Fourth Grade Celebrity

Casey, Tracy & Company #1

by Patricia Reilly Giff, Leslie H. Morrill (Illustrator )

Tired of being compared with her popular older sister, Casey decides she will make herself over.

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Patricia Reilly Giff was an American author and educator whose warm, emotionally resonant books made her a beloved figure in children's literature. After spending roughly two decades as a teacher, she turned to writing and brought a deep understanding of young readers to stories that balanced humor, resilience, and emotional truth. Educated at Marymount Manhattan College, St. John's University, and Hofstra University, she drew on both her classroom experience and literary instincts to create memorable fiction for children and middle-grade readers. She became especially well known for the popular Polk Street School series, which captured the everyday dramas of school life with charm and empathy. Beyond those books, she wrote acclaimed novels such as Lily's Crossing, Nory Ryan's Song, Pictures of Hollis Woods, Eleven, and Genevieve's War, often exploring themes of belonging, family, hardship, and courage. Her work earned wide recognition, including Newbery Honors, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults designation, and a Christopher Award. Giff also influenced younger writers through her workshops and teaching spirit. Throughout her career, she remained a compassionate literary voice whose stories spoke directly to children's fears, hopes, and imaginations.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- I love the stories of Patricia Reilly Giff. This particular one presents a slice of life of fourth-grader Cassandra (Casey) Eleanor Valentine. During this school year, Casey is determined to become a celebrity so that her sixth-grader older sister, Vanessa (Van), will not always be the more popular of the two of them. Casey plans to 1) Become class president. 2) Rescue something or someone from a burning building. 3) Do something different, unusual, like speaking French. 4) Become an athlete. Do 100 pull-ups on W.M.'s bar in garage (neighbor Walter). 5) Get name in paper. How she manages or does not manage to do these things has sometimes hilarious and sometimes cringy results. Despite Casey's spunk and ingenuity, the ditto machine and the cafeteria lady (Betty), among other things, make this story a bit outdated for today's reader. Those events do not even include her trespassing a couple of times and the mild language, that would not pass elementary muster in today's world. What a pain in the A.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short and entertaining story about a young girl in the fourth grade who wants to have some fame and get out from under the shadow of her 'perfect' sister.

The story is humorous in parts and really shows the emotional angst of a fourth grader. I had hoped that my own fourth grader would want to read it, but she said that she read the first 50 pages and didn't like it. Oh well.

[piglover · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book for younger kids

[Susan Katz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey is an entertaining character, and the book has many humorous moments. The way Casey finally becomes a celebrity is appropriate and satisfying.

[Shannon H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book! You learn not to lie. But, it is funny!

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid--I read it a bunch of times--and I read it last night and I still think it's a great funny book.

I would recommend it to kids who like fast reads about real kids.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tired of being compared with her popular older sister, Casey decides she will make herself over.

[Charly Troff (JustaReadingMama) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book in middle school! This is the perfect read for a middle school girl looking for a fun, easy read.

[DougWa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm an adult but I wept with laughter over this one. Eleven on a scale of ten! Bravo, Ms. Giff!

[Cws]

JAR4-Gif