Book Analysis: I, Amber Brown and Follow Me to Harold Square

Paula Danziger has written many books that I hope to read soon.  For this author study, I chose to read two books written for different age groups.  The first one I read is called Remember Me to Harold Square, and it is appropriate for ten to fourteen year olds.  The second book I read is from the popular Amber Brown series, and it is called I, Amber Brown.  This book is appropriate for children ages seven to ten.

Remember Me to Harold Square is a fascinating story about a fourteen-year-old girl named Kendra Kaye, whose friends will all be going away for the summer break.  She soon finds out that her parents have agreed to keep the fifteen-year-old son of their close friends for the summer, while they go on a trip to Europe.  Kendra's parents challenge her and her brother Oscar (nicknamed "O.K.") to join Frank on a sort of scavenger hunt all over New York City.  In return, if they complete all requirements, both families will be treated to a trip to England.  This book tells the story of the three children as they take off on an amazing journey where they discover a lot about New York, and a lot about each other.  They become good friends, and the book is hard to put down as you join them on their adventures.

I, Amber Brown tells the story of Amber's experience after her parents have divorced.  The story begins just before Christmas when Amber is preparing to celebrate Christmas and Hanukah with her mother and soon-to-be stepfather.  Amber's father has just moved back from Paris and is buying an apartment where Amber will stay with him at times.  She feels more like an object than a person when her parents are making arrangements for shared custody.  Amber wants to get her ears pierced, but her mother has told her not to.  On an outing with her father, she tricks him into letting her get her ears pierced, creating one more issue to be sorted out by her parents as they discuss the shared custody of Amber.  This book looks at the way relationships develop and how children adjust to new situations.  Readers can sympathize with Amber as she experiences new emotions and adjusts to her new life.

Paula Danziger writes a wide range of books for children of different ages.  The two books I chose to read are written for different reading levels, but still have a number of similarities.  For one thing, Danziger uses a lot of puns in her writing.  Both Kendra and Amber, the main characters of the two books I read, use puns a lot in their daily conversations.  Danziger also uses a lot of humor in her books.  Even when they discuss serious themes, such as divorce, Danziger is able to lighten up the situation by including humor in her writing.

Readers are able to relate to Danziger's characters because of the complete way in which she develops them in her books.  For instance, in Remember Me to Harold Square, you feel like you get to know the three children after practically spending their summer with them running around New York City.  She also makes her characters seem very real and true to life.  According to School Library Journal, "Danziger has scored a hit again with her realistic character, believable dialogue, and smooth style" in Remember Me to Harold Square.  Danziger reveals the characters of her books primarily through the conversations that take place, the actions of the characters, and sometimes through narration of their thoughts.

The situations many of her characters face are common to many children.  For example, Amber Brown has gone through the divorce of her parents and is facing her mother's upcoming marriage in I, Amber Brown.  According to Library Journal, "the enormously popular heroine once again brings insightful verbalization to what life is like for kids today."  Frank, in Remember Me to Harold Square, experiences a break up with the girlfriend he felt so close to at the beginning of the summer.  Many potential readers of Danziger's books face similar situations.

Paula Danziger's books tell a good story that most children will enjoy and relate to.  While her characters often face day-to-day situations, the action in her books keeps the story moving.  Her stories are credible and follow a logical sequence of events.  Danziger's books tend to have a theme related to children and the situations they often face, such as Amber's parents' divorce and Frank's break-up with his girlfriend.  In both cases, things worked out well for everybody, despite any hard times the characters had to go through.  Danziger's writing style is straightforward and includes a lot of dialogue.  The dialogue between characters flows naturally and reveals their feelings and personalities.  I strongly recommend Paula Danziger's books, as I thoroughly enjoyed reading them and could hardly put them down.

Danziger, Paula.  1987.  Remember me to Harold square.  New York: Delacorte Press.  ISBN: 0698116941.