Judy Moody Gets Famous! (Judy Moody Series #2)

by Megan McDonald, Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)

Overview

Good moods, bad moods, can't-stand-Jessica-Finch moods. Judy Moody is back with her many hilarious moods.

Fans of JUDY MOODY already know that Judy has a mood for every occasion—and this time Judy is in a jealous mood. Jealous of classmate Jessica Finch, that is, who gets her picture on the front page of the newspaper. When Judy sets off in pursuit of her own fame and happiness, watch out! She's so determined, she just might find it, or she might merely become more INFAMOUS than ever. Her latest adventures are sure to put readers in a very Judy Moody mood!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536200737
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	04/10/2018
Series:	Judy Moody Series , #2
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 6.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	560L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Megan McDonald is the creator of the popular and award-winning Judy Moody and Stink series. She is also the author of two Sisters Club stories and many other books for children. She lives in Sebastopol, California.

Peter H. Reynolds is the illustrator of the Judy Moody and Stink books and the author-illustrator of THE DOT, ISH, SO FEW OF ME, THE NORTH STAR, and ROSE'S GARDEN. He lives in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Read an Excerpt

Judy Moody marched into third grade on a plain old Thursday, in a plain old ordinary mood. That was before Judy got stung by the Queen Bee.
Judy sat down at her desk, in the front row next to Frank Pearl.

"Hey, did you see Jessica Finch?" asked Frank in a low voice.

"Yeah, so? I see her every day. She sits catty-cornered behind me."

"She's wearing a crown."

Judy turned to look at Jessica, then whispered to Frank, "Where'd she get that? Burger Barn?"

"I don't know," said Frank. "Ask her. She says it's bejeweled."

"Well, it looks be-dumb, if you ask me," said Judy, though secretly she admired the sparkling ruby-like gems.

"Hey, are those real rubies?" Judy asked Jessica.

"They're costume jewelry," Jessica said.

"Who are you dressing up as? The Queen of England?"

"No, I'm the Queen Bee," said Jessica. "I won the N. V. Spelling Bee on Saturday."

"The envy spelling bee?" Judy asked. Judy didn't envy anybody who had to spell long words into a microphone with a million and one people staring bug-eyed at her. She knew those people were silently yelling FLUB IT UP because they wanted their own kid to win.

"Not envy. N. V. As in Northern Virginia."

"Oh," said Judy. "Is that where you got the crown?"

"It's a tiara," said Jessica. "T-I-A-R-A.

A tiara is a fancy crown like the Queen of England wears. Queen of the Bee has to know tons of definitions."

"What word did you win for?" Judy asked. "Frank wants to know," she added, in case Jessica thought she was interested.

"Artichoke. It's a fourth-grade word."

Artichoke! Judy could barely spell meatloaf! Give me S-C-I-E-N-C-E any day, she thought. Was that the rule? I before E? Or was it E before I?
"I have spelling posters in my room at home," said Jessica. "With all the rules. I even have a glow-in-the dark one."

"That would give me spelling nightmares. I'll take my glow-in-the-dark skeleton poster any day. It shows all two hundred and six bones in the body!"

"Judy," said Mr. Todd. "The back of your head is not nearly as interesting as the front. And so far I've seen more of it today than I'd like."
"Sorry," said Judy, facing front again.

Jessica tapped Judy and passed her a folded page from the newspaper. Right there, SMACK-DAB in the MIDDLE of the newspaper for the whole world to see, was a picture of Jessica Finch. It even said LOCAL GIRL BECOMES QUEEN BEE in big fat headline letters.

"My dad says I got my fifteen minutes of fame," Jessica whispered to the back of Judy's head.

Judy did not turn around. She was green with N-V. Jessica A. Finch, Queen of the Dictionary, Class 3T, was famous! Judy could not help thinking how stupendous it would feel to be able to spell better than meatloaf and be the Queen Bee and wear a tiara. To get her own picture in the paper!

But she, Judy Moody, felt about as famous as a pencil.

As soon as Judy got home from school, she decided to memorize the dictionary. But she got stuck on aardwolf. Three lousy words. Who ever heard of an aardwolf anyway? Silly old termite-eater. It had a pointy little head and beady little eyes and a pinched-up face that looked just like . . .
Jessica A. Finch! Jessica Aardwolf Finch might be famous, but she was also a silly old termite-eater.

