Julie Sternberg crée des histoires qui explorent les complexités des amitiés d'enfance et des dynamiques familiales. Sa voix narrative se caractérise par une vive capacité d'observation, capturant la voix authentique et le monde intérieur des jeunes personnages. Sternberg aborde les thèmes du passage à l'âge adulte, des liens de camaraderie et de la navigation à travers les complexités de la vie précoce avec chaleur et humour doux. Ses œuvres résonnent auprès des lecteurs pour leur honnêteté sincère et leurs expériences auxquelles on peut s'identifier.
Set against the backdrop of the Southern countryside, a city girl embarks on a transformative summer as she uncovers the hidden truths of her estranged extended family. Through her journey, she navigates complex relationships and deep-rooted secrets, ultimately discovering her own identity and the importance of family ties. This poignant tale explores themes of belonging, heritage, and the impact of the past on the present.
Navigating significant life changes, ten-year-old Celie faces the challenges of moving to a new school and making friends while balancing her family dynamics. Struggling with tougher schoolwork and friendships between two classmates, Mary and Charlie, she also deals with her forgetful Granny and a home nurse moving in. As family tensions rise with her sister Jo's relationship troubles, Celie's attempts to help lead to unexpected consequences. Through her diary, she documents her heartfelt and humorous experiences, revealing her resilience amidst the chaos.
A new girl at school throws nine-year-old Eleanor's relationship with her best friend Pearl into disarray
Celie turns to her diary as she tries to sort out her problems, filling the pages with humorous, heartfelt entries, notes, drawings and pages from her top-secret spy notebook.
Once more Celie turns to her diary, filling the pages with heartfelt and often humorous entries, notes, drawings and pages from her top-secret spy notebook.
I had a bad August. A very bad August. As bad as pickle juice on a cookie. As bad as a spider web on your leg. As bad as the black parts on a banana. I hope your August was better. I really do. When Eleanor's beloved babysitter, Bibi, has to move away to take care of her ailing father, Eleanor must try to bear the summer without Bibi and prepare for the upcoming school year. Her new, less-than-perfect babysitter just isn't up to snuff, and she doesn't take care of things like Bibi used to. But as the school year looms, it's time for new beginnings. Eleanor soon realizes that she will always have Bibi, no matter how far away she is. Written in a lyrical style with thoughtful and charming illustrations throughout, this remarkable debut novel tells a poignant story of friendship and the bittersweet feelings of growing up. Praise for Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie “Eleanor’s ingenuous free-verse monologue should strike a chord with readers, especially those who may have had to cope with the loss of a loved one. Cordell’s halftone cartoons convey the story’s pathos and humor, as well as Eleanor’s changeable moods.” –Publishers Weekly “Cordell’s winsome cartoon drawings complement the text without overcrowding the verse. It tells a simple, poignant story that will resonate with any child who has ever had to say good-bye.” –Booklist “This first novel is a promising debut. Eleanor’s concerns, not only about her babysitter, but also about playmates, friends and a new school year will be familiar to readers, who will look forward to hearing more about her life.” –Kirkus Reviews “Sternberg hits all the right notes here, capturing a sensitive kid’s first experience of loss with tender respectfulness and full acknowledgment that separation is a bereavement too. Sprightly line drawings, with the same perky homeyness as the story, add visual energy.” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “Heartfelt, accessible, and energetic…” –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "This heartwarming novel and its winsome cartoon-like illustrations draw readers right into the story. Children would enjoy this short chapter book as an independent read, but it would also be a particularly good choice for parents to read to or with their children." –BookPage