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Hailey Twitch #1
Hailey Twitch Is Not a Snitch
Never has an invisible friend caused a girl so much grief. From acclaimed children's author Lauren Barnholdt, a laugh-out-loud chapter book series for precocious kids everywhere! Meet Hailey Twitch. She's just like you. Well, sort of. She loves pink sparkly pencils and ice cream. But Hailey also has a she's friends with Maybelle, a sprite that only she can see. Hailey and Maybelle are having fun, fun, fun. But they're also getting into lots of trouble! Can Hailey keep her friend a secret or will she have to tell?
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 6, 2011
Does it bother ANYONE but me that Hailey is a Junie B Wanna Be complete with an inability to use contractions?
The dialog is exceptionally awkward as a result, and the only thing new here is the fairy only Hailey can see.
Oh well, hand this to the kids who like Junie B and the "Daisy Meadows" books and you'll have the best (so to speak) of both worlds....
The dialog is exceptionally awkward as a result, and the only thing new here is the fairy only Hailey can see.
Oh well, hand this to the kids who like Junie B and the "Daisy Meadows" books and you'll have the best (so to speak) of both worlds....
September 18, 2011
This book has no ending. It ends on a cliffhanger (a boring cliffhanger). Obviously they want me to buy the next book. No way. Not worth it.
May 19, 2018
Writing style got on my nerves... mostly the "stomp, stomp, stomping," and the "twitch, twitch, twitching," and all the other annoying three-worded words.
September 5, 2020
I was a bit disappointed by this first installment to be honest. I read the wedding glitch book first and that was a better developed story with wittier dialogue and scenarios.
December 29, 2024
The character was unlikeable and seemed more like a 4 year old. Also, at least once every page the author repeated a word 3 times, a super annoying writing style.
June 1, 2019
see my comments as i was reading. i read this in order to better understand patterns in children book writing and because, at first, i thought it was a Daisy Meadows book. Man, Daisy Meadows books were my childhood around when I started reading “real books” I hope they have aged well.
August 7, 2012
Capturing the character and voice of a second grader can be tricky. Oftentimes the adult voice sifts through and for the most part Lauren Barnholt's Hailey sounds like a second grader. She reminds me a little of the bossy, troublemaker, Junie B. Jones, and the imaginative don't-mean-to-get-in-trouble-but-do Clementine. Hailey Twitch is learning how to make friends and work with different students at school. When the teacher assigns her to partner with Addie Jokobeck for a school project, Hailey is not happy. Addie loves rules and for Hailey that spells, "No fun."
She stomps in the door after school, tells mom she's cranky, and gives herself a time-out in her bedroom so she can prevent a tantrum. In her room she hugs her doll and wishes she was a princess. Ah yes, a princess is rich and can get what she wants - like a different partner at school. Hailey's wish releases a sprite who's been trapped in the doll for 200 years. The sprite, Maybelle is being punished for being a bossy rule monger and thinks if she learns to have fun she won't be so bossy. Hailey thinks Maybelle can use magic to get her a new partner, but Maybelle only gets Hailey in trouble with pranks she thinks are fun. When Hailey becomes friends with Addie she decides to teach her to have fun. Maybelle decides to join in but things go awry. When Maybelle takes something from the teacher's desk, Hailey needs to decide what actions to take to correct the problem.
Hailey act sand sounds like a kid learning to socialize and make friends. She gets jealous when her current friends play with different students and she isn't sure about making new friends. She can be bossy and mean but also kind and caring. Natalie's the mean girl but she doesn't start out that way. She progresses in the story as someone who never learns to make friends. I don't really like how the kids gang-up on her at the end. I would have liked Addie or the other boys stepping-in to show Hailey and Natalie how to put their differences aside and reach out to each other. A few times Hailey sounds adultish such as when she tells the sprite who has put on a glittery gown that she looks like a "whole new woman."
Repetition is used that will help emerging readers acquiring language. Hailey repeats words for emphasis all the time. I thought it was overdone but I don't think young readers will find it annoying. Hailey also defines concepts such as what it means to be bossy or have a tantrum. There are some nice similes and metaphors such as Hailey's shock at seeing a sprite, "I cannot find my voice. It feels like I am trying to talk with a big mouthful of peanut butter sandwich before I've had any milk."
