Amber Brown Is Green With Envy

Amber Brown #9

by Paula Danziger, Tony Ross (Illustrator)

Amber Brown's parents just aren't acting the way she thinks parents should. Sometimes Amber's dad goes out on dates when he is supposed to be spending time with her. And her Mom went to Disneyland with Aunt Pam while Amber was with her dad (not fair!).
Then Mom and Max decide to get married even sooner and move to a new house - maybe even a new town!
Some kids have parents who stay together. Some kids don't have to think about moving away from their school and all their friends. Some kids seem to have no problems - and that makes Amber Brown green with envy.

Genres: Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Family, Juvenile, Chapter Books

160 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 2003

About the author

Paula Danziger was an American children's author. She wrote more than 30 books, including her 1974 debut The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, for children's and young adult audiences. At the time of her death, all her books were still in print; they had been published in 53 countries and translated into 14 languages.

Reviews

[Elle B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great book written by Paula Danziger, expressing the feelings of a 9 year old girl feeling things, seeing things, and having to understand things that are not things she wants to have to deal with at this age.

Amber’s parents got divorced at the age of 8, and her dad moved away to paris for while to do some work for his job. he came back hoping to get back together with Amber’s mom, but she was not focused on him anymore. She was in love with Max.

Now her dad is being a jerk about Ambers mom having a boyfriend, now Max and Amber’s mom are moving in together, now they are looking for a house, and her dad has a girlfriend, so Amber is confused, and is stuck in the middle of everything that is going on in her family.
This is a great book, because it is more of a feel good book to me. It lets you know that nothing is considered normal, and that there is no such thing as perfect.That is why I give this book 5 stars, because I can relate to this book and i highly recommend that you read this book!

[Antonella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amber Brown is Green with Envy , is a book that has many feelings on it . It shows how hard can be a live for a kid with there parents devorsed . Amber is example .She had mix feelings almost all the time. Some times she felt alone and felt that now one understood her. I think that the authors parents were divorsed and that she express her experience of it through this book . Is the kina of book that you just cant stop reading .I recomend this book to every one ,is like a real story some times you can understand the character her feelings. The author has many pasion and feeling in this book , many descriptions and detailes . In this book Amber Hodzent want to move to another house and she try’s to figure out a solution to this problem. Amber has discusions with her parents and she is getting tired of them fighting all the time . You will love this book has emotion , feelings ,etc..I hope you like it!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with a 4th grade book discussion group. There was a lot to discuss, including parents' divorce and remarriage, friendship, and having to move. Everyone could connect with at least one of these themes. Above all, the questions, "What is normal?" and "How much control do we really have?" are pondered. Amber is as spunky as any fourth grader as she answers these questions for herself - well, sort of.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

its pretty good, if their was a rating between four and five then that's what it would be. its kinda sad in some parts, how she is always mad at her parents pretty much all the time.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danziger really captures the emotions of a nine year. Amber has a lot on her plate, and you can't help but to feel for her.

[Madelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was funny Amber Brown is certiantly funny:) This is the book I have chosen for my book report this year in school. One of the lines is this book says,"I,Amber Brown do not like plaid."

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book beacause it was funny and entertaining.

[Alyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite being book #9 in a series I was able to follow the story. There was enough backstory to keep me from getting lost. This book is an example of how a child might feel as the world around them changes. Amber's parents are divorced and her mother and soon to be new step-dad plan to move to a new home. Amber's father is dating other women. While this isn't a particularly happy scenario it is important for students to see themselves in books and for others to learn empathy. It wasn't a page turner but was entertaining and talked about emotions in a safe and uncomplex manner.

2020 Popsugar reading challenge #21 A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the previous books, I listened to this one via audio. Amber Brown is just getting used to joint custody between her parents when a wrench is yet again thrown into her life. I loved the discussions in this one concerning the conflict divorced children can feel when both parents have an active role in their lives.

It’s also a good message for all families—children should get to be part of the decision making process for life events that affect them whenever possible. I loved how Amber’s teacher and principal handled the situation. As a child of divorce who had “two homes”, seeing Amber go back and forth between them was realistic for me.

[Melissa Namba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've pretty much mentioned in every amber brown book I've reviewed how much i love how it handles divorce. this one is exceptionally good because it has the parents at their worst and most petty. mom even says bad things about dad in front of amber. dad becomes a little selfish and breaks promises to amber in order to hook up. great for kids who are going through this.

[Maximilian Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this book because I did not like the part when Amber put a bunch stuff in soap. I liked this book because I liked the part when the green stuff stayed in her eyebrows.

[Rebecca Crawshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this book is really insightful into the brain of a kid. I just don’t care for realistic fiction much. It was cute though. Several of my students really liked this book though!

[Rose]

It was really sad and then good at the end.

[DMC]

When my daughter admitted she doesn’t really like the series so doesn’t need to finish this one, I sighed in relief! We both find Amber annoying.

