Description: Ellie's family moves to a new town, and she's sure she won't fit in. Nobody else likes to read as much as she does, and even the teachers can't get her name right. But when the students need someone to help them rally against unfair lunch lines, it's Ellie to the rescue. Illustrations.

Children's Literature Review: This second Ellie McDoodle book easily stands alone. The heavily-cartooned journal about her move to a new home several hours away from her old one bleakly starts "The End," but by the actual end, our heroine is well on her way to having friends and liking her new surroundings--while still missing her old friends, of course. Some subtle lessons about peaceful protest, the value of reading, and acceptance of those with special needs are woven into the story. Ellie is as quick to poke fun at herself as others. She includes directions for cootie catchers, an origami piano, and some of the games plays nightly in the neighborhood. Barshaw's pen-and-ink sketches are filled with action, detail, and humor and look like simple drawings a child Ellie's age would make. This fun, quick read concludes with a very readable, illustrated interview of the author, tips on keeping a sketch journal, and sketching tips.