The plot has the sprite's issues mirrored by Addie. I wasn't sure how it moved the plot forward until the end when Hailey makes a decision to help the sprite. This can make for interesting discussions on whether or not Hailey made the right choice. I think the sprite needed more explanation. What is the Department of Magic and how does it fit into Hailey's world? Just when I thought I was going to get some answers, the book ends abruptly. This is a promising book but my biggest complaint is the poor ending. It is supposed to be a cliffhanger but it leaves too much hanging with the teacher having to hand out her punishment and Mr. Tuttle's cryptic message. More needed to be explained. A good addition to your library for grade 2-3 readers.
Reading Level 3.1
She stomps in the door after school, tells mom she's cranky, and gives herself a time-out in her bedroom so she can prevent a tantrum. In her room she hugs her doll and wishes she was a princess. Ah yes, a princess is rich and can get what she wants - like a different partner at school. Hailey's wish releases a sprite who's been trapped in the doll for 200 years. The sprite, Maybelle is being punished for being a bossy rule monger and thinks if she learns to have fun she won't be so bossy. Hailey thinks Maybelle can use magic to get her a new partner, but Maybelle only gets Hailey in trouble with pranks she thinks are fun. When Hailey becomes friends with Addie she decides to teach her to have fun. Maybelle decides to join in but things go awry. When Maybelle takes something from the teacher's desk, Hailey needs to decide what actions to take to correct the problem.
Hailey act sand sounds like a kid learning to socialize and make friends. She gets jealous when her current friends play with different students and she isn't sure about making new friends. She can be bossy and mean but also kind and caring. Natalie's the mean girl but she doesn't start out that way. She progresses in the story as someone who never learns to make friends. I don't really like how the kids gang-up on her at the end. I would have liked Addie or the other boys stepping-in to show Hailey and Natalie how to put their differences aside and reach out to each other. A few times Hailey sounds adultish such as when she tells the sprite who has put on a glittery gown that she looks like a "whole new woman."
Repetition is used that will help emerging readers acquiring language. Hailey repeats words for emphasis all the time. I thought it was overdone but I don't think young readers will find it annoying. Hailey also defines concepts such as what it means to be bossy or have a tantrum. There are some nice similes and metaphors such as Hailey's shock at seeing a sprite, "I cannot find my voice. It feels like I am trying to talk with a big mouthful of peanut butter sandwich before I've had any milk."
The plot has the sprite's issues mirrored by Addie. I wasn't sure how it moved the plot forward until the end when Hailey makes a decision to help the sprite. This can make for interesting discussions on whether or not Hailey made the right choice. I think the sprite needed more explanation. What is the Department of Magic and how does it fit into Hailey's world? Just when I thought I was going to get some answers, the book ends abruptly. This is a promising book but my biggest complaint is the poor ending. It is supposed to be a cliffhanger but it leaves too much hanging with the teacher having to hand out her punishment and Mr. Tuttle's cryptic message. More needed to be explained. A good addition to your library for grade 2-3 readers.
Reading Level 3.1
June 11, 2010
Hailey Twitch Is Not a Snitch is an adorable read for younger readers. The novel follows Hailey and her second grade class as they work on a World project. As part of the project, Hailey and her classmates are being paired up. It is Hailey's wish that she be paired up with fellow classmate, Antonio. Unfortunately for her, she does not exactly get her wish. But, in the process, she does get to meet a magical spirit named Maybelle, who lives in her toy castle. And what follows this meeting is a fun and exciting adventure.
Hailey Twitch Is Not a Snitch is not a novel that I would have probably picked up on my own. As a adult reader, I find it hard at times to relate to characters that are much younger than I am. However, I had a lot of fun with this novel. Hailey was such a cute character. She makes her mistakes fairly early in the novel, and does a wonderful job of learning from them. And how she learns was an important element for me. She does not resort to revenge or anything petty like that. Instead, she learns to adjust to the hand that she has been given, and is a much better person because of that. So while, Hailey Twitch Is Not a Snitch is not exactly a novel that I would recommend to older teen and adult readers, I would definitely recommend it for and to younger readers. It features a great cast of characters who are lively with some amazing messages sprinkled in. A very enjoyable read... for the right reader.