[Tarin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[Neah Imani Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a ver

This book is very similar to the way some people's lives are .

[Kayte Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It might help students that have parents that are separated.

[Kara Moreland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Amber Brown. It tells her struggles that she has with divorced parents. Her dad had moved to Paris and now he's back. Her mom is getting married soon and tells Amber that they are moving and possibly having another sibling. All of this is hard for an elementary student to handle. It shows her struggles that she has, and at the end she is happy.
I really loved this book. I can completely relate to it. I love the message of the book that sometimes things have to happen that you have no control over so you just have to make the best of the situation.
This book would be great for young students who are having trouble with their parents divorcing, parent remarrying, moving, or any problem that might be facing. This book would point to girls more than boys though.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a fun adult can help put things into perspective as a child.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter read this book for a school book report, and since her reading comprehension isn't always what one could wish, I felt the need to double check.

The title was only tenuously linked to the story. "Amber Brown in the Middle" would have been a better title.

Amber's parents are divorced and her mother is getting remarried. The unfortunate games that parents play with each other and their children are illustrated from the child's point of view. It's hard to feel anything other than sympathy for the child who's life is getting ripped apart by parents who decided that they just "don't love each other anymore."

Parents who divorce because one or the other (or both of them) have been selfish shouldn't be surprised when children in their turn become "unreasonable" about accomdoating parents in their wishes.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the last book in the Amber Brown series by Paula Danziger and Tony Ross. We've finally finished the whole series, after more than a year. We really enjoyed the stories, and although the parts about divorce are sometimes difficult to take, it's probably a good experience for our girls to see how different families can be like.

I like that there's a discussion that asks the question, "What is truly a 'normal' family?" It's also a good way to show the conflicting emotions that children can have; Amber certainly had enough of those! We are glad that we read all of the books, but I think we'll miss Amber a little bit.

[Michelle Marcano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great chapter book for students who have just begun their reading journey with chapter books. It is definitely a book I would recommend for the girls in my class rather than the boys as amber brown writes about a lot of “girly” things. This book is also great to represent different types of families. Amber brown’s parents are going through a divorce so she is having a hard time adjusting to all the changes. This book is great because Amber Brown can be relatable to many readers. It also deals with a lot of issues children may face in school so this book is a great for community building in the classroom. Since the whole story was narrated by Amber Brown this is a great book to use as an example of first person narrative.

[Rena` · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amber Brown's parents just aren't acting the way she thinks parents should. Sometimes Amber's dad goes out on dates when he is supposed to be spending time with her. And her Mom went to Disneyland with Aunt Pam while Amber was with her dad (not fair!). Then Mom and Max decide to get married even sooner and move to a new house--maybe even a new town! Some kids have parents who stay together. Some kids don't have to think about moving away from their school and all their friends. Some kids seem to have no problems--& that makes Amber Brown green with envy.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amber Brown is a 9-year-old 4th grader trying to cope with major issues like her parents' divorce, her mom remarrying, and moving to a new house. She's green with envy at what she calls "normal" families, the ones with two parents and kids all living happily in one home together. She learns that there are all kinds of normal, and she learns that talking about what's bothering you really can be helpful.

[Maddison Holland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Paula Danzinger's books as a kid in Elementary school. Amber Brown was lovable and totally different from me, but I wanted to be her friend. I read several of the series, but this one was one of the most memorable to me. I have always struggled with jealousy and I think this book helped me realize how bad it can be. This series does a good job presenting tough topics to girls who can relate and who can't.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amber's a fourth grader learning to deal with her parents' divorce and her mother's remarriage. The main character is spunky and entertaining. I feel like many of the messages of the book come across almost too blatantly, but that may just be because I am an adult reading the book, not a kid. Overall, a decent read.

[DESTINY FLEMINGS · Rating 2 out of 5]

so far the book is good to me. it is about this girl named amber and she is with her dad for a few days while her mom is on vacation. she has this boy named dylan that she has to deal with and and she can not i mean can not stand him at all. i didnt finish the book so when i am finished i would tell more about the book that im reading!!!

[Marybet Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is normal? For Amber Brown, her family does not seem normal. Her parents have divorced, her mother is getting remarried, and now her father is dating. Through the events in this book, Amber begins to understand that no one is "normal" and even intact families have problems of their own.

I love the message of this book.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful, yet, emotional children's book. Though I've read this before, each time I read it, it gets really powerful as it explains what goes through a child's mind in the mist of a divorce. It's sad, but real. I love how the author gets inside Amber Brown’s head and goes through all the emotions she was going through.
Overall, it was enjoyable and an easy read.

[Calla Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good account of what its like for children going through the changes of a broken home. It's easy read and very relatable to younger students in this situation. Amber is a likable character who discovers that a good attitude is always choice no matter the situation.