Kate the Great: Winner Takes All

Kate the Great

by Suzy Becker

Fifth grader Kate (the Great) is back in business. Specifically the food-drive business, as she, Brooke, and (odd) Nora try to win the Junior Guides competition. But lately their trio has felt imbalanced, with Kate on the outside. It doesn’t help that the American Revolution unit at school is turning everyone against each other. Armed with her smarts, an artillery of doodles, and maybe even some advice from Eleanor Roosevelt, Kate must find a way to keep her friends, old and new.


"A breezy, enjoyable excursion...A zippy little visit with a likable 10-year-old." -Kirkus Reviews

256 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2016

About the author

An author, artist, educator, and entrepreneur, Suzy Becker began her career as an award-winning advertising copywriter, and then founded the Widget Factory, a greeting card company. She entered the world of books with what would become the internationally bestselling All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat, now in the Double-Platinum Collector's Edition All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat And Then Some. Suzy has since written and illustrated My Dog's the World's Best Dog, I Had Brain Surgery What's Your Excuse, Manny's Cows Books Are for Reading, Kids Make It Better A Write-in Draw-in Journal, One Good Egg and Kate the Great Except When She's Not. Her books, greeting cards and work in print and TV advertising have earned her numerous design and writing awards.

Yankee Magazine named Suzy Becker one of four 2010-11 "Angels Among Us" for her community service initiatives, including the Ride For AIDS Resources (Ride FAR), the country's first HIV/AIDS bike-a-thon, which has raised over $1,000,000 for HIV/AIDS service organizations. Suzy has also received the Anti-Defamation League's "A World of Difference" Award for her "I Don't Put Up with Put Downs" anti-bullying/prejudice awareness education project.

In 1992, Suzy was named New England Women Business Owners' youngest ever Woman of the Year. She was a 1993-1994 White House Fellow, a 1999-2000 Bunting Fellow, and she is a perennial finalist in the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes. Suzy was also the founding arts teacher at the Parker Charter School in Ayer, MA.

She lives with her family, a dog and a formerly feral cat in central Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate is a wonderful and perfectly normal 5th grader. She struggles with balancing two best friends. Worries over basketball tryouts. Has a hard time keeping her older sister's secret about a boyfriend. Has to overcome her nervousness about meeting an elderly neighbor. She also has great parents, funny sisters, and a dog named Molly (who's a boy).

For readers who enjoy school and family stories with characters who are dealing with real-life situations, Kate is a wonderful new protagonist. Whether she is dealing with homework, scout service projects, getting her ears pierced, or having an argument with a friend - her reactions are entertaining without losing their authenticity.

Great for middle grade students and fans of books like How to Outrun a Crocodile If Your Shoes Are Untied.

I received a copy for review purposes.

[🌞 Charlotte 🌞 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to "Kate The Great: Except When She's Not" is a lot like the first book because they both are mainly about Kate's social life. I gave them both 4 stars because the plot and everything that happens in the story (and Kate's life) is mainly the same.

[Mie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifth grader Kate Geller is still dealing with family dynamics and her complicated friendship with Nora and Brooke. But as she collects donations for the school food drive and tackles her class American Revolution project, she finds that life can be both humorous and trying. I loved how she makes a strong connection with elderly neighbor Mrs. Verlangen as she moves around the neighborhood asking for canned food items. It just goes to show that the assumptions we make about others are often unfounded and may keep us from getting to know someone who is pretty special. The situations with which Kate must deal and some of her feelings and mistakes are those with which most fourth, fifth, and even sixth graders will be able to relate. I like this series and the way it describes families, friendship, and even teachers with their unbridled enthusiasm for new projects. Since it builds on what came before in the first title, readers will enjoy seeing some of the characters fleshed out even further while new aspects of their lives are introduced. Every scene with the bossy but creative Mrs. Staughton and the Junior Guides made me smile since we've all known someone just like her who finds it hard to share leadership with others. Still, it's very clear that the woman has good ideas.