The Bubblegum Babes' Guide
to Sixth Grade
by Doreen Lewis
    Meet the best friends who call themselves The Bubblebum Babes: Emily –
    the sweet, shy girl, Megan – cool and sassy, Sara - the smart tomboy, and
    Kelly –all-American girl.

    The stories of four twelve year old girls’ first year in middle school are told
    by Kelly, who plays a part in each of the girl’s life struggles -- from boy
    problems to report card issues, jealousy, and the trouble with parents. The
    girls share it all at “Bubblegum Babe Meets” -- weekend sleepovers that
    include eating pizza, girl talk, and much laughing and crying.

    Sixth grade isn’t easy. But the Bubblegum Babes survive it because, well,
    very simply – they have each other.

    The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade is the first in a series of books
    about friendship and growing up. Written in vignette style by Novelist,
    Doreen Lewis, the Babe characters are inspired by the real lives of Lewi'’s
    children and their friends.

    "A Bubblegum Babe meet is always a good thing, even when it’s a bad thing. That
    might not make sense, but I can sure remember plenty of times our meet together was
    hard. Maybe two of us would have an argument and the rest of us would pick sides. They
    were times that tested our friendship. Even still, somehow we survived having
    differences."
    - Kelly, a Bubblegum Babe
BOOK REVIEWS:

    friends, age twelve, who are about to undertake their first year in sixth grade. Things are changing for
    these four friends; they are growing up and experiencing the growing pains that we all remember. Ouch!
    We are privileged to partake of their journey as they share their adjustments from school work, trouble
    with parents who just won't understand, meeting new friends and keeping old, peer pressure and first
    loves. Oh the memories!
    Through it all we watch them grow, learn and experience life. The author does an outstanding job in
    defining her characters and giving them life. You actually feel as if you are part of the Bubblegum Babes
    group. Hey! Pass the pizza! This is a delightful book, full of truth and will definitely give encouragement
    to those experiencing similar situations. I loved it! It was pure reading enjoyment and I highly recommend
    this work. Great job!

    Shirley Johnson
    Senior Reviewer

    ****************************************************************************************
    4 out of 5 Stars
    About growing up and friendship, September 18, 2005
    By  Gary H. Cassel "Flamingnet.com" (Baltimore, MD, USA) - See all my reviews


    In The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade, there are four twelve-year-old girls named Meg, Sara,
    Emily, see each other during lunchtime. This book tells about how they survive sixth grade together and
    how they are always there for each other during the best and worst of times. Each of them have different
    problems which they all help each other get through. After sixth grade ends, Emily will have to move to
    South Carolina with her grandma for the summer because her parents got divorced. Will this mess up
    their friendship and if so, what will happen to the Bubblegum Babes group with Emily's leaving? Find out
    in this wonderful book called The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade.

    I think this book had a good plot. I enjoyed reading The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade by
    Doreen Lewis because I'm in the sixth grade too, just like the girls in this book. I recommend this book to
    girls around the same age as the Bubblegum Babes, which is twelve. The characters were fun to read
    about because they all had different personalities and were the same age as me. I hope you enjoy
    reading The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade because I know I did. This is the first book in a
    series of books about growing up and friendship, according to the back cover.

    Reviewed by a student reviewer for Flamingnet Book Reviews
    www.flamingnet.com
    Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations  
    ***********************************************************************************************************************************

    5 out of 5 Stars
    Midwest Book Reviewer

    By  Lillian Brummet (Canada) - See all my reviews

    This is one book that I would have cherished as a little girl. The Bubblegum Babes' Guide to Sixth Grade
    is the first in a series designed for young people growing up in today's fast-paced and high-pressure
    world. Doreen Lewis wrote it so that each chapter can be read as a complete story on its own - perfect
    for pre-teens that like to read small sections at a time. An award winning author and mother of two,
    Doreen writes with clarity and energy and draws upon her life for inspiration in her work. Her own
    personality is revealed nicely in the Acknowledgement and About Author sections in the book.

    The main character, Kelly, takes the reader through adventures with her three best friends. They dub
    themselves the Bubblegum Babes after an evening of giggles and make-up. The four girls experience
    and discuss many things that aren't easy to talk about in everyday life. Excellent advice is interwoven into
    each tale from how to maintain friendships, the mysteries of menstruation and the complexity of
    discovering an interest in boys.

    Starting with their nervous beginnings in a new school year right through to the graduation dance, The
    Bubblegum Babes will have you wishing you were one of them.
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