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Sylvie Scruggs #1
The Best Friend Battle
Sylvie Scruggs doesn't like Georgie Diaz. He always calls her Scruggs. He always beats her in baseball. He didn't invite her to his party. Plus, he's a boy.
Now Georgie is trying to steal Sylvie's best friend, Miranda Tan. He's giving Miranda a super-special birthday present, so Sylvie will too -- only her present will be ten times better. With the help of her twin brothers, a ferret, a castle, and some glitter glue, Sylvie sets out to make Miranda remember who her REAL best friend is, and forget about Georgie forever.
Now Georgie is trying to steal Sylvie's best friend, Miranda Tan. He's giving Miranda a super-special birthday present, so Sylvie will too -- only her present will be ten times better. With the help of her twin brothers, a ferret, a castle, and some glitter glue, Sylvie sets out to make Miranda remember who her REAL best friend is, and forget about Georgie forever.
160 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2015
13 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 20, 2022
wow, wonderful book from cover to cover had me hooked. I felt like a kid all over again. At my 50 year age, that a wonderful experience to relive. I love how
May 16, 2015
Sylvie has been away at a family vacation for the past few weeks. When she returns, she finds her best friend Miranda has been hanging out with new guy Georgie and Josh. Sylvie suspects Miranda and Georgie are becoming to close of friends. Miranda is even cheering Georgie on at the baseball game and going to his house without her for a welcome to the neighborhood party. Sylvie and Georgie just can't seem to get along, he's been calling her "Scruggs" and teasing her about pitching. And what is it with trying to steal Miranda away by buying a cooler present than hers? Sylvie just can't let that happen. She is determined to figure out what he is buying Miranda and get her something even better. She'll prove to Miranda that they are still BFF's. Or will things go horribly wrong?
The Best Friend Battle is a cute story about what happens when one friend finds out that the other might like someone new better. Just the sort of thing that happens in this age range. Sylvie just goes a little to far in my opinion (stealing Georgie's ferret by mistake), to prove her friendship to Miranda. I think it is realistically portrayed, I just don't usually like the idea of children sneaking around at night, even if they have the best of intentions in setting things right. I really liked Miranda, she was upbeat and was trying to bring her two friends together. I enjoyed the culturally diversity of the characters, as well as the inclusion of both boys and girls. I love a story that shows both boys and girls can be friends too. There was plenty of humor (Sylvie's five year old twin brothers were adorable), wonderful black and white illustrations and it was a pretty quick read. This would make for an enjoyable read aloud for seven to ten year old's.
The Best Friend Battle is a cute story about what happens when one friend finds out that the other might like someone new better. Just the sort of thing that happens in this age range. Sylvie just goes a little to far in my opinion (stealing Georgie's ferret by mistake), to prove her friendship to Miranda. I think it is realistically portrayed, I just don't usually like the idea of children sneaking around at night, even if they have the best of intentions in setting things right. I really liked Miranda, she was upbeat and was trying to bring her two friends together. I enjoyed the culturally diversity of the characters, as well as the inclusion of both boys and girls. I love a story that shows both boys and girls can be friends too. There was plenty of humor (Sylvie's five year old twin brothers were adorable), wonderful black and white illustrations and it was a pretty quick read. This would make for an enjoyable read aloud for seven to ten year old's.
June 9, 2015
My mom knows the author so I thought I would show some support. This was such a cute book! I found myself laughing out loud several times! A great children's book and a quick read!
July 30, 2015
My 10 year old thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. She is excited for book #2 to be released.
November 24, 2020
A really cute book with a decent story.
Cover
Firstly; I really like this cover. It's cute and eye catching true to the interior illustrations and bursting with cute charm. Also a nice nod to interior part of the story Sylvie having one water balloon and Georgie with two.
With that being said; what is with Georgie's expression? (I'll cover that later)
Interior
Story
The story is decent. Sylvie's inner dialoged can feel a tad over the top at times. Although it does fit with how a nine year old talks and thinks. Especially when your reach the end. I did enjoy reading it.
I found it really enjoyable.
Illustrations
Over all I love the illustrations in this book. Reading through it I was getting grade math book impressions on the style.
The characters are really expressive and I have to admit it's pretty tough if I had to pick a favorite image from this book.
Again I'll ask why is it that in every image except in is last image does Georgie look ticked or at the very least unhappy.
(SPOILERS)If it matters.
I do appreciate how we not only see her stressing about losing her only friend but how we are shown that no other girl her age likes her really revealing that she doesn't have any other friends. This little detail of having the everyone gang up on her really supports her anxiety of losing her only friend.
