Annie's Life in Lists

February 1, 2018

Gr 3-6-Annie, who feels out of the ordinary due to her exceptional memory and shyness, loves making lists so much that she keeps a notebook full of them with her all the time, organized by month. Annie's family moves from Brooklyn to Clover Gap, population 8,432. As Annie's parents adjust to home ownership and her father to a new job, Annie must find her place at her new school and learn how to get by without her best-and only-friend, Millie. Over the course of the novel, Annie uncovers the real reason her family moved, struggles to find her place in a new group of friends, and earns herself a bit of celebrity during the town's annual Clover Fest. Mahoney's novel is literally written in lists, all of which have their own titles, some with a sentence or a few paragraphs of explanation after. Annie's humor, empathy, and frankness shine through in her engaging narrative. Every character has its own distinct presence on the page, and the individual conflicts help each one feel fully developed and unique. The plot moves at a steady pace and a subplot addresses racism. While the ending is almost too neat, readers will find themselves cheering for Annie, her friends, and her family. VERDICT Even with its imperfections, the format, featuring illustrations throughout, will make it a great choice for reluctant readers.-Liz Anderson, DC Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2018
When fifth-grader Andromeda moves from Brooklyn to a small town, she must deal with all of the issues a move like that could create.She's pretty sure she caused the move by accidentally revealing to her school principal that she didn't live in the correct school district. Her older brother, Ted, blames her for his loneliness now that they've arrived in tiny Clover Gap. Her parents, apartment dwellers, have lots to learn about maintaining a house. Annie is sure that she should conceal her fabulous memory from her new classmates and does everything she can to melt into the background. New classmate Zora reaches out to Annie, but that leaves Zora's other friend, Amelia, feeling angry, vindictive, and very unwelcoming. (Zora is also one of the only black characters in both the book and Clover Gap, a fact that is addressed matter-of-factly and with sensitivity.) Meanwhile, Annie's best friend from the city gradually loses touch with her. All of these deftly interrelated plotlines are related in the lists that Annie keeps--lists of just about everything--and it's these, and the fun twist they create, that elevate the tale over the pack, adding an amusing dimension to a well-worked trope. Annie's slightly tongue-in-cheek voice, revealed in the lists and occasional narrative paragraphs, breathes life into the many characters around her, adding believability.1. Fresh. 2. Fun. 3. Entertaining. (Fiction. 8-11)

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March 26, 2018
Ten–year-old Annie loves to keep lists, and along with dynamic spot drawings, they make up this creative and engaging debut. The topics include “Five things about my memory,” which demonstrates Annie’s ability to recall seemingly insignificant details about the people she meets, and “Three ways my family reacted to the news about the move,” which addresses the responses of Annie’s parents and older brother as the family relocates from Brooklyn to the small town of Clover Gap just before Annie begins fifth grade. Annie is worried that the move is her fault; she accidentally revealed to her former principal that the family lied about their address to get her into a better school. Then, however, she finds a severance-agreement letter to her father that suggests another reason for relocating. The family’s financial struggles are realistically wrought, and their adjustment to small-town life results in some very entertaining lists, such as “Five ways my parents and I looked out of place at our first Clover Gap High football game.” Readers will sympathize with Annie’s struggles to make new friends and adapt to a new life in this coming-of-age story that’s filled with humor and heart. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Sarah Burnes, the Gernert Co.

February 15, 2018
Grades 3-6 There's nothing worse than having to movethough, actually, the worst is knowing it's all your fault. That's how sixth-grader Annie feels when her family leaves their beloved Brooklyn behind for middle-of-nowhere Clover Gap, population 8,432. Annie's almost photographic memory exposes the fact that their tiny apartment is not in the district for her school, forcing her and her older brother out at the end of the school year and prompting the move. Annie's delightfully detailed lists chronicle her first year in Clover Gap, a year full of changes, new friendships forged, old friendships tested, and new truths discovered regarding the actual cause of their move (hint: it isn't actually Annie's fault). The structure of Mahoney's clever debutit really is all told in listsmakes for a breezy, engaging read with wide appeal and accessibility for a range of reading abilities. In turns humorous and touching, its themes will resonate with many readers struggling to break out of their shells and find a home in new places. Simply charming.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
After Annie's family moves from Brooklyn to rural Clover Gap, quiet Annie hides her quirks, including her amazing memory and orderly thinking. But soon the fifth grader makes new friends and learns to be--and speak up for--herself. Decorated with simple yet lively spot illustrations, the story is primarily told in a series of lists (e.g., "Four reasons I'm quiet"), which emphasizes Annie's perceptive and clever personality.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)