The Long-Distance Dispatch Between Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang

The Popularity Papers #2

by Amy Ignatow

Best friends Julie and Lydia are back in this hilarious sequel to Amy Ignatow's breakout novel!After spending all of fifth grade studying popularity together, Julie and Lydia are finally ready to put their hard-earned lessons to use in junior high. But before they can, tragedy Lydia's mom gets a job in London for six whole months! Before Lydia can say "fancy a cup of tea?" she's thrust into a new school, where she earns a reputation as "the Violent American." Meanwhile Julie's stuck navigating the cliques of American junior high on her own, where she is adopted by a group of troublemaking eighth graders known as the Bichons. The two best friends will have to learn to keep in touch and stand on their own, assisted as always by their trusty notebook. Amy Ignatow's signature sense of humor is on full display in this satisfying sequel.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Humor, Friendship, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Juvenile

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2011

Reviews

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, but it's hard to read the cursive.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was amazing, really funny at times. I like how at the end they always end up learning a lesson. I love the characters, and the writing is so well done. And the overall design and art of this book. Also thank goodness I know how to read cursive. I love these characters so much, my favorite is Julie. I also love bad cat. And her dads always crack me up, I loved the part where he had 7 freak outs. I can’t wait to start reading the 3rd book tonight.

[Elisa Coolio]

I really liked this book, yet again. I like how instead of trying to be popular, Lydia finds her own group of friends in London. Julie then learns a lesson that she shouldn’t try to hang out with a person just because they’re popular, but because she actually likes them and thinks they’re nice. I really liked it yee

[Jenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't even. SO ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE. I have to get the first one right now.
I love everyone in this story ESPECIALLY ROLAND. <3

[Bella Paglia]

I did not like this book that much but I liked the part when Julie moved.

[Niovi · Rating 5 out of 5]

amy ignatow you are my idol

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our students loved, loved, loved The Popularity Papers, by Amy Ignatow - for its humor, its illustrations and its message about friendship. And they were thrilled when I told them a sequel is coming out. So there were many excited kids when I told them that Amy Ignatow is coming to our school to talk with them about The Popularity Papers: Book Two. (yay! I'm doing a little chair dance!!)

Lydia and Julie are all set for Hannibal Hamlin Junior High - they've navigated the friendships of 5th grade, figured out what activities they like, and recovered from problems in their own friendship. It's going to be a great year. But then... Lydia's mom announces that Lydia and her family are moving to London for six months. Lydia's devestated - she's going to have to get used to a whole new school, new friends, new place. And Julie's in shock, too - how is she going to make it through junior high without her best friend?

This sequel provides the same great illustrations, humor and friendship story as the first. The girls send emails, sketches and letters back and forth, and Ignatow continues to develop the voices of her characters really nicely. In this book, Julie and Lydia become even more distinct characters, as they each react to their new situations differently. This would make a great choice for a casual book club - I'd love to hear what girls think about the choices that Julie and Lydia make. One goes along and becomes friends with a bossy group of older, popular girls, while the other becomes a leader of a group she nicknames The Outcasts.

The Popularity Papers: Book Two reads best if you're familiar with the characters, so I'd definitely recommend starting with the first book. You'll understand the social nuances that Julie navigates in junior high. Perhaps Ignatow could have provided a bit more background for kids new to the series. But how much background do you put in your own diary?

[Shacoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not find this book to be as funny as the first book in the series. Also, this book seemed to contain a lot more writing by Lydia than the first book, which I hated, because Lydia has horrible handwriting that is hard to read. I would love to see more writing by Julie and much less writing from Lydia or a change in Lydia's handwriting that makes it easier to read. It's just annoying to have to struggle to actually decipher her terrible handwriting. I enjoyed the Papa Dad and Daddy characters a lot in this book. They are very entertaining. I will say the same thing that I said with the first book as far as the dad's are concerned, if a book with gay dads makes you uncomfortable, then you may want to skip this one. It was nice seeing the characters take shape a bit more in this book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Sydney Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it because it had a lot of cliffhangers and lots of tension.

