Still Just Grace

Just Grace #2

by Charise Mericle Harper

A fun new boy has just moved in next door to Grace’s best friend, Mimi. When Grace has to go away on a family trip during school, she is terrified that when she comes back Mimi will be best friends with Max instead! After her trip, not only does it seem her fear has come true, but Mimi is even friends with the disgusting Sammy. Now Just Grace has to team up with two other Graces in her third-grade class for a school project, including the Big Meanie.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Chapter Books, School, Friendship, Indonesian Literature

152 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 2007

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charise Mericle Harper’s Still Just Grace proves even more delightful than the first book in the series, Just Grace, with lots of unforeseen changes for 9-year-old Grace Stewart. A new boy moves onto her block and into her class, and new friendships arise. Still Just Grace still maintains the same real-kid voice and the same fabulous cartoons as in the first book — both guaranteed to make you giggle and smile.

Grace visits her Grandma in Chicago, who has sold her home and is moving into an assisted living apartment building, and her teacher, Miss Lois, gets an innovative student teacher, Mr. Frank. I don’t want to give too much away, but, as with Just Grace, Still Just Grace explores how appearances can be deceiving. Once again, Grace calls on her “teeny tiny superpower,” empathy, but this time, it seems her superpower has infected others. All in all, readers — whether children or adults — will find that Grace is still just as creative and wonderful as ever in Still Just Grace.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Just Grace. Despite her efforts to shed the "Just" part of her name, that extra identifier really fits. In this second book in the Just Grace series, Grace deals with change and gets to work on her powers of empathy. As she navigates changes with her grandmother and with her best friend, Mimi, we see how she is maturing and learning to adapt. There are also some great language project ideas demonstrated by the kids in the book. Reading this book reminds me of what it was like to be a 7-year-old and learning to be more independent and responsible. Would make a fun classroom readaloud for early elementary grades. If you like Judy Moody, you will love Just Grace!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We've just begun reading the Just Grace series by Charise Mericle Harper. This book takes us on a road trip to Chicago and back as Grace's family helps her Grandmother move. And then she chronicles her day-to-day school life, with conflicts and challenges galore. We really liked her project with two of the other Graces in class and her changing relationship with Grace F.

After reading the first two books, our girls are split: our oldest loves them, our youngest doesn't really like them at all. Perhaps it's the journal-style writing or the fact that Grace is about the same age as our oldest, but the stories certainly appeal to her. And the illustrations are similar to her style of drawing, so she loves them. Overall, we have enjoyed these books and will continue to read them, even if it's as an independent read and not something we share as a family.

[Grace Morton · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the reasons why I picked this book was because it had my name on it. And a I definitely made the right choice! 📖💛

[Aleetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setahun berlalu sejak kejadian “Grace Aja” yang menyebalkan. Tahun ini semuanya masih sama. Karena nama itu tetap melekat pada dirinya. Apa lagi ia masih sekelas dengan ke tiga Grace lainnya. Jadi wajar saja kalau tahun ajaran baru di kelas empat ini ia masih kesal. Terlebih lagi ada guru praktik baru, yang ternyata memanggil Grace F hanya dengan Grace.

Masalah berikutnya datang ketika seorang anak laki – laki bernama Max pindah ke sebelah rumah Mimi. Awalnya Grace memang sempat khawatir kalau – kalau Mimi, sahabat terbaiknya itu akan menjadi lebih akrab dengan Max. Namun semua kekhawatiran itu tak sempat lagi dipikirkannya saat ia menghabiskan liburan bersama neneknya di Chicago. Sehingga ketika kembali dari liburan, Grace menjadi sangat kaget ketika tahu bahwa kini Mimi menjadi lebih akrab dengan Max. Bahkan sekarang Sammy Stringer, anak laki – laki yang dulu sangat dibenci Grace telah bergabung bersama mereka.

