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Mallory McDonald #15
Mallory's Guide to Boys, Brothers, Dads, and Dogs
Mallory McDonald has four big problems. Problem #1: The boy she likes doesn't like her back.
Problem #2: Her brother is mad at her.
Problem #3: Her dad is upset about her math grade.
Problem #4: Her brother's dog won't leave her alone, and he smells terrible! When it comes to boys, brothers, dads, and dogs, only one thing is Mallory is about to become an expert!
A NOTE FROM MALLORY Welcome to my official guide to boys, brothers, dads, and dogs. Hopefully, it is not the only guide available because THESE ARE FOUR VERY COMPLICATED TOPICS! But lately, I have learned a lot about all of them. So if you want to know what I know, just open up this book and start reading.
Problem #2: Her brother is mad at her.
Problem #3: Her dad is upset about her math grade.
Problem #4: Her brother's dog won't leave her alone, and he smells terrible! When it comes to boys, brothers, dads, and dogs, only one thing is Mallory is about to become an expert!
A NOTE FROM MALLORY Welcome to my official guide to boys, brothers, dads, and dogs. Hopefully, it is not the only guide available because THESE ARE FOUR VERY COMPLICATED TOPICS! But lately, I have learned a lot about all of them. So if you want to know what I know, just open up this book and start reading.
159 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2010
41 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Laurie B. Friedman
176 books143 followersLaurie Friedman is the author and ghostwriter of over 300 award-winning picture books, easy readers, chapter books, and novels for young readers including the bestselling Mallory McDonald series, the Moose the Dog easy reader series, the Camp Creepy Lake and Wendy & Willow chapter books, and may picture books including Cows in the House and Love, Ruby Valentine.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 14, 2012
This is more of a guide of what NOT to do.
How do you maneuver through your first crush? This is what Mallory is tackling, and her solutions do not work. By making a decision that puts herself in danger, Mallory will learn that having a crush is not all she thought it would be.
Told with honesty, humor, and through illustrations, Mallory's Guide will enthrall younger readers with her fresh, fitting voice. She is a heroine to keep on the reading shelf for young girls.
How do you maneuver through your first crush? This is what Mallory is tackling, and her solutions do not work. By making a decision that puts herself in danger, Mallory will learn that having a crush is not all she thought it would be.
Told with honesty, humor, and through illustrations, Mallory's Guide will enthrall younger readers with her fresh, fitting voice. She is a heroine to keep on the reading shelf for young girls.
November 15, 2013
when mallory has a crush on this boy jt she gets bad grades and gets into a lot of trouble
March 7, 2021
I didn't even read.yet
December 30, 2021
My fav book as a kid so nostalgic
December 19, 2016
Mallory's Guide to Boys, Brothers, Dads and Dogs by Laurie Friedman is the fifteenth book in one of my favorite chapter book series. Mallory McDonald is a bright and spunky fourth grader who, like any kid, makes a lot of mistakes. In previous volumes, she has been jealous of her friends' new relationship as step-siblings, lied to her classmates about being on TV, and dealt with her best friend's new interest in a boy. In this volume, it is Mallory who has gone boy crazy, and as usual, she gets just a little bit carried away.
This book opens with Mallory in a crazy outfit, which she is wearing in order to impress JT, a boy in her brother's class. She imagines that she will walk past his cafeteria table, and he will notice her and realize he wants to be her boyfriend. Her brother, Max, as well as both of her parents, tell Mallory that it is foolish and silly to like a boy she has never met, but Mallory is stubborn and cannot be dissuaded. Even when her plan fails, and she ends up on the floor of the cafeteria wearing her lunch, Mallory is determined to win JT's affections. So focused does she become on this goal that she fails a math test, and Mr. Knight, her strict teacher, calls her parents. But even though Mallory is grounded, she still can't let go of the idea of JT until she hatches the Perfect Plan - even if it means lying to her parents and sneaking out of the house!
What I've always loved about these books is that Mallory is so flawed, but in such an endearing way. Even when she's doing the wrong thing, or the thing that makes the reader cringe, she does it with such enthusiasm and drive that the reader can't help but be swept up in the drama. Mallory's best friend, Mary Ann, is more the opposite - levelheaded, calm, and reasonable - and I often find myself identifying much more with her, and looking for more logical solutions to Mallory's problems. This book was no exception, and I actually think it's one of the best ones in the series so far. In some of the books, the action takes place outside of Mallory, and she just reacts to it, but this story dealt entirely with what goes on in Mallory's head and how that motivates her actions. I loved that, because I love her as a character, and I'm really hoping the series sticks with that approach. Also, the secondary plot about Max's smelly dog gave us some wonderful brother/sister moments, which were nice to see, and perfectly realistic.
