Clementine resists saying goodbye to her teacher, insisting that she is not ready to move on to fourth grade. Margaret and Mitchell's mother is getting married to Alan; Margaret is against the marriage until she commissions Clementine to make an ashtray for Alan's dreaded pipe, and is allowed to wear high heels to the wedding. Clementine is giving her father the silent treatment because he refuses to become a vegetarian. Clementine's mother has their new baby at last, and it is Clementine who comes up with the perfect name for her new little sister. A sweet ending to a wonderful series.

*

Re-read January 2020 ( )

Below is my review of Completely Clementine, as it appeared in the October 1, 2015, edition of School Library Journal.

PENNYPACKER, Sara. Completely Clementine. 2 CDs. 2 hrs. Recorded Books. 2015. $25.75. ISBN 9781490625225. digital download.

Gr 2–4—Clementine faces a host of rising fourth-grader issues as the school year ends. She’s feuding with her father over his refusal to become a vegetarian like the rest of the family, she can’t bring herself to say goodbye to her third-grade teacher, and the family’s new baby is due soon and they haven’t even chosen a name yet. Picking the baby’s name should be easy, but her other problems are more serious. She’s avoided her teacher and given her dad the silent treatment for so long that she begins to regret it—but it’s so hard to stop! Clementine and her friends sometimes exhibit the concerns of adults (school friends worry about future wedding plans), but Clementine’s steadfast good nature and silliness are endearing and relatable. Jessica Almasy narrates, bringing infectious enthusiasm to Clementine’s usually upbeat and slightly sassy personality. Other character voices are clearly defined, with Clementine’s parents sounding especially authentic. VERDICT Fans of the series and kids ready to move up from Junie B. Jones will enjoy. [“This last title in the popular and laugh-out-loud chapter book series is a must-have for library collections": SLJ 2/1/15 review of the Disney-Hyperion book.]


Copyright © 2015 Library Journals, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.
Reprinted with permission.

http://shelf-employed.blogspot.com ( )

It's the end of the school year, and Clementine is not ready to say goodbye to third grade. What if her fourth grade teacher is not as understanding as Mr. D'matz? Has she really learned enough to move on? Clementine is not sure. On top of that, she's not speaking to her father, who ate some of Mrs. Jacobi's meatloaf in spite of Clementine's strongly-held, albeit recently-discovered, views on eating animals. Plus, Margaret's mother is about to get married, and Clementine's mother is about to have a baby. There are plenty of changes in store for Clementine as she prepares to say goodbye to third grade -- and to her adoring readers.

I'm sad to see Clementine go, but glad she went out on a high note with this book, which is just as delightful and tightly written as the earlier books in the series. These are such fun books, and I know I'll be recommending them to young readers for years to come. ( )

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