After the liar reveal I do think the story gets a tad weaker like it's trying to get to the end sooner.
For one everyone seems to act a touch complaisant over even an accidental B&E.
There is one big thing missing from the end that really should have been addressed.
Sylvie never truly opens up to Miranda about her fear of losing her friend. It's danced around when it really should have been fully direct and honest. Even though the result is the same in the end it really should have been there to create a proper closure.
Even if it was Georgie that asked "WHY" instead of Miranda, it would seal that closure that feels a little hollow in the end because the other way could be his comment about how She talks about Sylvie.
Cover
Firstly; I really like this cover. It's cute and eye catching true to the interior illustrations and bursting with cute charm. Also a nice nod to interior part of the story Sylvie having one water balloon and Georgie with two.
With that being said; what is with Georgie's expression? (I'll cover that later)
Interior
Story
The story is decent. Sylvie's inner dialoged can feel a tad over the top at times. Although it does fit with how a nine year old talks and thinks. Especially when your reach the end. I did enjoy reading it.
I found it really enjoyable.
Illustrations
Over all I love the illustrations in this book. Reading through it I was getting grade math book impressions on the style.
The characters are really expressive and I have to admit it's pretty tough if I had to pick a favorite image from this book.
Again I'll ask why is it that in every image except in is last image does Georgie look ticked or at the very least unhappy.
(SPOILERS)If it matters.
I do appreciate how we not only see her stressing about losing her only friend but how we are shown that no other girl her age likes her really revealing that she doesn't have any other friends. This little detail of having the everyone gang up on her really supports her anxiety of losing her only friend.
After the liar reveal I do think the story gets a tad weaker like it's trying to get to the end sooner.
For one everyone seems to act a touch complaisant over even an accidental B&E.
There is one big thing missing from the end that really should have been addressed.
Sylvie never truly opens up to Miranda about her fear of losing her friend. It's danced around when it really should have been fully direct and honest. Even though the result is the same in the end it really should have been there to create a proper closure.
Even if it was Georgie that asked "WHY" instead of Miranda, it would seal that closure that feels a little hollow in the end because the other way could be his comment about how She talks about Sylvie.
July 13, 2017
148 pages. Sylvie is jealous of her best friend Miranda also being friends with a boy named Georgie. She steals his ferret and lots of trouble results, plus lots of drama and emotion. This was a great realistic fiction book that shows the struggles in friendships and how kids can work it all out. Well-done. Highly recommended for 3rd-5th level.
October 4, 2019
This was a very cool book but the chapters were a little too long keep in mind that books should 7-8 pages per chapter not 10-11 but it was good for a nine year old girl or boy thanks you for making this book we really enjoyed it
Sincerely Scarlett
Sincerely Scarlett
May 28, 2020
A great book for school.
March 22, 2023
Story is well structured. Great lessons on friendship and making good decisions.
December 19, 2016
This review covers both The Best Friend Battle and The Mean Girl Meltdown.
Sylvie Scruggs - the star of a brand-new Scholastic series by debut author Lindsay Eyre - is sassy, spirited, and sporty. In The Best Friend Battle, she finds herself feeling jealous of her best friend Miranda's new friendship with Georgie, a boy in the neighborhood who teases Sylvie on the baseball field. Frustrated with having to share Miranda's attention, she puts herself in competition with Georgie to give Miranda the best birthday present imaginable, leading her to accidentally steal Georgie's ferret, which she believes he intends to give to Miranda. In the second book, The Mean Girl Meltdown, Sylvie joins a hockey team, where she finds a steeper learning curve than she expected. She begins to see star player Jamie Redmond as a rival, to the point that she automatically blames Jamie for pranks being done against members of the team.
Both of these stories represent a much-needed addition to the lower end of the middle grade spectrum. For one thing, Sylvie is a girl who plays sports, a character type that is not that widely represented. Girls who are on sports teams will enjoy reading about Sylvie's athletic strengths and weaknesses, and boys will also appreciate the action of the sports scenes. It's also nice to have a middle grade story to recommend that involves hockey. In 2015, there just aren't that many kids who want to read The Chicken Doesn't Skate, no matter how much librarians try to talk it up. The Mean Girl Meltdown will be a great addition to library collections for that reason alone.
Also refreshing is the fact that, instead of dwelling on stereotypical girl drama, Eyre focuses on the very realistic flaws in Sylvie's personality and the mistakes she sometimes makes as a result of innocence and inexperience. Rather than condemning Sylvie for her occasional poor judgment, Eyre constructs a story that allows Sylvie to work through her difficulties and come out stronger, more self-aware, and more empathetic to the people around her. The solutions Sylvie comes up with are always age-appropriate and believable, and each story ends with an effort at making amends with those she has hurt. There is also a lot of humor and gentle suspense involved in each story, which helps kids connect easily with Sylvie's experiences and want to keep reading. Sylvie will be welcomed warmly into the imaginations of readers in grades 2 to 4 - and parents will love her too!
