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Addie Jokobeck sits next to me in Miss Stephanie’s second grade class. Right now she is moving her pencil up and down and across while we practice our words that begin with T. Her pencil is just plain blue. It does not have glitter on it. Or feathers. Or sparkles. Like mine. That’s ’cause Addie Jokobeck thinks glitter and feathers and sparkles make your printing wobbly.

“Hailey,” Addie whispers. “I think you should be keeping your eyes on your own paper.” She smiles at me. Addie Jokobeck is really in love with rules.

 “Class,” Miss Stephanie says from her big desk at the front of the room. “I have a special announcement.”

I sit up and pay attention. I love special announcements, as long as they are not: “Hailey Twitch, please keep your eyes right on your own paper.”

“We are going to be doing a special project,” Miss Stephanie says. “For School Diversity Week, you will each be making food from a different country, and dressing up as a person from that country. Your parents will be helping you, and you will be working with a partner.”

Partners! I love to work in partners! It is like half the work with twice the fun! I quickly look to the front of the room for Antonio Fuerte. Antonio is from Mexico. He told me it is very hot and beautiful there. I try to catch his eye by wiggling my eyebrows up and down and giving him a look. The look says, “Me and you will be partners.” My second choice for a partner is my friend Russ Robertson. This is because Russ is very easy to boss. I try to give Russ that same look. But then Miss Stephanie says, “You will be partners with the person you sit next to in class.”

Miss Stephanie is a very good teacher. She has long blond hair and wears lots of dress-up pants. But she is not very good when she is telling me I am going to be partners with Addie Jokobeck who is really in love with rules. Addie Jokobeck gives me a big wide smile, so big that I can see the space of her one missing tooth on the top.

I raise my hand. “Maybe we should pick our own partners,” I say. “That might be fun.” “No,” Miss Stephanie says. Then Miss Stephanie says that me and Addie Jokobeck will be doing the country of France. “Oooh, I love France,” Addie says. “That’s where French fries come from.”

“My grandma has a French poodle,” I tell her. “It’s a girl dog, but she named it Stewart after my grandpa. It still goes to the bathroom a lot on her rug, even though she’s had it for five whole years.” Addie looks shocked. “France is not as exciting as Mexico,” I say. “It is very boring in France, I think, if the best thing they have there is French fries.” On the way out of school, the meanest girl in room four, Natalie Brice, twirls around and says, “I am partners with Antonio.”

“That’s nice,” I say. Natalie Brice is not my friend because she thinks she is the boss of me. Being the boss of someone means that you are in charge of them. It means if you want them to do something you say, “You are going to do this right now,” and they say, “Okay.”

Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch, by Lauren Barnholdt, is the funny story of a 7-year old second grader who loves school, hates it when there are too many rules, and longs to be the boss of someone. When she is paired for a school project with boring Addie Jokobeck (who loves rules and hates fun), Hailey prepares to have an awful time. Imagine her surprise when Addie turns out to be lots of fun...and a good friend in the process.

Hailey Twitch is a charming book with a cute premise. Hailey works out her new-found friendship with Addie, and learns she should not boss people or try to stop them from having other friends. She also discovers a sprite named Maybelle Sinclair who pops into her life and gets her into all sorts of trouble. Naturally, no one except Hailey can see or hear Maybelle, so when she does things that are against the rules, Hailey has to take the blame.

With its short chapters, short, choppy sentences and adorable drawings by artist Suzanne Beaky, Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch is perfect for the emerging reader.


I had such fun reading this book! When I taught kindergarten, I always read Junie B. Jones to them. If I was still in the classroom, with Kinder or 1st or 2nd grade students, this would be my new chapter book series of choice, to introduce them to. It is funny, realistic, and teaches a lesson.

Lauren Barnholdt does a great job of depicting Hailey as your typical 2nd grader. I love that the story is told from Hailey’s point of view, talking the way kids talk, thinking what kids think, and doing things that kids do. I’m sure that young girls will fall in love with Hailey, her fairy friend, and this new series. Yes, this is the first in a series and I’m anxiously awaiting the 2nd installment so I can see what happens to this precocious young girl. Her actions are instigated by her new found fairy friend Maybelle, who has been trapped in Hailey’s dollhouse for years. Maybelle gets Hailey to do some things that are not always the best choice, because Maybelle wants to be known as "fun." Doing what’s fun, Hailey learns, is not always right.