Namun semua itu tak diungkapkan kepada Mimi. Karena secara mendadak Mim menjadi bersin – bersin begitu Grace mendekat. Selidik punya selikid, ternyata semua itu diakibatkan bulu – bulu kucing yang menempel pada baju Grace.

Hubungan Mimi dan Grace pun semakin renggang. Terlebih saat proyek kelas, mereka tidak berada berada dalam kelompok yang sama. Grace akan mengerjakan tugas itu bersama ketiga grace lainnya. Mimi sendiri ternyata memilih Max dan Sammy. Grace semakin sedih dibuatnya.

Beruntung, ada satu hal besar yang menarik perhatian Grace. Yaitu ketika tahu bahwa ada seseorang yang membutuhkan bantuannya. Orang itu tidak lain adalah Mr Frank, guru praktik, yang ide-idenya selalu ditolak oleh Miss Lois, sang wali kelas. Dengan kekuatan empatinya, Grace yakin kali ini misinya akan berhasil. Apalagi mengetahui bahwa ke tiga Grace lainnya, terutama Grace F, ternyata tidak seburuk apa yang dipikirnya selama ini.

Dibanding buku yang pertama, saya lebih menyukai buku ini. cerita kali ini benar – benar menyentuh. Rasa empati Grace membuat saya sangat tersentuh. Grace menjadi sangat keren karenanya. Tidak banyak anak – anak seperti itu.

Rasanya tidak sabar untuk membaca kisah Grace lainnya.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charise Mericle Harper is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine! Her ability to articulate the thoughts and voice of a young child is impeccable. Her ability to use that limited child-like vocabulary in a way that is engagingly humorous while still presenting a wonderful life lesson is amazing.

In Still Just Grace, the empathetic Unlikely Hero begins to have jealous feelings when her neighbor and best friend, Mimi, seems to be gravitating toward new friendships. Just Grace is forced to be school project teammates with her worst enemies, while Mimi and her new BFFs spend all their free time working together on a project of their own. Ultimately, Grace learns to find friendship in unlikely places and that misunderstandings can be resolved.

Miss Harper's only downfall, if any is to be found, is that the covers are so distinctly girl oriented that boys will be unenticed to pick up these hilariously profound books. With abundant boy characters and classic one-liners such as "Booger Pie," the stories will appeal to boys and girls alike!

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book--as I was listening to it, I was trying to place how old Grace is. According to our catalog, she is 7, which puts her around 1st or 2nd grade, yet I would say that the reading level is more around the really good 3rd grade or even 4th grade level. Since kids usually want to read about kids who are older than them, I wonder how much appeal it would have for the target reading level. Grace is really cute, though, and has good ideas and since her grade or age is never mentioned, it might work for the older kids, even though some of the things she says and does makes her seem very young. Definitely perfect for those super advanced readers, though. There are other "Just Grace" books and I will definitely be recommending them.

[Seana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have liked the author's previous book a lot, because I gobbled this one right up directly after. (They are easy books to read while sitting at the information desk waiting for customers, if I need any justification.)
This book expands Just Grace's world a bit more, and our look into it as well. A consistent strength of these books is to deal with the problems of friends and non-friends and the reevaluation that sometimes happens in a gradual and realistic way.

I loved the project that the Graces do at the end of the story. Grace's projects are pretty delightful in general.

[Nancy Basile · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, fun book. I listened to this with my kids in the car over a period of several days. They actually requested to listen to it, rather than the usual request to watch DVDs. Read by a young girl, and written to sound just like a 3rd grader, the book really hooked my kids. Made me remember what it's like to be a kid and how I can't always assume I know what's going on in those little heads.

[Cherese A. Vines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very smart, and realistic look at life from a third grader's point of view. I especially liked Grace's empathy power. Grace learns that things are not always what we think they are and neither are people. Good read.

[Mark Meiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming, but the constant gender role affirmations are grating. There’s just too much “girls are like this, boys are like that".

