by Annabeth Bondor-Stone (Author)
In this heartwarming and hilarious reimagining of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a secret potion accidentally turns eager-to-please eighth grader Jaclyn into Jackie, a goblin-like monster who'll do anything to win at everything she does--no matter how much chaos she creates along the way.
Jaclyn Hyde is almost perfect. Whether she's baking cookies for her classmates, building a replica Mt. Vesuvius for the science fair, or practicing her lines for Fog Island: The Musical, she almost never makes mistakes. But when she discovers the last batch of perfection potion in an abandoned laboratory, Jaclyn decides that being almost perfect isn't perfect enough anymore. But instead she finds out that trying to be perfectly perfect isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, it's downright horrifying. The potion turns Jaclyn into Jackie, a goblin-like monster who'll do anything to make sure Jaclyn comes out on top.
Suddenly, she's wreaking havoc on the school play, stealing someone else's brownies to pass off as her own, and even destroying someone's painting to get herself crowned "Artist of the Week." And that's just the beginning. Jackie will stop at nothing to make sure everyone knows just how perfect Jaclyn really is. So now, if Jaclyn wants to save her school, her friends, and herself from her perfectly horrifying alter-ego, she's going to have to screw up her courage and risk it all--even if that means admitting that she never was as perfect as she seemed.
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Gr 3-5—Fans of Bondor-Stone and White will not be disappointed by this character-driven reimagining of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Jaclyn Hyde strives to be perfect. One day, when everything happens to go wrong and she is feeling utterly imperfect, Jaclyn stumbles across a recipe for perfection potion. The potion transforms Jaclyn into Jackie, her goblin alter ego. Jackie will do anything to ensure Jaclyn is perfect, even if that means mistreating others. With the help of her loyal friends, Fatima and Paige, Jaclyn learns that being the best version of yourself is better than being perfect. Readers of all ages will find Jaclyn relatable and redeemable even after Jackie comes to life. Jaclyn's parents and idolized older sister inadvertently push Jaclyn to strive for perfection, while her friends help ground her in reality. Although the plot may be predictable for older readers, the mini-mysteries and comedic elements balance the conflict and make it all worthwhile. VERDICT This modern take on a classic focuses on friendship, family, community, and being your best self; recommended for fans of "The Spiderwick Chronicles," Hotel Transylvania, and Roald Dahl.—Hilary Tufo, Columbus Metropolitan Library-Reynoldsburg
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