The illustrations add to the fun of this book. Suzanne Beaky does a great job of providing pictures to illustrate what is happening in the story. Children need to learn to create pictures in their minds, but chapter books like this that put pictures in just the right places, ease children into that. I enjoyed the short break in reading and the addition to the story that Suzanne’s illustrations provided.


Here’s a new junior novel, just right for those readers who are not quite ready for middle-grade chapter books. Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch was written by Lauren Barnholdt, illustrated by Suzanne Beaky, and published by Sourcebooks (May 2010). My copy is an Uncorrected Advance Copy from the US publisher.


This book is not exactly an easy reader as it is longer, and doesn’t have such restricted vocabulary and sentence structure as educational publications. I am seeing more of these junior novels and applaud publishers for catering to the needs of younger readers without dumbing down. The book has large font. Not all pages have illustrations, but many do and Beaky’s quirky sketches add charm to an already charming story.


Hailey Twitch’s voice grabbed me immediately. She is an authentic second grader, who loves pink sparkly pencils and bending rules.


But Hailey also has a secret: she’s friends with Maybelle, a sprite that’s visible only to her. And Maybelle is on a special mission to help Hailey have fun.

The problem is that Maybelle keeps getting Hailey into trouble.


I think kids will enjoy Hailey’s adventures as much as I did. I seemed to be either grinning or laughing aloud as I read the book. Hailey struggles to get what she wants while staying out of trouble, and I think kids will relate to that. It will appeal to girls who like stories about fairies, but it might grab some boys too as it is a school setting with characters of both genders, and lots of action and humour.


Judging by the book’s ending, where we read Hailey’s conversation with a certain Mr Tuttle from the Department of Magic, Bernholdt has more adventures in store for our feisty seven-year-old heroine. Fun, fun, fun!

This is a great chapter book for kids. It jumps into some magical realism they can relate to and easily comprehend. Lauran Barnholt has done a wonderful job wording things in a way that kids can grasp what is going on without being confused by words too big for their vocabulary. I typically don’t read these types of books for this website, but Lauren is such a talented YA writer, I thought I’d share this wonderful chapter book written by her. The main character, Hailey Twitch, is so funny. Her internal thought process is great and made me laugh. I think any school-aged kid who picks it up is going to enjoy it.

Lauren Barnholdt writes for girls.

She has books for teens and books or tweens. And her first chapter book, Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2010), was released this month.

Little girls everywhere are in for a treat.

Here’s how Lauren describes the book:

“Seven-year-old Hailey Twitch knows three things for sure: Who she’s the boss of, how to throw a tantrum, and above all, how to get exactly what she wants. But all that changes when Hailey gets paired up with annoying Addie Jokobeck on the class project. No matter what Hailey does, she can’t seem to change her teacher’s mind.

“At home, a cranky Hailey is feeling sorry for herself when – poof! — Maybelle, a magic sprite, comes flying out of Hailey’s dollhouse. Maybelle’s on probation with the Department of Magic, and on a special mission to get Hailey to have fun.

“The only problem? The invisible Maybelle starts causing a lot of trouble, and when Hailey’s teacher wants to know who’s to blame, Hailey takes responsibility. After all, Hailey Twitch is not a snitch! Now if only Hailey can convince the Department of Magic that Maybelle has reformed.”

Today’s guest reviewer, Niki, was happy to enter Hailey and Maybelle’s world using an advance reading copy provided by the publisher. Here’s what she had to say:

Reviewer: Niki

Age: 9

I like: Horses, spaghetti, cheer, books, writing, horseback riding, and 4H.

This book was about: Hailey Twitch finds a fairy. The fairy’s name is Maybelle. Maybelle gets Hailey in trouble a lot.

The best part was when: Hailey fell over when she first saw Maybelle pop up. Hailey also hit her head.

