knows that she's not perfect: she wiggles, she yawns, and most importantly she likes to have fun.

Liberty can't wait to check out her new digs, especially her new room -which has a slide. She immediately changes into PJs - her ultimate comfort clothes and heads out exploring.

She finds the best spot - the chocolate shop. She runs and slides on the wooden floors. Unfortunately, she also butts in on a press conference and answers questions about her father. She's just trying to fun the balance between fun and manners.

She spies a group of kids on tour, looking bored out of their minds. In order to fulfill her duties as the first daughter, she invited them to her room - which over course is against protocol. Will Liberty Porter find her balance without loosing herself?

*************************

Liberty Porter returns as she must attend her first day of school. There's all sorts of fabulous things about the White House, including the chef. However, that doesn't stop her Dad, the President, from making his annual first day of school pancakes. Liberty just wishes they didn't taste so bad.

She's a little nervous going to a new school where people know everything about her - or everything that's been in the media. She arrives early. Her fellow classmates rush into the room, stunned to see her. Some are excited, some are jealous, and some she already knows. Soon, Liberty's thrown into the deep end. Everyone wants to talk with her, but does everyone want to be her friend?

Liberty's figuring out to navigate through the waters of friendship with her trust bodyguard by her side.


My Thoughts: I really like this series, it's younger than I thought (because I didn't read much about the series, I just saw the author name and the covers and thought cool). Liberty Porter is a fun, fresh, and excited nine year old. I love her sense of adventure and her quirks. She's always seen as misbehaving, which is part of her charm. I seriously love SAM and his sense of loyalty and playfulness. The illustrations are super cute too.

The Cover: Very attractive!

Source: My Library (I bought them for the YA dept without realizing, but I'll be giving them to the Children's Dept.)

Fun Fact: I just saw a post on facebook from Julia DeVillers's site "Writing Liberty Porter book #3. She goes abroad (but she gets to fly Air Force One.)" - Sounds awesome. I can't wait to read more.

Readalike: Ally Finkle Series and for older readers: First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover by Mitali Perkins

Review: Take Two

Emma and Payton are still dealing with the fallout from their backfired plan to switch places. With detention in front of them, Emma can't believe her perfect record will be not-so-perfect.

Just as they go into detention, they get a reprieve. Instead of serving detention, Emma will tutor the guidance counselor own son - who is also a twin, while Payton must clean out the theater basement.

Emma's having a hard time with the twins as one boy's a math genius and the other hates math. They've heard the story of the Emma and Payton switch (who hasn't?) and they attempt to switch places several times. Emma has a hard time figuring the two boys out, which doesn't help matters, but she's determined to wipe her slate clean and become more AcadEmma.

Thus, she's giving up her new friends and her potential boyfriend to pursue her spot as the school's number one smarty-pants. Emma's not giving up the spot to anyone, especially Jazmine.

Meanwhile Payton can't believe she's not allowed to try out for the Wizard of Oz. She has the listen to rehearsal as she cleans. Plus Sydney's joined the play so she has to combat all the nasty comments that fly her way. Will she ever get the chance to shine center stage?

The twins deal with their separate lives but circumstances force them not to switch places, but to assume the other twin's identity - all in the name of good. Will they be caught...again?

My Thoughts: The second book in this series is cute. I love the emphasis on personal happiness as the twins struggle to find their own identities at a new school. Just a great fun tween read.

The Cover: Cute -with both sets of twins - the adorable girls and the mischievous boys.

Source: My Library

Up Next: Times Squared

Review; Trading Faces

Twins Emma and Payton begin their first day at a new school - one with boys no less. They're both eager to make an amazing first impression. Emma wants to known for her scholastic achievements and Payton wants to be known for her fashion sense. Emma's first day is terrible. She's going to have to prove her smarts to everyone and it's not going to easy as someone else is considered the smartest girl. Payton loves the new schools. She's already gained access to the popular girls, thanks to her new wardrobe. When she has a mishap at lunch a few days later, she can't believe she has to show her face again.

Instead, the girls decide to switch places - just for the day. They're supposed to switch back before school lets out, but things get a little out of control. Emma smooths things over the popular girls and even gives them great fashion advice when they go shopping. Plus she meets a really great guy who seems to like her. Payton signs up for a video casting project - something in which only honor students can participate.

They vow they vow not to change places again, but Ox just called Emma asking her to sit with him during the pep rally and Payton wants to be on the video project. This time, something goes horribly wrong and their plan backfire. Will anyone at school still talk to the twins or have they both committed social suicide?

My Thoughts: Super cute story about two girls finding their tastes and ideas expanding while pretending to be each other. I love the idea of having a twin and someone who take your place
for the day.

Cover: Cute - appealing and fun and totally goes with the book.

Source: My Library

Next Up: Take Two