Juliet Fisher and the Foolproof Plan

The author of The All New Jonah Twist and The Best Laid Plans of Jonah Twist brings that hero back in this tale centering on one of his classmates, Juliet Fisher, a priggish third grader who hopes to be a brain surgeon. When their teacher has the free-spirited Lydia Jane move to the desk next to Juliet's, the straight-A student assumes that she is expected to reform the disorganized girl, and does her prudish best to set a good example. But Jonah and his pal, Granville Jones, convince Juliet to try to emulate Lydia Jane, so that the teacher will be horrified and separate the two. At the novel's midpoint, the pace accelerates from a crawl to a lively sprint, as Juliet loosens up and proves that she does, after all, have an imagination and a sense of humor. The final chapters display Honeycutt's wit at its sharpest, leaving readers hoping that she will include the new and improved Juliet in future stories. Ages 8-11. (Mar.)