Amber Brown Sees Red by Paula Danziger

From the Publisher

Amber has a lot on her mind. Her mom is engaged. Her father is moving back to the United States. Her parents fight every time they talk on the phone--and Amber is caught in the middle. It's enough to make Amber Brown see red! (Digest)

Publishers Weekly

Danziger's irrepressible heroine feels torn between her future stepdad (who is there when she needs him) and her absentee father (who now wants custody). Two bookmarks of Amber in distress come with each copy. Ages 7-10. (Feb.)

Children's Literature

Amber Brown is a typical, likable fourth grader going through some difficult times. She has to deal with her divorced parents' constant bickering on the telephone, her mother's impending marriage, growth spurts, and even a bad haircut. Now her father, who's been living in Paris, calls to say he's coming back and wants shared custody of Amber. Poor Amber feels as if everything in her life is constantly changing. Fortunately, Amber is also able to find humor in her life with the help of her good friend Brandi's constant news bulletins and a very funny invasion of skunks in her school. Amber realizes that even though things may not always go as she'd like them to, and that she may not have a perfect life, she can still be a winner. Amber Brown's perky personality and honest outlook on life will win the hearts of all pre-teen kids. The book is simply written in first-person narrative, which makes her character easy to emphasize with.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4While a sequel is often weaker than the original, this book is stronger than its predecessors. After her parents' divorce and a variety of other changes, Amber Brown wishes something, if only her growing body, could stay the same. But nothing does. She has a new best friend, Brandi, with whom she becomes stranded on a school bus because their school has been invaded by a skunk family. Max, her mother's fianc, rescues them and takes them for a fun day at the mall. While Amber is still reluctant to see him as a future stepfather, she does reflect on how he is there when she needs him, unlike her father, who has been living in France. Things change again when he decides to return to New Jersey and seek joint custody of his daughter. Her parents begin fighting long distance, upsetting Amber until she "sees red." Ross's black-and-white cartoons help convey the character's feelings. Real emotion is mixed with comic relief, creating colorful characters in a lively story that will attract new fans and old ones alike.Jackie Hechtkopf, Talent House School, Fairfax, VA

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