Since Jessica had become Queen Bee with the word artichoke, Judy decided to skip the dictionary and spell all the vegetables in the refrigerator instead.

"Do we have any artichokes?" Judy asked her mother, opening the door of the fridge.

"Since when did you start liking artichokes?" asked Mom.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to eat them or anything," said Judy. "It's for Spelling."

"Spelling?" Stink asked.

"Mr. Todd does have some creative ways of teaching Spelling," said Mom.

"Never mind," said Judy, giving up when she saw asparagus. Vegetables were too hard to spell. There had to be a food group that was easier.
At dinner Judy slurped up a noodle and asked, "How do you spell spaghetti?"

"N-O-O-D-L-E," said Stink.

"S-P-A-G-H-E-T-T-I," said Dad.

"Or P-A-S-T-A," said Mom.

"Never mind," said Judy. "Please pass the B-R-E-A-D."

"How was school today?" Mom asked.

"W-E-L-L," Judy said. "Jessica Finch won a T-I-A-R-A in a spelling bee and got her picture in the P-A-P-E-R. Even if she does look like an A-A-R-D-W-O-L-F, aardwolf."

"So that's what all this spelling is about," said Mom.

"You're W-E-I-R-D," Stink told his sister.

"I comes before E, Stink. Except after C. Everybody knows that." What a meat-loaf.

"Actually," said Mom, "your brother's right."

"WHAT?" said Judy. "How can he be right? He broke the rule!"

"Lots of rules have exceptions," said Dad. "Times when you have to break the rule."

"No fair!" Judy slumped down in her chair. She was not going to become famous by spelling, that was for sure. The three strings of spaghetti left on her plate made the shape of a mean face. Judy made a mean face back.
Dad took a bite out of his garlic bread and asked Judy, "You're not in one of your famous moods again, are you?"

JUDY MOODY GETS FAMOUS! by Megan McDonald. Copyright (2001) by Megan McDonald. Published by Candlewick Press, Inc., Cambridge, MA.

Table of Contents

Editorial Reviews

Judy Moody is well known for her legendary disposition, be it angry, annoyed, ecstatic, or just frustrated. This feisty third-grader is back, and this time, envy is her mood of choice. After Spelling Queen Bee Jessica Finch gets her picture in the paper, Judy feels the need to capture her 15 minutes of fame. But how can she compete? Lacking a pile of blue ribbons or certificates, Judy must conjure up a new way to be a star.

Judy attempts a variety of schemes to thrust herself into the spotlight. When a faux famous cherry pit, displayed as George Washington's very own, is eaten by a hungry youngster, her plans are foiled. She then enters a pet tricks contest in the hope that her beloved cat, Mouse, will secure her stardom. When she does win second place, her photo in the paper reveals only her elbow. Frustrated, she eventually decides that breaking the world record for the human centipede is where glory lies. But instead of breaking the record -- she breaks her friend's finger. While at the hospital, she befriends a young girl who just had heart surgery. When the little one complains that the hospital dolls are not up to par (most are limbless and have no hair) Judy sneaks them home for some makeovers. The result? A doll hospital, which she secretly sends back to the hospital, especially for her new friend. Little does Judy know that fame comes in all sorts of packages....

Author Megan McDonald uses a dynamic young lady and an assortment of amusing supporting characters to convey the dramatic life of Miss Judy. From her annoyingly "perfect" brother Stink (who ultimately redeems himself) to her supportive best friend Rocky, to the famous and pristine Jessica, McDonald creates a vivid landscape for the spirited Judy.