Hailey Twitch Is Not a Snitch is not a novel that I would have probably picked up on my own. As a adult reader, I find it hard at times to relate to characters that are much younger than I am. However, I had a lot of fun with this novel. Hailey was such a cute character. She makes her mistakes fairly early in the novel, and does a wonderful job of learning from them. And how she learns was an important element for me. She does not resort to revenge or anything petty like that. Instead, she learns to adjust to the hand that she has been given, and is a much better person because of that. So while, Hailey Twitch Is Not a Snitch is not exactly a novel that I would recommend to older teen and adult readers, I would definitely recommend it for and to younger readers. It features a great cast of characters who are lively with some amazing messages sprinkled in. A very enjoyable read... for the right reader.
June 10, 2010
Seven-year-old Hailey Twitch likes everything sparkly and flouncy and colorful. She is thrilled to get an assignment to cook an ethnic food for diversity week at school. She wants to work with her friend Antonio, whose family is from Mexico. But then she’s paired with rule-following Addie Jokobeck, who is determined to make French fries. How boring.
Hailey is sulking in her room when a real-live sprite flies out of her play castle. Maybelle has been trapped inside for 200 years. Now she’s being allowed out for a chance to regain her magic, if only she can find out how to have fun.
Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch, written by Lauren Barnholdt and illustrated by Suzanne Beaky, is a new series for young readers. Hailey has a good heart, but she has a lot to learn about following rules and making new friends. She worries about another girl in class taking her old friends away, and she’s pretty good at knowing when she needs time alone to be crabby.
Young readers aged 6 to 8 will see Hailey work through similar issues that they do: playground disputes, getting in trouble when you didn’t know you were doing something wrong, and keeping old friends while making new ones. Maybelle and her attempts to have fun add an interesting twist. The story ends with a preview of the next title in the series, Hailey Twitch Saves the Play.
Hailey is sulking in her room when a real-live sprite flies out of her play castle. Maybelle has been trapped inside for 200 years. Now she’s being allowed out for a chance to regain her magic, if only she can find out how to have fun.
Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch, written by Lauren Barnholdt and illustrated by Suzanne Beaky, is a new series for young readers. Hailey has a good heart, but she has a lot to learn about following rules and making new friends. She worries about another girl in class taking her old friends away, and she’s pretty good at knowing when she needs time alone to be crabby.
Young readers aged 6 to 8 will see Hailey work through similar issues that they do: playground disputes, getting in trouble when you didn’t know you were doing something wrong, and keeping old friends while making new ones. Maybelle and her attempts to have fun add an interesting twist. The story ends with a preview of the next title in the series, Hailey Twitch Saves the Play.
May 27, 2010
Such a fun read! I was looking for something lighter after my last book and this fit the bill just right. There's something in it for evreyone both young and young at heart as you follow Hailey and Maybelle through adventure after adventure. Hailey loves to have fun (and glitter pencils and teeth tracks {aka braces} are FUN!) and Maybelle is a sprite in need of a lesson in just that. But wait! Having fun requires a bit of responsibility too! Will they both learn their intended lessons? Or will Hailey end up in more trouble than it's worth and Maybelle remain a magic-less sprite? You'll have to read it to find out! (OH and the cliff hanger ending? Yeah, it's here too....but a small reprieve is given thanks to a sneak peek at book two in this charming series....thank goodness!) Happy reading!
October 4, 2011
Maybe the reason that I did not like this book as much as I thought I would is because it's written for children but then again I read kids books a lot. It's something that happens when you have a nieces and nephews as well as working with kids.
I was really disappointed in the book because the writer didn't allow for the story to flow. Reading it was jerky for me in terms of the sentence structure and the speech patterns that she gave the characters. It was less human and more robotic when it came to the parts when there were two characters talking it sounded fake. I also spent a lot of time finding inconsistencies in the story.