[Annikai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fascinating. The popularity papers is all about two friends seperated and they really want to be with each other. Lydia and Julie are the main characters Lydia is very sensitive, this book is very sad for Julie because there are some mean kids but somehow they be her friend. When Lydia leaves for London Julie is sad there are sad parts and happy parts both will wake you up in the morning. Julie and Lydia both have many problems but they all solve it. There are times when they are lonely and friendless but they stand up be brave take a chance. If you like cliffhangers this is a good book for you. This book will be a nailbiter for kids 8-11. This book is amazing because the author really gives a good feeling about the book and the author is really good because she/he gives a interesting vibe throughout the book in every page there is a new kind of a new moment in each and every page so it’s kind of the
BEST BOOK EVER in the history of the world. Also I rate it Out of 100 100 !!!!!!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Lydia is in England and Julie is back in America. It is quite risky of the author to separate the two main characters in only the second book of the series, but it actually works well.

I prefer Lydia’s POV when she is in a British school. The rules are completely different for popularity. She gets called “the Violent American”, which is weirdly one of the best moments in the series.

Julie is in middle school in America, and it is nothing like my middle school experience. The main mean popular girl is named Bella Dawn, even though she would be born before Twilight was a thing. Bella Dawn is in eight grade, which made her seem very old when I read it but now I feel makes her almost as much a kid as the sixth grade Julie.

This is a fair book in the Popularity Papers series, which mixes up the formula. I prefer it to the first book despite the flaws in this one and the fact that I don’t like the series in general.

[Denay S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book a five star report because it is very fun to read and you can't wait to read the next book to find out what next adventure Julie & Lydia going on next. This book is about two girls that are best friends named Julie Graham-Chang & Lydia golblatt. Lydia had to move from the states to Great Britain London to be exact and they had adventures without each other so they sent letters emails to put in there journal of what they had done and it shows how they progressed there friendship even though having a long distance relationship could've jeopardize there friendship. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes friendship stories and adventure because it had a whole lot of it is a true book to show girls in junior high and in Elementary how good friendships can be

[Nidos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like the way Lydia (re)acted here. But, as usual, Popularity Papers was about perspective. Now that I've finished all the volumes, I could say I highly recommend this series for middle grade children. Just so they know that there are a lot to reach beyond being popular. I wish I had Julie and Lydia back then.

Three stars and a half.

[Kaitlyn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good sequel. As I said in my review for the first book, I really love the author's style for the book, meaning, the diary handwriting and drawing style. Amy Ignatow did a great job describing the setting and events that occurred. I've read this book multiple times and have been entertained the entire time. It's definitely a series of books that I love.

[Yongqi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book the records two girls' daily life and the noting every opportunity they have about popularity, because the want to be popular and all their motive is about how to become popular. The girl is close text and talking every night even though the are in different country. The book is like home to me u see since this is all i borrow when i go to the library elementary school

[MoonLa Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Popularity Papers #2 is about Lydia moving away to a different country, causing Julie to start feeling neglected and a longing for friends. Julie makes some new friends, to make herself popular, while Lydia is forming a group to protect her new found friends from bullying. Eventually they find out who true friends are, and how popularity isn't everything.

[Togidemi · Rating 4 out of 5]

yeah so i kept reading middle-grade

Really loved the first installment of this as a kid so I binged all the volumes of it that I could get my hands on. This one's cute! (All of them are generally cute. This feedback will repeat as I pad my reading challenge with em.) Really funny how they make London this mythical exotic place, and handling the Bichons felt... so middle-school and real. God.

[Carmina Beatriz Dizon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so fun that Lydia moved because we get to see school social hierarchies in other places. Sadly, she’s worse here in Book 2 and cause most of the conflicts. Still, I stand by my review in Book 1 that they’re kids so the plot tends to be immature. I love love love Julie, I felt the same way about her when I first read this in high school.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. to be honest though, at times, I was confused as to what was going ton, who was where, and what was going on. The illustrations were very goofy and well made. I would recommend this book to girls ages 12-14.

[Charlie]

I just reread this book after many years and those books hold a very special place in my heart. I love them. I only have (and have tead) the first two in hebrew but I would love to have the whole series in english. Might look into that

[Kourtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one made me laugh when Lydia's family moves to London for 6 months and she finds out the differences that made me laugh when my husband and I met :)

[Crystal Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was awesome I love it!

[Natalie (Natflix&Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first, but these books are cute and fun. I'll definitely continue reading the series.

[parijat]

Great series as usual... but I preferred the other books slightly more. Maybe because I'm a huge UK stan!

[Jia ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good!

[TheMistressofBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised to see there's more of this series. Still silly and cute!

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series so much!

[Hanjula Jobe · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book is sosososos good, love it

[Katie BOCHERT · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say cartoons and humor, what more can you ask for?

[Gil-or (readingbooksinisrael) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun continuation to The Popularity Papers.