On her website, Lindsay Eyre lists Sara Pennypacker and Hilary McKay as two of her favorite authors, and indeed their books - Pennypacker's Clementine series and McKay's Lulu's series - are the perfect read-alikes for Eyre's own books. Others include the Ivy and Bean books, Kate the Great (Except When She's Not) by Suzy Becker, and Quinny and Hopper by Adriana Brad Schanen.
Sylvie Scruggs - the star of a brand-new Scholastic series by debut author Lindsay Eyre - is sassy, spirited, and sporty. In The Best Friend Battle, she finds herself feeling jealous of her best friend Miranda's new friendship with Georgie, a boy in the neighborhood who teases Sylvie on the baseball field. Frustrated with having to share Miranda's attention, she puts herself in competition with Georgie to give Miranda the best birthday present imaginable, leading her to accidentally steal Georgie's ferret, which she believes he intends to give to Miranda. In the second book, The Mean Girl Meltdown, Sylvie joins a hockey team, where she finds a steeper learning curve than she expected. She begins to see star player Jamie Redmond as a rival, to the point that she automatically blames Jamie for pranks being done against members of the team.
Both of these stories represent a much-needed addition to the lower end of the middle grade spectrum. For one thing, Sylvie is a girl who plays sports, a character type that is not that widely represented. Girls who are on sports teams will enjoy reading about Sylvie's athletic strengths and weaknesses, and boys will also appreciate the action of the sports scenes. It's also nice to have a middle grade story to recommend that involves hockey. In 2015, there just aren't that many kids who want to read The Chicken Doesn't Skate, no matter how much librarians try to talk it up. The Mean Girl Meltdown will be a great addition to library collections for that reason alone.
Also refreshing is the fact that, instead of dwelling on stereotypical girl drama, Eyre focuses on the very realistic flaws in Sylvie's personality and the mistakes she sometimes makes as a result of innocence and inexperience. Rather than condemning Sylvie for her occasional poor judgment, Eyre constructs a story that allows Sylvie to work through her difficulties and come out stronger, more self-aware, and more empathetic to the people around her. The solutions Sylvie comes up with are always age-appropriate and believable, and each story ends with an effort at making amends with those she has hurt. There is also a lot of humor and gentle suspense involved in each story, which helps kids connect easily with Sylvie's experiences and want to keep reading. Sylvie will be welcomed warmly into the imaginations of readers in grades 2 to 4 - and parents will love her too!
On her website, Lindsay Eyre lists Sara Pennypacker and Hilary McKay as two of her favorite authors, and indeed their books - Pennypacker's Clementine series and McKay's Lulu's series - are the perfect read-alikes for Eyre's own books. Others include the Ivy and Bean books, Kate the Great (Except When She's Not) by Suzy Becker, and Quinny and Hopper by Adriana Brad Schanen.
May 17, 2015
There is bad blood between nine-year-old Sylvie Scruggs and new boy Georgie Diaz. After all, he calls her names, makes fun of her baseball prowess, and now he's trying to steal her best friend, Miranda Tan. Miranda is Sylvie's best--well, really only--friend, and she just cannot bear to lose her. When Sylvie thinks that Georgie has bought Miranda an expensive present for her birthday, the competition is on to find the perfect gift. Through a series of misunderstandings and mishaps, Sylvie kidnaps one of Georgie's ferrets, which leads to several unsuccessful attempts to return the adorable creature, and then to Sylvie's public disgrace. Packed with humor and wisdom as it describes feelings with which many of us are accustomed, this book is perfect for a classroom conversation on friendship. Hard as it may be for Sylvie to accept it, it's possible to have more than one friend. The author captures perfectly Sylvie's growing anxiety over what to do to make things right. The illustrations made me laugh almost as much as the text since they show Sylvie at her worst and her little brothers as they cause quite a few complications as well.
September 26, 2015
It was a quick read. Was it a good quick read? For the most part, yes. Though I admit I'm not the target audience for this one. Sylvie, the heroine, is having a hard time sharing her best friend, Miranda, with others. With a few boys, to be exact. And one of the boys she just can't stand. His name is Georgie. And she thinks he's awful. But her friend, Miranda, well, she's friendly with him. She even cheers him on at baseball when he's on the opposing team to Sylvie. How could she, thinks Sylvie!!! Or, perhaps, how DARE she?!?!
