Thames Doesn't Rhyme with James

Serendipity Scavenger Hunt #2

by Paula Danziger

Kendra cannot wait for her Christmas holiday in London with her parents and younger brother, and for the chance to see again Frank Lee, the Wisconsin boy she had helped to entertain last summer in New York, who is also on his way to London with his family

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, British Literature

144 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Paula Danziger was an American children's author. She wrote more than 30 books, including her 1974 debut The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, for children's and young adult audiences. At the time of her death, all her books were still in print; they had been published in 53 countries and translated into 14 languages.

Reviews

[Jordie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read this book in a really long time. But I was privileged enough to get this book autographed by Paula Danziger herself. She came to visit my elementary school in the 4th grade. Her Amber Brown series was the first set up books I ever picked up on my own and read. I couldn't read until the 4th grade, so it was a big deal for me. After reading her books, I became an accelerated reader. The day she visited, she, my mother, and a few of the faculty went out to dinner. I thought that was the coolest thing. She will always have a special place in my heart for introducing me to the world of art with words.

[Crowinator · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remember Me to Harold Square was one of my favorite novels growing up. Imagine my surprise when I learned that I had lived the whole rest of my childhood without realizing there was a sequel. So I got it from the library and read it in an hour or so and remembered why I loved the first one. This one isn't as funny (or punny) and sort of fell apart a little at the end, but I still enjoyed the low-stakes relationship drama, Kendra's worrying and wit, and the dynamic between bratty lovable OK and his older sister. Would I have been sort of bored with this book back in the day, when I was actually the target audience? I don't know, but in order to keep my nostalgic love clear, I am not going to go back and read Remember Me to Harold Square again, because I think my memories of reading it 1,000 times as a kid are actually better.

[Alisalias]

This book taught me the correct pronunciation of Thames.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty cute, if slightly less charming than the first one. I'd like to have seen a book three, where Kendra goes back to London on her own. In fact, I'm a little sad that I read this too late for Yuletide, because a totally eighties adventure in London might have been fun to request.

Fun series.

[Florence Migga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, I kind of like the style of these books. They are short and give detail into random scenes while giving what feels like a general overview of a story. I feel like I got a complete story while at the same time also know the things that I would have expanded on more. I read this as research for a story I’m writing, and I think it helped my writing in more than one way.

[Redfox5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read a few of Danziger's books when I was a kid and always liked them but never read this one. This is actually a sequel to 'Remember Me to Harold Square' which I've never read but this works as a stand alone.

There are lots of things relevant in here that would appeal to a teen today, parents not letting you have enough space, falling out with a guy you like, your dad being disapproving about your clothes etc. And there are moments when if you happen to be an adult reader, you will remember something similar about your teenage years.

Kendra just wants to spend time with her boyfriend Frank, on this trip to London. But their parents have made a scavenger hunt for them to follow. They also have to take along three kids under ten which makes it impossible to be alone. I love the idea of the scavenger hunt! I can see why it wouldn't appeal to them but I would love to do one!

This is a very quick read and I wouldn't mind reading the rest of the Danziger books that I never got round to reading when I was younger.

[Emmaco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Remember me to Harold Square when I was young but only discovered this sequel recently! 15 year old Kendra returns in this book to go on a scavenger hunt in London. There are some family/boyfriend dramas, and jokes a plenty, but overall I admit I preferred the first book. Short but fun!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went through a Paula Danziger phase when I was younger but had missed the sequel to Remember Me to Harold Square. Coming up on my 20-year anniversary to living in London, this was a fun and cheesy read complete with fashion choices (he was wearing a denim jacket with a blue sweater and blue jeans).

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so fun to see Kendra and Frank again, thirty years after I first met them, but only six months older. That said, the basically perfect Remember Me to Harold Square definitely doesn’t require a sequel. (Also, somehow 14 years passed between when I marked this as “want to read” and when I got to it. What is happening to time?)

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading this when I was in middle school.

However, I struggled with remembering the title except that it contained "Thames"

All I remember that it was set in London, and a family set up a scavenger hunt all over London while a teenage girl struggles to find time with the guy she likes.

If I can remember those vague details even though the last time I read that book was 12 years ago, then it must have been a good book in a way.

[Carol Hardesty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it was this book that made me want to travel to London. A lot of what I said about "Remember Me to Harold Square" is relevant here too, so I won't be repeating anything. I will say, however, that Ms. Danziger was just as capable of writing entertaining teen fiction as she was writing children's fiction.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read April 2013.

[michelle]

10/21/06

[Annalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as it's prequel "Remember Me To Harold Square" but still a great read.

[Juliet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got some children's lit free, and this was from an author I remember reading, so thought I would read it. It was a nice story.

[Jase]

Awful. "Poisonous Pedagogy"

[Susan]

Wow. Paula Danziger's books just get worse and worse. Her knowledge of teens is seriously dated. The predicaments in this book are trite and uninteresting.

[Marifer]

I read this when I was like 12, good times :)

[Cathy Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Kids story but it reminded me of all the great sights in London that I would love to visit again.

[Halli Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a guilty pleasure. I read it in like 2 hours. Super dumb, but fun to read if you want to give your brain a break.

[Cindy May]

previewing it before I give it to my 10 year old niece. cute book and nice story, lots of mentions about attractions in London, so you learn a bit about them too. will give it to my niece soon.

[Laura Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legitimately one of my favorite YA books from my childhood. A cute story in Europe (which blew my young mind,) first romance, and of course I learned the correct way to pronounce Thames. 😜