Sophie Simon Solves Them All by Lisa Graff; pictures by Jason Beene

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 112 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (September 28, 2010)

Book Summary: For a third-grader, Sophie Simon is one smart cookie. But she's no genius when if comes to calculating the high value of friendship, until she must use her incredible IQ to help out some classmates with parental troubles.

My Review: Not every third grader reads college textbooks for fun. Most of them don't even read them at all! That's why Sophie Simon is unique: she loves calculus, reading, and she's really smart. So it is no surprise when she wants the new $100 Pembo Q-60 calculator. The only thing in her way is her parents. Ever since they saw a TV show about having a "well adjusted" child, they've been trying to change Sophie, and make her into a "normal" kid. But Sophie is far from normal--and she'll do anything to get that calculator. But getting $100 isn't as easy as it seems, still Sophie Simon will do anything to get that calculator, even if that means she has to make friends. . . .

Sophie Simon was a cute story about one girl finding her place in the world (or her classroom), about her figuring out who her true friends are, and helping others. The sophisticated vocabulary sprinkled throughout the book helped make this an interesting review to write. I felt there were plenty of lessons hidden inside this story. In the beginning, Sophie's parents were trying to change her, but in the end, they realized she was just fine the way she was. This reminds the reader that no one's perfect, and you can't make someone they're not. Also the fact that Sophie was confident in herself, was another lesson to be true to yourself, and don't be anyone you're not.

Sophie Simon Solves Them All by Lisa Graff, is a cute, quick mystery read and I liked Jason Beene's illustrations.

Rating: +++1/2

Favorite excerpt: (Page 97)
     "Maybe, Sophie thought, just maybe, she might actually like having friends.

     "Yes," she said. "I think I might like that quite a bit.""

Cover comment: The cover is a nice illustration of Sophie thinking, and small little details from the book are there as well.

Book source: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

We're giving away our copy of Sophie Simon Solves Them All. One winner will receive the ARC version of this cute and funny story. Enter here. Contest ends October 31.