My main motivation in reading this book was so I could get an idea of a book to buy my fiance's niece to go in her Christmas package. Unfortunately this didn't make the cut.
I was really disappointed in the book because the writer didn't allow for the story to flow. Reading it was jerky for me in terms of the sentence structure and the speech patterns that she gave the characters. It was less human and more robotic when it came to the parts when there were two characters talking it sounded fake. I also spent a lot of time finding inconsistencies in the story.
My main motivation in reading this book was so I could get an idea of a book to buy my fiance's niece to go in her Christmas package. Unfortunately this didn't make the cut.
May 12, 2011
Picture book (even some illustrations in the Kindle edition) for 1st/2nd grade or maybe a little older. Hailey only wants fun, fun, fun so she begs her princess doll to help her. Out of her play castle flies a sprite - a sprite in trouble for being a rulemonger (one who follows all the rules to the detriment of others). She can't help but get Hailey into trouble, trouble, trouble.
I usually read the kid's books I buy for my sister's grandchildren but I admit I had no such excuse for this since I got it for my Kindle. It was free. The story was pretty good, good, good but left readers hanging with a big, big, big question that insures there will be another Hailey book.
I usually read the kid's books I buy for my sister's grandchildren but I admit I had no such excuse for this since I got it for my Kindle. It was free. The story was pretty good, good, good but left readers hanging with a big, big, big question that insures there will be another Hailey book.
July 30, 2014
Stories have a beginning, middle, and end, right? That's what I stress over and over with my students. This book doesn't. In a strange attempt to make a cliffhanger, the book just stops. Ugh. I might be willing to overlook all the "me and Annie" references in an effort to sound authentic, but it really grated on me after a while. Add that to her seeming inability to use contractions and the voice was just weird.
May 19, 2011
This was a fun book to read. I think it would be a great book for kids. I bought it thinking it would be a fun book for my grand daughter to read and ended up reading it my self and enjoyed it quite a bit. Must be the kid in me.
June 5, 2011
So far... I do not really like Hailey....
Okay...I did warm up to her. The abrupt ending made us all laugh--I suppose that is the nature of a series. This was free on the kindle, so I am not sure that we will ever find out what happens or what the crazy guy at the end tells Hailey.
Okay...I did warm up to her. The abrupt ending made us all laugh--I suppose that is the nature of a series. This was free on the kindle, so I am not sure that we will ever find out what happens or what the crazy guy at the end tells Hailey.
January 2, 2012
Hailey found a little sprite fairy in her dollhouse and she is causing alot of trouble.when the owner of the place that she used to live she was brought back because she learned to be fun.Auryn 7yo
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2012
This book is obviously meant for young kids, but i wanted to read it anyway, since it is a book by Lauren Barnholdt. It a sweet book, written how a young child understands the world and things around them. It's the perfect read for younger kids, who will most likely find it really good and funny.
January 30, 2013
Okay, more like 3.5 stars. The extra half star isn't for being groundbreaking, but for being a REALLY welcome alternative to the Rainbow Magic Fairy series. I'll hand it off to my daughter next and see if it stands up to the true test. ;)
April 3, 2010
I loved the story and review is coming ....my daughter is reading the book now.
May 6, 2010
Good start to a new series for young readers. Read my review here.
May 20, 2010
Cute kids book. I loved how the author really seemed to get into the mentality of a 6-year-old in her writing. I found the book very clever and amusing. Definitely recommend for young readers.
May 24, 2011
I'm the wrong audience. If I was a girl in the second grade this would be a pretty good book.
May 22, 2011
for a little kids book it was a fun read!
May 31, 2011
Fun for young readers!
September 9, 2012
Follow Hailey and Maybelle, the sprite only Hailey can see, on their fun adventures.
November 20, 2012
I love the Hailey Twitch is not a Snitch.So I decided to read the series.
September 10, 2013
Cute. Second grader Hailey is suddenly in possession of a sprite named Maybelle who causes Hailey to do naughty things that get her in trouble at home and in school. Nancy
March 12, 2016
3 1/2 stars. A very cute read.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews