AMBER BROWN IS NOT A CRAYON SPOILER FREE REVIEW

 

Fun fact: I actually read some of the Amber Brown books as a kid, but I didn't remember too much about them afterward. That's why I am planning on reading all of them as an adult. And it was worth it!

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon is the first of the many books of the Amber Brown series written initially by Paula Dazinger and later continued by Elizabeth Levy and Bruce Coville.

This book follows third grader Amber Brown dealing with the fact the her best friend since preschool, Justin Daniels, is moving away to Alabama. Amber doesn't like sudden change, and she already feels she is dealing with too much with having no other friends in the class and her parents' recent divorce. She at first tries to hang out and joke around with Justin likes she usually does, but it doesn't last for long as she thinks he looks excited to be moving away. Then after a little fight she decides to stop talking to him but then feels even more sad. Eventually, she learns that change is a normal part of life.

I gave this book 5 stars. It's such a short book but it was so enjoyable and well written! It reminded me of how I used to be when I was a third grader. This is not just a good book for kids but also a great nostalgic read. 

Apparently there is a tv series based off of this book series on Apple TV that came out in 2021, according to Wikipedia (here). I don't know if I'll ever watch it, but I thought it was interesting that the series finally got an adaptation (the book series has been around since the early 90s!). 

Do you have any books you read as a kid that make you feel like a kid again? Or a book that you didn't read as a kid but you feel nostalgia while reading it?