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2nd out of 52 books
—
9 voters
Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen, Will Travel
by
Ruth McNally Barshaw (Goodreads Author)
Ellie McDougal (better known to her friends as Ellie McDoodle because she loves to draw) is a nearly-twelve-year-old prisoner . . . of her aunt, uncle, three annoying cousins, and her baby brother, Ben-Ben. Sentenced to a week-long camping trip with them while her parents are out of town, Ellie is absolutely, positively determined to hate every single minute of the experie...more
Hardcover, 176 pages
Published
May 1st 2007
by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
(first published 2007)
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An Important Business Man runs into another Important Business Man on Wall Street:
I.B.M. 1: So, have you heard about the story/illustration merger?
I.B.M. 2: Yes, yes, but that’s only affecting teens.
IBM 1: Well that’s true, male teenagers have been reaping big rewards. But it’s having trickle-down effects to younger children as well.
IBM 2: Ha! Look, the next thing you’re going to be telling me is that girls will be seeing some benefits. Man, are you out of touch or what?
IBM 1: Well then let me s...more
I.B.M. 1: So, have you heard about the story/illustration merger?
I.B.M. 2: Yes, yes, but that’s only affecting teens.
IBM 1: Well that’s true, male teenagers have been reaping big rewards. But it’s having trickle-down effects to younger children as well.
IBM 2: Ha! Look, the next thing you’re going to be telling me is that girls will be seeing some benefits. Man, are you out of touch or what?
IBM 1: Well then let me s...more
Ellie's parents have to go to a funeral, which means Ellie's stuck with her aunt, uncle, three cousins AND her baby brother for a whole week! Not only that, but they're going camping. But not REAL camping, like Ellie's family does. They'll be staying in a cabin, all crammed together. How will Ellie ever survive?
I got this because I thought it was a graphic novel, but it's not actually. It's an illustrated novel, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It was really cute though. Ellie has a LOT of opinions, s...more
I got this because I thought it was a graphic novel, but it's not actually. It's an illustrated novel, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It was really cute though. Ellie has a LOT of opinions, s...more
Ellie's parents have to go to a funeral, which means Ellie's stuck with her aunt, uncle, three cousins AND her baby brother for a whole week! Not only that, but they're going camping. But not REAL camping, like Ellie's family does. They'll be staying in a cabin, all crammed together. How will Ellie ever survive?
I got this because I thought it was a graphic novel, but it's not actually. It's an illustrated novel, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It was really cute though. Ellie has a LOT of opinions, s...more
I got this because I thought it was a graphic novel, but it's not actually. It's an illustrated novel, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It was really cute though. Ellie has a LOT of opinions, s...more
I'm biased, I love Ruth's sense of humor and Ellie has been a favorite of mine for a while. (Spoiler, I'm the basis for one of the friends Ellie left behind, so beware, all that stuff about writers getting even can be true!) But biased or not, I've shared Ellie with many age appropriate kids and she's well-loved, because whatever her predicament, Ellie is really real. The challenge of dealing with Ben-ben, Aunt Ug and Uncle Ewing and an unwanted family trip while Ellie's parents attend a funeral...more
"Warning: This spy sketchbook belongs to me, Ellie Marie McDoodle. Do not read under penalty of plague & pestilence! No Mercy!" I've been looking at artists' sketchbooks lately, trying to get ideas to use in putting together a workshop about creating illustrated journals. The book, the fictional diary of a young girl forced to go camping with relatives she doesn't like very well, is humorous and charming in a quirky kid-centered way. I'm sure the book was intended for grade school age reader...more
Full disclosure: I knew Ruth McNally Barshaw before I first read her book. She is hilarious, so I wondered if my finding the book hilarious was partly because I was hearing it in her voice.
However, my seven year-old has not met Ruth, and she devoured this book in a day yesterday, flipping back through the pages to read aloud certain lines through giggles, refusing to answer questions until she was finished, and, at one point, laughing and yelling at the book, "You stole my little brother!"
I woul...more
However, my seven year-old has not met Ruth, and she devoured this book in a day yesterday, flipping back through the pages to read aloud certain lines through giggles, refusing to answer questions until she was finished, and, at one point, laughing and yelling at the book, "You stole my little brother!"