I laughed when: Hailey fell over.

I was worried when: She wanted to be partners with Antonio and didn’t want Maybelle to throw away the list. She got in trouble because Maybelle threw away the list of partners the teacher had assigned.

I was surprised that: Hailey only received a warning from her teacher.

This book taught me: Not to judge people because you think aren’t cool. In the book, someone in Hailey’s class invites all the people in her class to a ghost-hunting party except Hailey.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: What the mean girl, Natalie, says.

Three words that best describe this book are: Funny, hilarious and exciting.

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “I’m … I’m — I can’t find my voice. It feels like I’m talking with a big mouthful of peanut butter sandwich before I’ve had my milk.”

You should read this book because: It is funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This was a cute little book geared towards young girls to teach them two things. How stepping up and admitting your wrong doing is the best thing to do, and how it’s best to do the right thing than the “fun” thing.

The way the book is written is almost how a young girl speaks and thinks (both in words and sentiments) which makes it easy reading. The way Hailey reacts when her friends talk to other classmates and how she views girls that don’t like sparkly pencils reads true.


Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch by Lauren Barnholdt is the sort of whimsical, charming story that parents will have no problem reading along with their children — yet written in a way that beginning readers could feasibly tackle it on their own, as well.

Hailey Twitch tells the story of a seven-year-old girl who finds her life thrown upside down by the appearance of Maybelle, a sprite trying to learn to have FUN. The only problem is, some of Maybelle’s fun gets Hailey into a lot of trouble — and Hailey’s not allowed to tell anyone that Maybelle even exists!

The book tells a nice story about doing the right thing, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and being true to your word. It also delicately tackles the oh-so-trying times of a seven-year-old. Things like being assigned a class project with someone you don’t really like, dealing with the classroom bully, and navigating the treacherous territory of new friendships.

Equally charming are the line illustrations by Suzanne Beaky, which appear throughout the book. It’s still a chapter book for young readers — but the illustrations help enhance the story and bring it to life. My personal favorite is the drawing on page 49, showing Hailey and Addie after they’ve created faux braces on their teeth using denture cream and colored paper clips.


Hailey Twitch is the typical second grader. She likes the friends she has and doesn’t want any more. So when her teacher pairs her up with Addie Jokobeck she is not happy. For one thing, she wanted to be partners with Antonio or Russ. For another, Addie Jokobeck was a lover of rules and Hailey didn’t think that loving and following all rules sounded very fun. To make her day even worse, Antonio was paired up with Natalie, the meanest girl in school. She was going to loose her friend to Natalie and be stuck making boring old french fries and following all the rules with Addie. Hailey was having a bad day.

Sitting in her room, trying hard not to stomp or yell about her bad day, Hailey hears something in her toy castle. What could it be? It’s a tiny sprite named Maybelle. She was banished to live in Hailey’s castle until someone made a wish for fun, which Hailey did. The problem is, Maybelle was banished because she didn’t know how to be fun. She would be stuck living in the toy castle forever if she didn’t find a way to help Hailey have fun.

This is a cute story about how children can be short sighted when it comes to friends sometimes. She thinks that the only way to be a friend is to boss them around. She quickly finds out that doesn’t work. She also thinks friends don’t tell on each other, so when Maybelle starts causing trouble, thinking it will be fun, Hailey takes the blame. Hailey has a lot to learn and gets in a lot of trouble before she learns it.

What I liked:

Hailey is spunky and makes mistakes, like most 2nd graders, but she also learns important lessons about friendship, sharing, and doing things for others.


Lauren Barnholdt’s new series featuring Hailey Twitch is an amusing adventure of a seven year old and her new found fairy friend. Hailey finds it hard to make everyone happy especially herself throughout her busy school day and life at home. When her new fairy friend, Maybelle, tries to help create fun during a class project, chaos brings chuckles to all.
Recommended for readers 9-12, the publisher Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky released this sparkly book on May 1, 2010.


“Though there’s nothing unusual about a fantasy series that stars a plucky protagonist, this introductory entry serves as a solid selection for transitioning readers.”