Also, lips and eyelashes are entirely anatomically identical across sexes.

[Cheyenne]

an awsome book

[Lenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book looks like a 3rd-5th grade book, but it is for a 1st-2nd grade interest level.

[Yana "Always Forgets to Log Out" Gaskell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly better than the first book. Getting a little boring but ill still probably finish the series.

[Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Just Grace was another good story about Grace. I enjoyed the sequel as well as the first book.

[Jordyn McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book it has a great ending and Mimi and grace are really the bes of friends

[Andie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED it!

[SaraKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a supercute story of friendship and change. Lucia (Grace in the English version) is a cutie and I love the way she tells her story with frankness and humor. I like the format with the inclusion of little drawings.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like it when girls work out how to get along with other girls. Grace learns to work with the other Graces and help out the new Teacher in Training. A very easy read and I think it is targeted for younger readers, but the book length might be daunting.

[Tai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is super good especially for younger 11ish aged girls. it has super good lessons with friendship and life. This book was one of my favorite childhood series.

[Isha Goyal]

Does Anyone Have The Recipe For The Cupcakes I Am Trying To Find It And It Isn't Posted Anywhere.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Dani Heller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still Just Grace is the second book in the Just Grace Series by Charise Mericle Harper. Grace is a third grader with a special superpower that she calls her "empathy power." Grace doesn't like it to see people unhappy and she always tries to fix the situation. This book is called Still Just Grace because her teacher and classmates refer to her as "Just Grace," since there are 3 other girls named Grace in her class. One of the other Grace's is very mean and as Grace narrates the story she refers to her as "The Big Meanie." In this book Grace and her best friend Mimi get a new student teacher at school, Mr. Frank, and a new boy on their street, Max. Grace and Mimi do everything together. They walk to school together, play at each others houses and watch their favorite show Unlikely Heroes. When Grace goes to Chicago to visit her grandmother Mimi and Max become friends. When Grace returns home, she is sad to see that her best friend is now friends with a boy! To make it even worse another boy Sammy from their class begins to hang out with Mimi and Max.
Then when Grace thinks things can't get any worse she is paired with Grace W. and The Big Meanie for a group project, while her best friend is with her new friends.
The three Graces learn to work together and Grace learns that it is okay to have more than one friend.
I really enjoyed reading this easy reader and think that girls in 2nd or 3rd grade would really love this series! It is written from Grace's point of view, and at times it is as if you are just reading her thoughts like a diary. Within the text there are big bold titles as well as little illustrations, that are supposed to be drawn by Grace. The small pictures within the text really add to the book and make it interesting.

[Anggi Hafiz Al Hakam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prelude to ending yang kurang lebih sama dengan Amos Lee (buku 2). Grace harus bekerja sama dengan Grace F Si Kejam Abis untuk proyek tugas sekolah. Walaupun berhasil, ternyata Mimi sangat merasa kehilangan sahabat karibnya. Grace meyakinkan Mimi, bahwa semua berjalan baik-baik saja dan dia tidak kemana-mana. Grace is forever yours.

Nilai-nilai persahabatan menjadi topik utama dalam cerita lanjutan ini. Jangan lupakan juga perjalanan Grace sekeluarga mengunjungi Grandma di Chicago. Kadang sesuatu berjalan tidak seburuk yang dipikirkan sebelumnya. Hal itu berlaku bagi Grace yang ternyata mendapatkan perhatian yang cukup dari Grandma. Perjalanan yang sungguh berkesan.

