When we first meet eleven-year-old Amelia, she is getting ready for her first day in the fifth grade. Her excitement was so overwhelming, she couldn't sleep through the whole night. Amelia has only one true friend for one good reason: she is pompous, abrasive, and rather tactless with her classmates.
Amelia, who rarely gives compliments to anybody but enjoys receiving them, is cruel to Brooke ("Did you wash your hair last night, Brooke? It doesn't look clean..."), to Michael ("Gee, Michael, did you take a shower last night?"), and Holly ("Why don't you just finish your lunch, and go eat another one. I see that you are still fat!").
This rather insufferable middle-school student is about to get her payback. The next morning while looking in the mirror, she sees, much to her surprise, greasy and dirty hair. The morning after that, adding to her dilemma, Amelia discovers that she is emitting a very unpleasant smell--not unlike that of a skunk!
Now, for the first time in her young life, Amelia is the target of insults as well as being kept at arm's length by her classmates. What can she do? With the help of her loyal friend, Melissa, Amelia will try to rid herself of these problems that refuse to go away.
Helene Dwyer Lindberg's new book is the amusing and insightful tale of one little girl's life lesson and how she gets herself out of a very uncomfortable situation while teaching us all a valuable lesson about tolerance and kindness.

When we first meet eleven-year-old Amelia, she is getting ready for her first day in the fifth grade. Her excitement was so overwhelming, she couldn't sleep through the whole night. Amelia has only one true friend for one good reason: she is pompous, abrasive, and rather tactless with her classmates.
Amelia, who rarely gives compliments to anybody but enjoys receiving them, is cruel to Brooke ("Did you wash your hair last night, Brooke? It doesn't look clean..."), to Michael ("Gee, Michael, did you take a shower last night?"), and Holly ("Why don't you just finish your lunch, and go eat another one. I see that you are still fat!").
This rather insufferable middle-school student is about to get her payback. The next morning while looking in the mirror, she sees, much to her surprise, greasy and dirty hair. The morning after that, adding to her dilemma, Amelia discovers that she is emitting a very unpleasant smell--not unlike that of a skunk!
Now, for the first time in her young life, Amelia is the target of insults as well as being kept at arm's length by her classmates. What can she do? With the help of her loyal friend, Melissa, Amelia will try to rid herself of these problems that refuse to go away.
Helene Dwyer Lindberg's new book is the amusing and insightful tale of one little girl's life lesson and how she gets herself out of a very uncomfortable situation while teaching us all a valuable lesson about tolerance and kindness.