I did a little market research when I got this book. My second grade niece was spending the week at my mom & dad’s house for spring break. When she came over to say hi and let us know she was here she spied this book. An eye-catching cover is always an important first step to attracting readers, and my niece loved this cover. She wanted to borrow it and read it.

Once the cover has them hooked, the next step is engaging the reader. One way that can happen is if they identify with a character in the story. My niece found her kindred book spirit on the first page in the character of Addie Jokobeck. My niece is a rule follower. It hurts her stomach to have to break any rules. As Hailey tells us about Addie, "Addie Jokobeck is in love with rules." And one the next page we saw a picture of Addie with straight (I am going to assume) brown, hair it was all over. Well, here is my niece Samantha, with my sons on Easter—straight, brown hair. Loves rules. Hello, Addie! I let her read it first and she loved it. I couldn’t wait to start it myself.

First of all, it is a fast moving, well written book that captures the spirit of being a second grader. Secondly, we need more books about excitable little girls. We do. Junie B. is kind of washed up, when was the last time a new one of those was published? Clementine is fantastic, but those don’t come out very often either. And Ramona books are for a little bit older readers. Hailey does fill a void. Plus, her grammar is better than Junie B.

The twist for Hailey is that she has a little sprite named Maybelle encouraging her to make poor choices. Maybelle is working on getting her magic back after she lost it because she was no fun. But the things she tries to do to have fun tend to be things that get Hailey into more trouble. I am not sure that the book needed to have this element in it, Hailey was doing fine getting herself in and out of situations. There is also a little boy Hailey has a crush on a "mean" girl that she has to deal with while discovering how to be a true friend to someone.

Overall, this is a book I highly recommend for younger readers. It will be enjoyed by all and is a good start to a new series!

This is such a great book for younger readers. Hailey is a typical second grader, who’s class is working on World projects. She wants to be partnered with Antonio, a boy in her second grade class. Hailey is partnered with Addie Jokobeck, and Antonio is partnered with Natalie Brice, her competitor at everything. Hailey goes home feeling sorry for herself. She doesn’t want to be paired with someone she’s not friends with, let alone allow Natalie to be partnered with Antonio. While she’s in her room contemplating how to get out of being Addie’s partner, she meets Maybelle, a sprite who’s been living in her toy castle.


Hailey is the only one who can see Maybelle, and she’s not allowed to tell anyone about her. As punishment for something Maybelle has done, she isn’t allowed to use magic. She wants to do everything she can to redeem herself so she can return to The Department Of Magic. Once called a rule monger, Maybelle tries to teach Hailey to have fun, but in the process gets her into a lot of trouble.


Hailey is such a fun loving character. She learns she doesn’t need to try and be better than Natalie Brice. She learns that being partnered with Addie can be a lot of fun, and in the process she gains a new friend. While Maybelle was the cause for her troubles, Hailey takes responsibility for things she does wrong.


I think this is such a great read. Lauren captured life as a second grader perfectly with her characters Hailey, her friends Addie, Antonio, Russ and even Natalie. What second grade girl wouldn’t want to have a sprite living in there room!?!

Spunky Hailey Twitch meets her match when an overeager fairy befriends her. High-spirited Maybelle hopes her energetic escapades will endear her to the youngster and earn her acceptance from the Department of Magic. Unfortunately, the sprite’s childish antics only bring trouble at home and tension at school; as Maybelle is visible only to Hailey, her misguided attempts to help the child backfire. Barnholdt focuses on fledgling friendships and dreaded partner assignments to successfully capture elementary school’s complex dynamics. The classmates’ realistic dialogue supports the lighthearted tale. Hailey’s engaging narration is developmentally egocentric and appropriately child-centered. Though Hailey is an active participant in the fairy’s misbehavior at first, her growth in empathy reveals a developing maturity. Beaky’s animated illustrations extend the breezy narrative. Impish Maybelle shines in each of her energetic drawings; her doll clothes and patterned wings convey her exuberant personality. Though there’s nothing unusual about a fantasy series that stars a plucky protagonist, this introductory entry serves as a solid selection for transitioning readers. (Magical adventure. 6-9)