I woul...more
Reviewed by Bri P. for TeensReadToo.com
It's camping time for Ellie McDougal but she's not happy about it. Ellie's parents have to go out of town, so she and her baby brother, Ben-Ben, will be going with their Aunt Ug, Uncle Ewing, and cousins Erick, Deanna, and Tiffie. All of the camping supplies are packed and ready to go, including Ellie's sketchbook. Will the trip be as bad as Ellie is afraid it will be?
Through the pages of Ellie's sketchbook, she tells the story of her camping trip. She mee...more
It's camping time for Ellie McDougal but she's not happy about it. Ellie's parents have to go out of town, so she and her baby brother, Ben-Ben, will be going with their Aunt Ug, Uncle Ewing, and cousins Erick, Deanna, and Tiffie. All of the camping supplies are packed and ready to go, including Ellie's sketchbook. Will the trip be as bad as Ellie is afraid it will be?
Through the pages of Ellie's sketchbook, she tells the story of her camping trip. She mee...more
Apr 21, 2008
babyhippoface
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
3rd-5th graders
Shelves:
kids-fiction,
humor
This could be touted as a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid for Girls." And although it doesn't contain near the humor Wimpy Kid does, I predict this book will be quite popular in my library, simply for its style. It basically looks just like Greg Heffley's journal, but this one is about a girl, Ellie McDougal (Ellie McDoodle to her friends, who know she loves to draw).
When her parents have to leave town to attend a distant family funeral, Ellie and her little brother, Ben-Ben, are forced to go on a camping...more
When her parents have to leave town to attend a distant family funeral, Ellie and her little brother, Ben-Ben, are forced to go on a camping...more
Dec 29, 2007
Elizabeth
added it
Recommends it for:
middle-grade readers, especially couch potatoes
Recommended to Elizabeth by:
Elizabeth Bird
This is a wholesome little book. I was especially interested in how Ruth McNally Barshaw weaves old-fashioned children's games into the story in a way that will encourage kids to try them. There were ways to choose "it" in the game that I hadn't even heard of. I would have gone out and tried some of the games immediately as a child reader. And I really enjoyed remembering some of the observations and sensations all children have -- like watching rivers of raindrops on car windows, and feeling th...more
How would you go about defining the word "torture"? If you were Ellie McDougal (McDoodle, to those in the know) you might define it as, "a family vacation with your monkey-boy little brother, annoying cousins, and boring aunt and uncle in the woods of Higgins Lake." Which, of course, is exactly what Ellie has been subjected to. Stuck with intolerable relatives, she decides to make the most of her ordeal by recording everything in her sketchbook (the one you, the reader, are reading) and getting...more
This is the graphic novel evolved into the art form it was meant to be: character-driven, funny and even educational. (I loved Ellie's drawings and descriptions of their camping games and activities.) Of course, we know girls are more accepting, democratic readers than boys, but -- for a time -- it seemed as though graphic novels were aimed only at boys. Ruth Barshaw has created a series that will draw girls to the genre and hook them for good... on good books!
Finally the girl's books get a fresh idea. Sure this book was written seven years ago, but come on I'm a working library director.
This is a book I would definitely put in a "Tomboy's" hands.
There is some advanced vocab in here, but it isn't critical to the story. I like Ellie as a character because she is interested in many things.
Highly recommended for those female readers that are either as interested in reading or as strong of readers.
This is a book I would definitely put in a "Tomboy's" hands.
There is some advanced vocab in here, but it isn't critical to the story. I like Ellie as a character because she is interested in many things.
Highly recommended for those female readers that are either as interested in reading or as strong of readers.
This book has been compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but I think that it is kinder and gentler book. Ellie and her little brother have to go camping with their cousins and Ellie is not happy about it. She chronicles her trip and feelings about her relatives in her sketch book. Ultimately, the trip is not as awful as she fears it will be. I enjoyed the illustrations. I am sure that this will be a popular book with elementary school girls.
ellie has to go on the most boring camping trip with here annoying cousins and aunt and uncle. her cousins are always trying to see what she is writing in her journel. she tries hiding the journel but catches her cousins trying to steal it. eventually they do and they dont like what they read but in the end they all learned that they actually had a great time
Ruth McNally Barshaw is active in SCBWI-MI. She's very nice and chatty.
Ellie McDoodle is more educational and more fun then the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. It's a good read-alike to recommend if the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are all checked out or if the kid has read all the books.
I like the fun activities, Ruth includes in all the Ellie McDoodle books.