bn.com

This sequel to Judy Moody handily matches the original in zip and wit, portraying the spunky Judy in her quest for recognition. Famous for her changeable moods, the third-grader wants to become just plain famous after her arch rival, Jessica, wins a spelling contest to earn the title of Queen Bee, an honor accompanied by a bejeweled tiara and a front-page headline in the local newspaper. In contrast, green-eyed Judy "felt about as famous as a pencil." When it becomes clear that her spelling prowess will not pave Judy's way to fame, the resourceful child tries to pass off a hammered cherry pit as one from George Washington's ill-fated tree a ruse that bombs when a boy mistakes it for an M&M and swallows it. Judy's cat, Mouse, makes another appearance, helping the heroine attract the spotlight when it wins second place in a pet contest; but the newspaper photo shows only her elbow, and her name appears as "Judy Muddy." McDonald provides an inventive conclusion to her tangy tale, as an altruistic undertaking on Judy's part garners her fame (hint: her medical school aspirations once again come into play) but anonymously. Even Judy could spell two words that describe both the plot and its heroine: f-r-e-s-h and f-u-n-n-y. Here's to her quick return. Ages 6-10. (Aug.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Just like most kids, Judy Moody has a secret dream of being famous for something. Her nemesis, Jessica Finch, won a local spelling bee and got her name in the newspaper. Her brother creates a "Moody Hall of Fame" on the refrigerator and features his own special famous moments. Judy seems to be the only one who hasn't done something really special. After a few very creative attempts to get some attention for herself, Judy realizes that she is still no closer to becoming famous. A trip to the emergency room with her friend leads Judy to discover a playroom with a problem—all of the dolls are broken and disheveled. One of the patients complains about the lack of good dolls to play with during her long hours in the hospital. Judy secretly takes the dolls home and refurbishes them so that they look like little patients, then returns them to the hospital. To her surprise, an article appears in the newspaper about the "Phantom Doll Doctor" who brought joy to the hospital playroom. Although Judy's secret identity is never revealed, she learns that fame is rewarding even if no one else knows about it. 2001, Candlewick Press, $15.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer:Carol Lynch

Children's Literature

Gr 2-4-Third-grader Judy Moody is back in her second adventure for the young chapter-book crowd. She has a mood for all seasons, and this time it is jealousy. She thinks everyone else is famous except for her-even her parents and brother all have claims to fame. Sure that she'll be a winner when her cat makes toast for the "Famous Pet Contest," she loses to a boy whose chicken plays "Three Blind Mice" on a toy piano. In the end, Judy becomes famous anonymously after she steals some broken dolls from the hospital, fixes and cleans them, and mails them back, and the local newspaper picks up the story. To her surprise, she finds her secret even more satisfying than having everyone know who did the good deed. Funny black-and-white cartoons appear throughout. Dialogue is right on target for the character's age and feelings. The child's self-centered attitude may be tiresome to some adult readers, but kids will relate to her every concern. Look for future adventures of this feisty heroine, and don't miss her time in the spotlight.-Sharon R. Pearce, Geronimo Public School, OK Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

Envious of classmate and spelling-bee champ Jessica's picture in the local paper, the irrepressible third grader introduced in "Judy Moody "(2000) tries for her own 15 minutes of fame. As she quickly discovers, it can be elusive. Like its predecessor, a disarming plot and likable characters are matched to an equally appealing format: small pages, generously spaced and sized type, die-cut windows in the dust jacket, and frequent ink-and-wash illustrations featuring smiles and high spots inside. In the end, Judy Moody earns her write-up inadvertently, after spiriting away a bagful of battered dolls from a hospital's playroom, refurbishing them from her large private collection of loose doll parts-plus hospital gowns made from an old sheet and little casts of "oogey wet newspaper"-then returning them anonymously. "Phantom Doll Doctor Strikes County Hospital," reads the headline. Only she, her affectionate nuclear family, and her likely-to-burgeon fan base know the truth. New chapter-book readers will enjoy watching Judy's moods, and the ensuing complications, unfold. "(Fiction. 8-10)"

Kirkus Reviews

This quick-paced story offers plenty of humor as it addresses the common feeling of jealousy.
—Book Links

Funny black-and-white cartoons appear throughout. Dialogue is right on target for the character's age and feelings.
—School Library Journal

This sequel to JUDY MOODY handily matches the original in zip and wit...Even Judy could spell two words that describe both the plot and its heroine: f-r-e-s-h and f-u-n-n-y. Here's to her quick return.
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

New chapter book readers will enjoy watching Judy's moods, and the ensuing complications, unfold.
—Kirkus Reviews

Everything about these Judy Moody books - from the liberally illustrated, spaciously designed, accessible format to the believability of Judy's third-grade worldview - spells G-O-O-D N-E-W-S for early chapter book readers.
—Horn Book, The

From the Publisher