Stella Batts Needs a New Name (Stella Batts #1)

First in a series featuring eight-year-old Stella, Sheinmel's unassuming story, cheerily illustrated by Bell, is a reliable read for those first encountering chapter books. An aspiring writer, Stella tells her story in the form of an autobiography, describing her daily life as a third-grader with a pesky younger sister, mildly annoying classmates, and a few good friends. Stella's father and pregnant mother own a candy store, complete with a chocolate waterfall and party room. But even though the store sells fudge named after her, Stella has developed a dislike of her name following an embarrassing incident in which she earned the nickname "Smella" ("I'm going to leave out that part," she initially insists). When she changes her name her friends follow suit, leading to some unconventional choices like "Caramel" and "Scheherazade," as well as identity confusion and bickering. With a light touch, Sheinmel (All the Things You Are) persuasively conveys elementary school dynamics; readers may recognize some of their own inflated reactions to small mortifications in likeable Stella, while descriptions of unique candy confections are mouth-watering. Ages 5-9. Agent: Alex Glass, Trident Media Group. (Feb.)

Gr 3-4--Stella Batts doesn't like her name. A mean boy in her class laughed and called her "Smella" when she fell in dog poop during a nature walk. Her younger sister, Penny, has a nickname and she doesn't. Plus, she wants to be a famous writer, and "Stella" won't look good on a book cover. During a field trip to her dad's candy store, Batts Confections, she tells her friends about her plan for a name change. They think it's such a good idea that they decide to change theirs as well: Willa to Caramel, Talisa to Kit Kat, and Lucy to Truffle. Stella can't think of a good name until she sees the logo of a new bookstore: Scheherazade, "Sherry" for short. Things start to get complicated, though, when Penny wants to become Stella, the girls' teacher won't call them by their new names, and Lucy gets mad when she sees her old name in the autobiography Stella is writing. Sheinmel has a great ear for the dialogue and concerns of eight-year-old girls. Bell's artwork is breezy and light, reflecting the overall tone of the book. This would be a good choice for fans of Barbara Park's "Junie B. Jones" books (Random).--Diane McCabe, Loyola Village Elementary School, Los Angeles