Ellie McDoodle is more educational and more fun then the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. It's a good read-alike to recommend if the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are all checked out or if the kid has read all the books.
I like the fun activities, Ruth includes in all the Ellie McDoodle books.
Jul 10, 2010
Lartemis
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
elementary aged children
Recommended to Lartemis by:
my son, the fifth grade teacher
My son recommended this book as he is using it for his graduate course. He is a fifth grade teacher and is working on an independent study of illustrated journal writing with students. As a retired teacher myself, I found this book to be fun and clever. I would have enjoyed sharing it with some of my second graders, especially right before summer vacation.
Easily compared to Jeff Kinney's
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
, and easily categorized as the equivalent for girl readers, Ellie McDoodle should be thought of more as a sketchbook-style type of book. The illustrations, in my opinion, were more detailed and I found the story to be far more enjoyable than that of Wimpy Kid.
This book is full of line drawings along with text surrounding Ellie's camping trip with her rather unlikable relatives. Her strained relationships with them ring true as there is no easy fix here. Spending a week with them does however allow her time to get know them better. She also learns a few things about herself as well.
J Fiction Amusing journal of an eleven year old girl forced to go with her cousins on a camping vacation. The illustrations she has done of family members, things she sees, etc. are quite good. This isn't as edgy as Wimpy Kid, but has its funny moments such as the drawings of her boy cousin as a 7 legged monster.
What's not to like about Ellie? She stands up nicely next to Whimpy Kid. It's a graphic novel for girls that parents can approve. It's part Babysitter's Club, part Harriet the Spy, but with its own flavor. The drawings add background and humor throughout. It's a celebration of doodling!
Ellie McDoodle is keeping a picture journal of her camping trip with her three cousins and her aunt and uncle. In it she vents her frustrations as well as reveals the truths she comes to see about her inlaws, as well as camping lore and directions on how to play fun summer games.
Library Catalog
Ellie is camping with her cousins, aunt and uncle and coping with the ups & downs by recording all the funny and embarrassing details in her secret journal. Complete with games, songs, unusual facts, and more. A great summer read or anytime you want to smile. This is the first of three so far.
Ellie is camping with her cousins, aunt and uncle and coping with the ups & downs by recording all the funny and embarrassing details in her secret journal. Complete with games, songs, unusual facts, and more. A great summer read or anytime you want to smile. This is the first of three so far.
Ellie kept a journal while on vacation with her annoying cousins. Keeping a journal while on vaction is a great and funny idea. I loved this book and wished I kept a better journal when I went on vacation.
Ellie McDougal's parents have to suddenly leave town and she and her younger brother are left with their aunt, uncle and 3 horrid cousins. And guess what? They're going camping! ARGH! Ellie dreads being stuck in a car and then a campground for several days with these people. Thank goodness her mother gave her a journal to doodle in. That's what's Ellie's really good at. When she feels frustrated she writes in her journal and illustrates it with wonderful doodles.
But then her horrible cousin Eric...more
But then her horrible cousin Eric...more
My thirty-some daughter was home this summer when this book was on the end table. It was a quick read and she laughed out loud more than once. Again, this will be on the shelves for my fourth graders to read this year.
My Mom finds the best books. Any elementary school girl would love this book and I loved the way she actually illustrated her diary. Funny and easy for an adult to read in less than an hour.
Part diary, part comic book, Ellie’s account of the week she spends camping with her cousins will have you laughing out loud. At first, Ellie dreads the trip with crabby Aunt Mug and Uncle Ewing, bossy Duh-ana, gross Er-ick, and bedwetting Tiffie. They sleep in a cabin (not “real” camping!), capture frogs (cruel!), and cook stew from a can (bleah!). Eventually, though, Ellie learns that her cousins do have their good points – and that Ellie isn’t perfect herself! The illustrations are hilarious...more
My daughter absolutely loves this book and its follow-up, New Kid In School. She rereads them constantly, so I had to pry them from her to read. Very fun and clever!
A great "Tweens Book" -- engaging illustrations and humor, rules to travel and outdoor games long forgotten, and captures what it's like to be an eleven year old. Looking forward to reading the sequel to the Kidz.
this is a funny book. funniness is pretty much the only reason i like it. ellie is a ridiculous character who falls in love too easily. that is all i have to say.
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Mar 24, 2010 11:03am