Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon

Amber's best friend Justin is moving away.
A good kid's book about how it feels when someone you love leaves. Amber is an engaging character.

This book is about Amber Brown and her best friend Justin. Justin’s parents are trying to sell their house so they can move for Justin’s dad’s new job. Amber doesn’t want him to leave and Justin won’t talk about it. Amber is also dealing with her parent’s recent divorce. The two begin

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to fight and soon decide that the only way to deal with these issues is to deal with it together. Students will be able to relate to Amber.

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"Amber Brown is not a crayon. Amber Brown is a person." Despite occasional teasing from her classmates, Amber Brown like her name. She also likes her teacher Mr. Cohen and the "trips" he takes their third-grade class on, to places like China and Australia, as well as her best friend Justin Daniels.

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(They go way back. To preschool, in fact.) But then Justin's dad get offered a job in Alabama and his family must move.

Amber Brown is an excellent choice for mid to upper elementary schoolers, ideally for third and fourth graders. Amber, who is also the books's narrator, is a fun character to read about, since you can tell right away that she'd make a great friend. She's funny and really insightful for her age, and loyal to the end. The prose is just about at the perfect level for this age group, not to difficult but still challenging enough to be interesting.

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"Amber Brown is Not a Crayon" is an excellent transition book for readers just begginging to read chapter books. The language is simple enough for third graders and up to understand. This book is about a girl named Amber who has to deal with her best friend moving to another state far away from

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her. It shares with readers how she overcomes her feelings toward the situation and how she tries to just enjoy the time she has left with her best friend. Many children go through this situation everyday! This is a great book to have in a classroom library!

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This is a great read for younger readers! The message of this book is wonderful because many young children may be able to relate to the events of this book. It’s about a girl named Amber Brown and her best friend Justin. Justin’s dad has just gotten a new job and they must now move. Amber of

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course is very upset and doesn’t want him to leave. They then begin to fight and decide that the only way to deal with these issues is to deal with it together.

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realistic fiction: The story focuses on the friendship between Amber and Justin. They are about to become separated by thousands of miles as Justin is about to move.
Style:

I was told I had to read this book by a friend who kept telling me about it. She wanted me to read is so much that she wrote down the title on a a napkin (we were out bowling or something) and the next morning I pulled the note out of my pocket and was like "what on earth does this mean?". So now

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that I've been reading a ton of kids books (dunno why, just like to) I saw it and picked it up. I think it's a good kids book - funny, teaches empathy, it's real, but that's about it. Maybe I'll read the rest? First I need to tell my friend that I finally read this.

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Surprisingly long and complex for a children's novel, and innocently insightful, without jettisoning that childlike faith which so many children's books cannot but disturb.

(9/10)

Read aloud with my 3rd grader :)

Not exactly the heir to Ramona Quimby, as sometimes Amber has real dark feelings inside, and sometimes she shares them. I don't clearly remember every story so I'm copying this review to each book.

Paula Danziger's Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon (ages 7-8) is a humorous portrait of third grader Amber's dilemma—her best friend, Justin, is moving to Alabama. Amber recalls her difficulty adjusting to her parents' divorce, especially after, when her father moved far away. She tries to talk to

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Justin about his imminent move, but he keeps changing the subject. Then Amber and Justin have a fight about their chewing gum ball and stop talking to each other; will they make up before Justin moves? Danziger's Amber Brown series represents the realities of children's lives and experiences in elementary school with credibility, exploring common childhood problems and issues with humor and grace.

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I'm not a big fan of graphic novels because I prefer that children read from actual printed pages of text and allow their imagination to flesh out the scenes and action, the characters and their expressions. I believe this expands their ability to imagine and formulate on their own and to put

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identity to words. However, there is a time and place where graphic novels can benefit and lend enjoyment. This is especially true for the reluctant reader.

Amber Brown's stories are engaging and bring to life children in their day to day settings of school, etc. Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel is a re-telling of the original book that was printed as a text novel with some illustrations.

Amber's parents are divorced. Amber has been best friends with Justin since kindergarten. Justin's family is moving to another city. Amber's emotions are on a roller coaster.

Their teacher seems to have lots of engaging activities and also a good degree of tolerance of lively third graders. A "trip to China" with Chinese food brought in for their lunch is a grand way to learn about another country. Writing post cards from China to family and friends is one of the activities. The teacher also has a high tolerance of their ill temper, spats, and general ill behavior.

Amber is experiencing unsettling emotions from her parent's divorce and her father moving far away and then she gets the news that her best friend's father's work is changing and they are moving far away. She is angry. Justin is angry. They lash out at each other and their classmates. Secret word: kindness

This book can provide a glimpse into the shattering of children's emotions caused by major events in their lives. It gives voice to their hurt, their discord, their struggles. It also shows that it is important to say "I'm sorry" when you hurt others.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

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