Ellie May on April Fools' Day: An Ellie May Adventure

by Hillary Homzie, Jeffrey Ebbeler (Illustrator)

How far will Ellie May go for a laugh--and a little revenge--when her class is allowed to celebrate April Fools' Day?

Quirky and funny second grader Ellie May can't believe her class is allowed to celebrate April Fools' Day--so long as it's done in good fun. She absolutely loves the idea of targeting a certain someone--the practically perfect Ava. Practicing on her parents and sisters, Ellie May begins to brainstorm harmless pranks. Soon enough, good intentions turn the classroom and her home upside-down when fake ants, trick tape, and hidden surprises don't go as planned. Ellie May may not be perfect like Miss-Know-it-All Ava, or calm and rational like her best friend Lizzy, but she's good-hearted and eventually realizes that the best trick is to make friends genuinely laugh--at no one's expense.

Genres: Holiday, Realistic Fiction, School, Childrens, Chapter Books

112 pages, Paperback

Published December 18, 2018

About the author

Hillary H. B. Homzie's background as a writer and performer of sketch comedy informs her first novel for tweens. Her Aladdin chapter book series Alien Clones from Outer Space has been adapted as an animated TV series in Australia and may be shown in the US in the future. She lives in Napa, California with her family.

See also H.B. Homzie

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second entry in the Ellie May series was equally as engaging as "Ellie May on President's Day" and I know that early readers will be able to relate to Ellie May. As April Fool's Day approaches Ellie May is determined to be seen by her peers as a worthy prankster. Things do not work out the way she intended, but there are some fun surprises and facts about the holiday for kids.

Thank you to Charlesbridge and Edelweiss for a digital ARC of this new chapter book.

[Vicki Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful new chapter book series for young readers. Ellie May and friends have just the right amount of sweetness, spunk, and mischievousness to keep them relatable and fun. My 3rd grade mentee and I read the first chapter together. She connected immediately with the characters and the plot....pranking! It held her attention and gave her a few big words to conquer. She's ready to take it home and read it all. She will but only after I read it first!
No spoiler alert...it's a good choice for either reading silently or aloud. A good gift for a young chapter book reader.

[Rachel Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie May is back with another charming, sweet and laugh out loud adventure. I like how warm and earnest Ellie May is, even as we see her "naughty" side or hankering to play pranks on another student. It's all in good fun, and the April Fools' Day focus gives young readers a chance to learn more about the playful holiday. The message about being kind to others, and figure out how to laugh together (and not at the expense of anyone) is a timely theme as kids today know more about the harm bullying causes. Ellie May's story steers us toward laughter, friendship and heart-felt lessons. A perfectly fun and amusing read, as warm, cozy and satisfying as hot chocolate and warm cookies on a winter's day!

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this character - perfect for fans of Beatrice Zinker, Junie B. Jones, Judy Moody!

[Jackson Ketron]

Ellie May is a phenomenal book for todays kids. By combining positive, ethical lessons, with fun innocent humor it keeps readers engages while also learning. Although it is meant for younger children it can be enjoyed by all ages due to the fact it is extremely well written. Ellie May is an all around great read!

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable book with lessons on friendships and jokes.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! So entertaining but also educational in teaching children the line between being funny and offensive. children take humour too far sometimes and this is a great (and fun!) way to teach your kids this boundary. it is also at a challenging reading level making it even better for our kids to read!

[Katie Rudnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book series! Ellie May is so much fun to read about and the book is great for learning important life lessons! This book explores the important topics of being kind with your words and how to tell funny jokes that don't hurt feelings.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book for young readers ! Its a perfect level for kids transitioning from picture books to chapter books. And the main character Ellie May is so spunky and full of life. Also, this book has such a clever and heartwarming ending :)

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An illustrated early chapter book that falls in the realistic fiction genre. Ellie May is determined to be funny, and she is thrilled that April Fool's Day is coming up. She comes up with lots of ideas, but tries to remember that her teacher doesn't want anybody hurt or with hurt feelings. Can she find the right balance?

The story was relatable, many people go through a phase where they want to be "that" person (in Ellie May's case she wants to be like Mo, who makes everyone laugh) but realize they have to be themselves. I loved the illustrations in the story, they were full of life. A quick read with a spunky heroine.

[Leslie Farwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ellie May chapter book series by Hillary Homzie is hilarious, guaranteed to keep young readers engaged, and a must have for school and classroom libraries. In April Fools' Day, Ellie May's quirky personality lands her in trouble. She eventually realizes it's up to her to figure out how to fix the mess she's in, and she accomplishes that in her own "Ellie May" style. Five stars for creativity, humor, and good solid values.

[Chiquita wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

April fool’s day is a great way to work together as a class to prank your teacher or classmate safely. A fun and friendly game that can spread joy in the classroom or at home with the people you care about and care about you. This is an interesting and easy-to-read book that allows you to read in the classroom to spend a particularly interesting day. Let’s get creative and have fun. Be smart and play safe.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Realistic look at second grade where Ellie is desperate to play an April Fool’s joke that will get laughs.
Ellie comes up with several ideas that just aren’t possible to do.
What happens with the one she eventually chooses?

[Jnase1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how research and facts are thrown into the storyline in this series.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Zainab Zaidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

good fun read!