Super Emma

Emma #3

by Sally Warner, Jamie Harper (Illustrator)

Emma McGraw may be a bit shy, but when someone's being teased, she's the first one to defend them. So when Jared Mathews keeps picking on Ellray Jakes, Emma can't hold back. "Quit it, you big bully," she yells. But the results aren't exactly what she hoped for. Ellray is embarrassed to be rescued by a girl, kids are calling her "Super Emma," and now Jared is picking on her! He's even threatening to "trash her"—whatever that means. Who's going to get poor Emma out of this fix? Her mother? Her teacher? Or maybe Emma will have to live up to her new name, after all. "A natural for fans of the Amber Brown and Judy Moody books." —Booklist, review for Only Emma

Genres: Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Childrens

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Sally Warner is a writer of fiction for children and young adults and of books on creativity. She made the Lily series and Emma series for children's books. Sally Warner was born in New York City and grew up in Connecticut and California, where her family moved when she was eight years old.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

it is good.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This third installment in the Emma chapter book series is my least favorite Emma book. I can understand why a boy is embarrassed that a girl rescued him, and of course the bully is upset with Emma for thwarting his efforts to dominate his friends. But the reaction from the girls in Emma's class feels forced and melodramatic, for the sake of creating more conflict in the story. I also don't see "Super Emma" as a negative nickname, especially not for the reason given for it in this story.

Since Emma wants to be a nature scientist when she grows up, animal facts are tucked into insets periodically throughout the book, where that animal is mentioned.

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for young reader in order to teach them to see a single situation from many perspectives, not just their own.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Super Emma is a good book but there is some school trouble in it if you like that.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this is about standing up for people.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this specific book up, the third in the series, since I had problems specifically with bullying as a younger person.

Unexpectedly, I could see clear parallels between countries and characters, though that sounds like I just came out of watching Hetalia (the anime where each character is a nation) or something like that and I'm just saying that the actions of certain characters seemed like how a certain place'd vote. That doesn't even make sense to me, but I'm leaving it alone due to having a headache.

Emma McGraw "defended" a friend of the bigger boy Jared Matthews when they were just playing with their action figures, so everyone got offended and it was a no-win situation.

Maybe the headache is just changing from looking at larger to smaller text...

So, this book DOES have concrete advice for dealing with people you aren't getting along with very well such as draw ridiculous pictures of them then rip that drawing up rather than hurt the person, and a couple of other protips. (That specific modicum of advice I noted makes me laugh since I ended up sketching an ADORABLE person wearing a turban on Draw Mohammed Day)

This is a cute story! The omnipresent headache has some other cause, though, so it doesn't matter if I'm reading huge text children's lit or War & Peace.

[Miri Gifford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Emma a lot, but it really bugs me when children get yelled at for defending themselves. I'm an enormous hippie and advocate of nonviolence, but I disagree with Emma's principal that "there is absolutely no excuse, period" for fighting. If another kid is trying to throw my child into a trash can, I say that's an excellent excuse for fighting back. I don't think they should be taught that the only appropriate response is to go find a teacher, either, because that says to them that they have no power of their own. If someone is attacking your body, you have the right to use your body to get them to stop. Nonviolence can be learned when you're older and have already internalized the concept of standing up for yourself.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second about Emma and her third grade class. This time she sticks up for a boy who is being bullied which leads to other problems. Very realistic in how people behave and react. Quick read and hard to put down.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly explored the feelings children experience when dealing with bullies and being bullied. I'd forgotten all the nuances of schoolyard "politics"!

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is cute and aimed at the first and second grade set.

[Brett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Deals with tough situations, but these kids are really unkind to each other, & have been in the previous two books.

[Princess129]

i thought that the book had lots of lies fights and fun parts so i read the book and i loved the book thank u

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it, but as a parent I am annoyed that there is so much serious name calling in these books. Although the messages are good in the end, it is tough to get through.