Menyelami karakter Grace, nampak sekali karaterisasi yang diciptakan menulisnya mencerminkan suatu realita. Realita yang tidak bisa dilepaskan dari dunia anak-anak seusia Grace. Persoalan yang berkaitan dengan orang tua dan kawan-kawan sepermainan menjadi topik yang tidak pernah lepas. Untuk hal itu, membaca cerita Grace membawa pembaca pada pengalaman kembali pada masa lalu. Mengenang waktu-waktu masih di sekolah. Membuat lelucon, lalu menertawainya.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things are still difficult for Grace. There are four Graces in her class and her teacher refuses to call her anything except "Just Grace". One of the other Graces is still a big meany and seems to enjoy taunting her. But when Grace finds out that she is going to miss school to visit her grandmother, she is initially excited that she will get to escape these troubles. That is until an interesting new boy who can walk on his hands moves in next door to her best friend and next door neighbour Mimi. Now Grace is worried that her absences will lead to Mimi not being her best friend. Can Grace figure out a way to make it all better?

This second novel in the Just Grace series is a nice story of navigating friendships in late primary. Grace works through her problems, and realizes that they weren't as bad as she imagined and that others may have it just as rough as she does, thus developing her empathy super power.

A lovely early chapter book addition for the primary or special education classroom.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper is a novel about a third grade girl who goes to school and goes through good and bad times. To begin with a new boy named Max moved in next door to Grace’s best friend Mimi. Grace herself is just an ordinary girl who is afraid to lose her best friend Mimi. Grace has already kind of lost Mimi when the new kid Max moves next door to Mimi. Eventually there has come a time where Grace goes on a family vacation during school. Grace has a feeling that when she leaves and comes back that Mimi will become best friends with Max instead. By the time Grace has returned Mimi is best friends with Max and a girl named Sammy who Grace thinks is disgusting. This is the reason why Grace and Mimi are drifting apart. On top of everything now when Grace returns to school she is grouped up with two other girls named Grace in her class including the big meanie for a school project. Her life just got even worse.

[Amy Holiday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet story about Just Grace. This time there's jealousy with her best friend Mimi, and the new boy next door. And we meet Grandma, who is just as awesome as you would expect! Grace's anxiousness about being assigned to a project with a rival Grace is well developed, but she conquers all these challenges using her Empathy Superpower and, as in the first book, the help of some kind grown ups.

This one felt a bit more negative, likely because of the stress of Grace's problems. But they're true feelings that everyone has, kids and grown ups alike can identify with being left out, and having to confront an enemy. And Grace learns that all she has to do is speak up, and the problems aren't as bad as she thinks.

[Rofi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace Stewart masih dipanggil Grace Aja...
selama Grace Aja pergi ke rumah Grandma-nya, sahabatnya Mimi punya teman baru dan itu membuat Grace Aja sedikit sedih.
Grace Aja harus mengerjakan proyek sekolah dengan Grace F. dan Grace W. namun dari situ lah hal-hal yang begitu mengagumkan terjadi.
saya suka cerita dibuku dua ini :)) lebih banyak rasa empati dan persahabtannya dan juga gak boleh berprasangka buruk terus dengan orang lohhh...
oia, suatu saat saya juga mau bikin proyek yang dikerjakan tiga Grace, seruuuu ;D hehe

semoga Atria nerbitan seri Grace Aja yang selanjutnyaa lagiiiiiii :) amin...

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining and fun realistic fiction tale of Grace, her family, friends and school. On this adventure Grace leaves school for a vacation that helps her grandmother move into senior housing. When she returns she finds herself as the odd girl out in a classroom group project resulting in having to be a part of a group that she normally doesn't like. Does she make do, make new best friends or new worst enemies? Although, I find the boy girl angst rather sexist and unnecessary and perhaps not really believable the rest of the story rings true and is sure to entertain those who crave realistic fiction with female protagonists. Recommended for 3rd, 4th, and maybe 5th grade students.

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

We just finished the second book in the Just Grace series and I think my daughter (Grace...which is why we started reading these) like it more than the first. She actually asked me to read it to her instead of me saying "Time to read!"

Cute story and I like how it's like it's Just Grace's journal or at least written in that point of view. I also like the cute illustrations. Both my girls like hearing it and after this book my Grace asked to look at a locket that I have. I think it helped her relate to the story, other than having the same name.