Pardon Me

Stella Batts #3

by Courtney Sheinmel, Jennifer A. Bell (Illustrator)

In Pardon Me, Stella needs to find a new best friend after her friend, Willa, moves away. But finding a new best friend is not easy. Things are looking up when she meets Evie, the new girl in town. She is going to be in Stella's class at school and she needs a new best friend too. Stella can't wait to introduce her to the other third graders. Except when they get to school, things don't exactly go the way Stella planned.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Audiobook, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

99 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2012

About the author

Born in California. Raised in New York. Went to law school, now write full time. Love: long walks, fresh notebooks, the smell of brownies, pomegranate seeds. Don't love: yogurt, spam (the email kind, and the food kind), deep water, deserted city streets.

Newest book: THE SECRETS OF LOVELACE ACADEMY, co-written with Marie Benedict, available on April 22, 2025.

I love to hear from readers! Email me! Ask a question! I promise to reply.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stella makes a new friend in book three. Evie has moved from London. Stella learns to be kind and listen. She realizes how long the process takes to make a new friend.

[Chante · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 year old review - because I love it and they have a candy store

[Meg GlitteryOtters · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three years ago I first read this with my oldest child.At that time I was reading two pages for every page she struggled through. Now she has read me the whole book in three sittings. It is a wonderful book and great series. Full review below.
...
My oldest daughter and I read all 10 Stella Batts books in 2016 and 2017. Back when we first started reading them, they were a real struggle for her. At that time I was reading two pages for every page she struggled through. Now she has read me the whole book in three sittings. It is a wonderful book and great series. Full review to follow. She loved these books and going back and rereading the series together is a lot of fun. And with a little over a year between when we last read them and now, it is amazing to see the progress in her ability and comprehension.

One of the strengths of this series is that the cooks can really be read in any order. My daughter and I jumped around when we read them the first time and we are doing so again this time. Now they do tell a continuous story, but each book has reminders of what went before. And the books are presented as through Stella is writing them herself. The first time we read them I only reviewed about half of the books, and Abby wrote her own review for a school project of book one, Stella Batts Needs a New Name. So as we reread the books together I will finish reviewing all the books in the series. But back to this specific book.

Stella Batts Pardon Me, is a book about friendship and about animals. It also has a great sub plot about misunderstandings. In this volume Stella is trying to find a new best friend. Willa has moved away, and because of something she overhears on the phone she assumes Willa no longer wants to be friends at all. There are also miscommunications between a child raised in Britain and the American students because of different language usage. Stella would also love a pet dog. But that seems unlikely. So, the story revolves around friendships both old and new.

The few illustrations spattered throughout the book add to the story. My girls love going over the pictures. And when there are group shots trying to figure out who is who. The pencil drawings by Jennifer Bell are wonderfully done and add a nice element to a chapter book at this level.

This is an excellent book in a wonderful series. I am loving having my oldest daughter read them to me and look forward to reading them again a third time in another year or two with my youngest daughter. The fact that I have already read it twice and am looking forward to reading it again speaks to the quality of the writing. The fact that my daughter is very excited about rereading this book and the series speaks to their staying power with children.

Courtney Sheinmel has written a wonderful book, in an excellent series. Fully endorsed by my reluctant reader and our whole family!

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Courtney Sheinmel.

[milana waller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella Butts is a great book

[Talaya Gibson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry baby

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[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss 5 has loved listening to the entire Stella Batts series on Audible. She moved onto Stella (thankfully) after going through the entire Wimpy Kid series (who she called 'the moany kid'). The initial hook with the Stella book is that her family have a candy store and Stella often gets to help test the products. Mainly though the books are drama / fiction about her day to day life as she navigates friends, school, and a growing family. What we both like about these books is that Stella is a genuinely nice kid with a kind supportive mum who treats her children well. Making new friends can be hard (and scary); it's something we've talked about with both this book and The Kindness Club.

Miss 5 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[AMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

150 pages. In book 3, Stella has to deal with what appears to be insults from her best friend who recently moved and the new girl from England. This series highlights the daily struggles of a girl in 2nd grade. It is very realistic and most girls could relate to her situations and problems. It is well-written and the plot moves along quickly. Highly recommended for 2nd/3rd grade girls.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

You just gotta love Stella

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great feel-good read with a lot of great messages within.

[LaDawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute kids book.

[Kiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved it

[Rosario · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked listening to this series while working. The audiobook narrator has a very animated voice, making it very easy for me to imagine the scenario.

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Mark Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was mid but still good rated it wholesome for this rating

Yas you slayed period u ate girl. Pits me 2 sleep in a daze.Recommended to tween girls 10-15 slayed ate peace

[Tam Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute books, maybe for 7-9 year old girls. It deals with emotions about best friends moving, but doesn't make it too raw. And of course has a good ending.

[Anastasiya M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually book three in the Stella Batts series but it contained enough context to understand what was going on. It can be read as a standalone and you’ll still be able to figure out what the plot is and who the characters are.

The main theme in the book is friendship and the other themes focus on animals. It also contained a sub-plot of misunderstandings, which lost a star rating for me because it reminded me too much of the miscommunication trope I have come to dislike over the years in novels.

A lot of messages and lessons can be taken from the book about problems and solutions, and there are a couple of life lessons to take to heart – mostly applicable if you’re a young girl though.

Audible has a couple of the books available for free in the Plus Catalogue which I might get around to but it’s not on my reading priority list for the near future.

Read more here: https://sincerelyyoursannie.com/2023/...

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Stella's best friend moves away her Dad introduces her to a new girl and Stella is hoping that she will be the new girl's best friend. Things don't exactly go according to Stella's plan when the new girl seems more interested in their other classmates than Stella. What's a third grader to do?

Once again Stella's voice is clear and believable. I felt her pain when she decided that her dad's surprise was a new puppy and it turned out to be a new girl instead. I also got quite the chuckle out of a little miscommunication that happened because of the differences in British English and American English.

[Michaela Branum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it. Stella may be a bit littler than Evie but,they are still really good friends.I enjoy this story because its mostly about friendship. Courtney Sheinmel did a really good job of making these books.

[Kaytee · Rating 5 out of 5]

stella meets a new friend and they become friends at school she planned that she would play with her all day. but it did not work that way at all she talked to other people and made friends stella was sad because no one was playing with her but at the end of the day they went home together.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistic friendship and family friction complete with a best-friend moving away, dealing with trying to make a new best friend, and a new baby coming.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

stella sees a cute maltese and she wants it but her dad doesn't let her get one. her dad gets her a surprise instead which is a new friend named lucy.

[Haneen]

Stella is really brave. This book is really good. This series was one of the first and best series I ever read.