My only complaint - and this isn't really a criticism of the series, so much as a criticism of our culture these days - is that a fourth grader is concerned with having a boyfriend! When I was in fourth grade, I played with Barbie dolls and My Little Pony, and the girls played house at recess. It's too bad that books for this age group all seem to "go there." But what I did like is that the ultimate message of this book is that you definitely don't need a boyfriend in fourth grade. I was reminded of the Allie Finkle series by Meg Cabot, which also explored a similar plot in Best Friends and Drama Queens and ended with the same piece of advice, that there will be plenty of time for boys later on.
Overall, I really appreciated both the all-too-true portrayal of that heart-wrenching first crush, even if it did seem to be happening pretty early for Mallory, and I saw a lot of character development in this book that felt really satisfying for a long-time reader of the series. I definitely recommend this book, and all fourteen of the others, to girls in grades 3 to 5.
This book opens with Mallory in a crazy outfit, which she is wearing in order to impress JT, a boy in her brother's class. She imagines that she will walk past his cafeteria table, and he will notice her and realize he wants to be her boyfriend. Her brother, Max, as well as both of her parents, tell Mallory that it is foolish and silly to like a boy she has never met, but Mallory is stubborn and cannot be dissuaded. Even when her plan fails, and she ends up on the floor of the cafeteria wearing her lunch, Mallory is determined to win JT's affections. So focused does she become on this goal that she fails a math test, and Mr. Knight, her strict teacher, calls her parents. But even though Mallory is grounded, she still can't let go of the idea of JT until she hatches the Perfect Plan - even if it means lying to her parents and sneaking out of the house!
What I've always loved about these books is that Mallory is so flawed, but in such an endearing way. Even when she's doing the wrong thing, or the thing that makes the reader cringe, she does it with such enthusiasm and drive that the reader can't help but be swept up in the drama. Mallory's best friend, Mary Ann, is more the opposite - levelheaded, calm, and reasonable - and I often find myself identifying much more with her, and looking for more logical solutions to Mallory's problems. This book was no exception, and I actually think it's one of the best ones in the series so far. In some of the books, the action takes place outside of Mallory, and she just reacts to it, but this story dealt entirely with what goes on in Mallory's head and how that motivates her actions. I loved that, because I love her as a character, and I'm really hoping the series sticks with that approach. Also, the secondary plot about Max's smelly dog gave us some wonderful brother/sister moments, which were nice to see, and perfectly realistic.
My only complaint - and this isn't really a criticism of the series, so much as a criticism of our culture these days - is that a fourth grader is concerned with having a boyfriend! When I was in fourth grade, I played with Barbie dolls and My Little Pony, and the girls played house at recess. It's too bad that books for this age group all seem to "go there." But what I did like is that the ultimate message of this book is that you definitely don't need a boyfriend in fourth grade. I was reminded of the Allie Finkle series by Meg Cabot, which also explored a similar plot in Best Friends and Drama Queens and ended with the same piece of advice, that there will be plenty of time for boys later on.
Overall, I really appreciated both the all-too-true portrayal of that heart-wrenching first crush, even if it did seem to be happening pretty early for Mallory, and I saw a lot of character development in this book that felt really satisfying for a long-time reader of the series. I definitely recommend this book, and all fourteen of the others, to girls in grades 3 to 5.
January 8, 2017
the book was amaze - balls!!!!! because i read this two times and i have tons of my favorite parts in the book but i will not tell you but all i am telling you is that this is really is good.
October 31, 2016
I'd like this book because It entertain me and because they are fun to read and the book is about Mallory likes a boy in his class and so she wants the boy to pay attention to her and so she wear a fancy clothes and Mallory is in math class and she only thinks about the boy that she likes and so the math teacher tells them that they're having a math test and so Its lunch time and she sees the boy that she likes and when she passes by at the table were he is seating at she says that she wants to give him a lot of time to concentrate on her and when she sits a boy says ''is it Halloween and why are you wearing a costume'' And If you want to know what happens next then read the book.
Abigail C
Portland State University
Abigail C
Portland State University
April 18, 2011
Pretty good. But the guy she like is hideous (no offense), well, at least he's fictional!
March 24, 2011
Mallory is at it again in this funny but endearing book of first crush.
June 1, 2012
I love this book
Read
October 1, 2015690L
December 20, 2015
Trouble
Mallory was very dishonest and made a bad decision no spoilers but. I'm very happy with the way she was good next.
Mallory was very dishonest and made a bad decision no spoilers but. I'm very happy with the way she was good next.
July 8, 2024
It was just a book I picked up, once again due to boredom. Children’s books can be interesting sometimes so I thought why not.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews