Changes

|title=Shrinking Violet

|author=Lou Kuenzler

|borrow=Yes

|isbn=9781407130040

|pages=218

|publisher=Scholastic

|date=July 2012

|website=http://www.loukuenzler.com

|summary=An exciting story about a girl who discovers a strange tendency that makes life rather difficult for a while. Suitable for confident readers from about six to ten.

}}

Violet is very excited. She has finally grown sufficiently to be eligible for a scary ride called Plunger at her family's local theme park. She persuades her parents to take her there, accompanied reluctantly by her teenage sister... then, just as they are about to get on the ride, the fulfillment of Violet's dreams, she starts to shrink. And finds herself staring face-to-face with a worm.

So, evidently it gets a thumbs up from at least one girl in the target audience, which would seem to be newly confident readers. I wouldn't like to read it aloud - those capitals and odd fonts would jar - even though the story itself appealed to me. However the book is entirely appropriate for even quite young children who can read for themselves, while having sufficient action and excitement to appeal to children up to, perhaps, nine or ten. Although it has over 200 pages, there aren't many words to a page so it's not a long book.

A child who enjoys this book would probably like the classic Mrs Pepperpot series by Alf Proysen, mentioned above. Most of the books by [[:Category:Dick King-Smith|Dick King-Smith]] could also appeal, or perhaps [[Someday Angeline by Louis Sachar]]

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