Jenny Meyerhoff Book Title: Third Grade Baby Publication Date: Fall 2008 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux ISBN: 978-0-374-37482-2 Author's Website: http://www.jennymeyerhoff.com

Description of Book:

Baby teeth are for babies. That's what Polly Peterson thinks, anyway. She's the only kid in her third grade class who hasn't lost a single tooth, and she's beginning to wonder if her little brother, Max, might have given her a case of babyitis. Max has been causing such a fuss lately everyone knows his teeth are coming in on time--so why aren't Polly's falling out? Her best friends, Oliver Wu and Amelia Sanchez, try to make her feel better, but it's hard to be cheerful when the new boy at school, Zachary Brown, calls her Babyteeth. As if that weren't bad enough, Polly worries about what to do when she finally does loose a tooth. Can third graders leave their teeth under their pillows for the tooth fairy. Or is that also just for babies?

In this charming and funny book by first-time author Jenny Meyerhoff, with exuberant pictures by Jill Weber, Polly Peterson learns that true growth isn't measured by the teeth we lose, but rather by the friendships we find.

About the Author:

In third grade, Jenny Meyerhoff read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret twenty-one times. During her teen years she wrote hundreds of angst ridden poems and one picture book. She dreamed of becoming a professional children's book writer. So, Jenny studied creative writing at The University of Michigan and received her master's degree in education from Northwestern University. She then became a kindergarten teacher because, in addition to loving children's books, she loves sitting on the floor. (That's also why she practices yoga.)

Jenny is now a full-time writer and a full-time mom, which means she never sleeps. Jenny lives in Riverwoods, IL with her husband and three children. Visit her on the web at www.jennymeyerhoff.com or at her blog www.thepurpledesk.blogspot.com.

Excerpt:

Polly Peterson tightened her ponytail and skipped alongside her mother on the sidewalk in front of Barker Elementary School. School hadn't even started, and already there was a problem. Everywhere Polly looked, students were running, climbing, and waiting for the bell to ring, but she didn't see any parents. Since third graders used the upper elementary playground, Polly guessed they were supposed to walk to school by themselves.

Uh-oh.

Polly turned to her mom, who was pushing Max, Polly's baby brother in a stroller. Max chewed on his fingers, and a big glob of drool dripped from his mouth. Eew!

"We can say goodbye here, Mom," Polly said.

Polly's mom looked at the school and then back at Polly, as if she wasn't sure. Then she asked, "You'll be okay?"

Polly nodded. "I'll be fine." Then she wiggled her loose front tooth. It was on the bottom, right in front.

The bell rang, and the third graders lined up. Oliver Wu and Amelia Sanchez, Polly's two best friends, stood at the front of the line. Their parents were already on their way to work. Polly hoped no one could see that her mom had walked her to school.

Polly's mom leaned down. "Can I at least have a hug?"

Polly guessed a hug would be okay. She squeezed her mom goodbye. Then Polly's mom gave her a big kiss on the cheek. "Oops!" she said when she stood up. "I got lipstick on you. Just a second."

Polly's mom reached into Max's diaper bad and pulled out a baby wipe. A baby wipe! She grabbed Polly's chin. "Hold still."

Polly squirmed but she couldn't escape. Her mom cleaned her cheek with the wipe. Disgusting! Polly thought having a baby brother would make her parents treat her like a bigger kid, not like a toddler. She hoped no one had seen. She looked back at the playground. A tall, blond boy was staring at her, a fifth grader probably. Polly bet he thought she was a baby because her mom was wiping her face.

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Jacket Illustration by Jill Weber. THIRD GRADE BABY © 2008. Used with the permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.