When the novel opens, Miranda's birthday is fast approaching, and Sylvie is quite DESPERATE. How can she prove that she is all the best friend Miranda needs, and, that there is no room for Georgie too?! Well, Sylvie's methods are a bit extreme. And the book does get a bit dramatic, more over-the-top comedy than serious drama. And some of this drama is due to Sylvie's twin brothers getting involved in the friendship war...
This one is enjoyable. I liked it.
When the novel opens, Miranda's birthday is fast approaching, and Sylvie is quite DESPERATE. How can she prove that she is all the best friend Miranda needs, and, that there is no room for Georgie too?! Well, Sylvie's methods are a bit extreme. And the book does get a bit dramatic, more over-the-top comedy than serious drama. And some of this drama is due to Sylvie's twin brothers getting involved in the friendship war...
This one is enjoyable. I liked it.
August 17, 2015
BFFs Sylvie and Miranda have their friendship tested when Miranda also befriends Georgie. Sylvie is jealous of the budding friendship on several levels, not the least of which is the fact that Georgie is a boy. To get back to #1 friend status, Sylvie is determined to give Miranda a birthday gift that will outshine Georgie’s. A series of misunderstandings and an ill-conceived plan of stealing Georgie’s ferret lead Sylvie to some precarious moments. But once she owns up to her mistakes, Sylvie discovers that she can have more than one best friend and that a BFF can also be a boy. Tweens will identify with the themes of jealousy, friendship and discovery of the opposite sex. The black and white illustrations are just enough to keep the interest going in this beginning chapter book. It’s a quick and humorous read that younger readers, especially girls, will relish.
December 13, 2015
Slyvie and Miranda have been friends forever. But that might change when Georgie moves to town and befriends the two especially Miranda. Slyvie is desperate to keep Miranda close and will do just about anything to accomplish that goal.
This is an entertaining book about friendships and the twists and turns they can take. The story line is easy to follow and the character development is good. The predicament of a new friendship while keeping the present one intact is relevant to today’s youth what with all the movement in our society. Humorous situations face Sylvie and the consequences are readily resolved in a realistic manner. This would be a suitable purchase for the elementary collection of any library serving the youth. Recommended for grade 2 through 4.
This is an entertaining book about friendships and the twists and turns they can take. The story line is easy to follow and the character development is good. The predicament of a new friendship while keeping the present one intact is relevant to today’s youth what with all the movement in our society. Humorous situations face Sylvie and the consequences are readily resolved in a realistic manner. This would be a suitable purchase for the elementary collection of any library serving the youth. Recommended for grade 2 through 4.
May 4, 2015
Loved this story! Sylvie comes back from her family's two week vacation to find that her best friend since diapers is now friends with annoying George! And what's worse is that Sylvie does something really bad and can't bring herself to confess, which only compounds her problems. Told with realistic emotions of every third grade girl's fear of losing her best friend, this is a great story to read aloud. It wold appeal to boys and girls because of the two boys in the story, George and Josh.
March 20, 2015
Not bad. For a transitional chapter book, the characters are pretty well developed. Sylvie, the main character is the type of kid who has only one friend and doesn't want another one. She also doesn't understand why her friend Miranda wants other friends. I think there are many kids in my school that will like this story.
December 21, 2015
I mean, it's fine. Friendship is a very popular topic in early chapter books and this book doesn't super stand out to me among them. Sylvie kind of half-heartedly has a Junie-B-Jones-like voice, but it's not consistent enough to be an appeal factor. I'd skip this one and hand young readers Anna Banana.
August 26, 2015
This entertaining series starter about a nine-year-old name Sylvie would be a nice addition to the elementary library or classroom. Sylvie's got some security issues especially regarding her best friendship with Miranda. She's quirky but not charming quirky like Clementine but get-on-my-last-nerve quirky. Still her family and friends are patient with her and it all works out in the end.
March 25, 2016
Sylvie Scruggs and Miranda are best friends since K5. Sylvie assumes it will always be that way until Miranda makes friends with Goergie Diaz - a BOY! Sylvie wants to have Miranda all to herself and has trouble realizing that it is okay to have boys as friends, too.
July 25, 2015
Predictable. Good for lower grades. Typical elementary problems.
May 18, 2018
i love this book let me read it please
and i have a youtube channel
and i want to read for them this story please
they always say for me in the commends to read this story to them
please if you want to let the kids be happy please please
THANK YOU!
DONE!
and i have a youtube channel
and i want to read for them this story please
they always say for me in the commends to read this story to them
please if you want to let the kids be happy please please
THANK YOU!
DONE!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews