Encore Edie by Annabel Lyon

Encore Edie Reviews

• 
  Amanda

  Note: I purchased a used copy of this book, and did not realize that it was the sequel to another book. I am rating and reviewing this book as a solo work, as I have not read its prequel.
  
  Synopsis: Life isn't easy for thirteen-year-old Edie Snow. Having skipped a grade, she's the youngest kid in her new high school. Nothing is going right for Edie - she has a serious shortage of cool clothes, her friends all seem to abandon her on her first day of school, and her own family doesn't even understand her. Add to that a sister who's acting crazy, a boy friend who wants to be a boyfriend, and a mortifying nickname, and it's about as much as one girl can bear. To make matters worse, her mom is making her to walk her cousin Merry, who has Down syndrome, home from school every day.
  
  Edie figures she can make new friends and get out of walking Merry home by joining the school play, but putting on an ambitious musical production of Shakespeare's King Lear only ends up alienating her further from her schoolmates when she becomes the bossy, know-it-all trying to run the whole production. With the musical on the brink of disaster, and her main characters ready to quit at a moment's notice, Edie realizes that if she doesn't find some help - fast - it'll be curtains for her play... and her social life. Luckily for her there is Regan (coincidentally the same name as one of the characters in Lear), who may just save the day... until her parents want Merry to join the production as well.
  
  My thoughts: This was a cute book, but the ending had me kind of scratching my head. It was clear to see the transformation in Edie throughout the book, from an immature and sort of awful human being to a more kind and compassionate person. I get that this book would be great for kids, and does have a message of learning to love and respect, but I still think that the book (especially the end) felt rushed. Months would pass with absolutely no mention of anything that was going on, and just a brief explanation of what was happening.
  
  One character that didn't sit well with me was David. He was never really formerly introduced, or described, or built up. He was just sort of there, hanging around, making jokes that weren't really all that funny. But hey, that's just my opinion.
  
  I also could have done without the Robert-Dex-Edie love thing... Dex is far more likely to have a boyfriend that poor little 13 year old Edie... again, that's just my opinion, but 13 seems a bit young.
  
  Anyways, overall I would give this 3.5 stars, but since Goodreads won't let me give half stars, I guess I am stuck assigning it a 3 star rating, for mild inappropriate-ness and the lack of a truly clear resolution at the end of the book.
  
• 
  Canadian Children's Book Centre

  It’s hard not to love Edie Snow, the eccentric 13-year-old heroine of Annabel Lyon’s sequel to All-Season Edie. She can be bossy and a bit oblivious to other people but she is funny, energetic and passionate. Advice from her beautiful and popular older sister doesn’t stop Edie from acquiring an unfortunate nickname, alienating her best friend and feeling totally lost at her new high school. Things turn around when she accidentally volunteers to write the school musical, a reworking of King Lear (Edie’s a Shakespeare fan). Edie gets guidance from a cool older girl but she is mostly on her own and she learns a lot about her flair for leadership and how to embrace being a bit weird.
  
  While Encore Edie is sensitive to the types of ‘issues’ other middle grade novels often focus on, it doesn’t dwell on any in an obvious way. With a light touch, Lyon explores Edie’s relationship with her cousin Merry, who has Down syndrome. Merry is both normal and different, just like all the other characters in the novel.
  
  Lyon’s writing is playful and entertaining and the plot clips along at a fast pace. The high school musical setting is fun but we don’t get a blow-by-blow of the production which keeps it from getting stale or predictable. Smart girls everywhere will relate to Edie’s playful voice and her despair at her many social blunders. Things aren’t completely tidied up at the end but there is a satisfying resolution.
  
  Reviewed by Kris Rothstein in Canadian Children's Book News (Spring 2011, Vol. 34, No. 2)
• 
  Clare

  I'm writing a longer review for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society newsletter but I just want to say here how much I liked the portrayal of all characters in this book. Nobody was a token and the change in the main character necessary for the plot was realistic and gradual. Really sweet book and well written by one of my favourite authors.
• 
  Lioness

  Annabel Lyon is a well respected adult author. But with her Edie books, she has proven that she can write kids' books as well. Edie is a delightful character and I rooted for her even when she was making mistakes. She's a real kid. She is frequently self-centered but she has a good heart.
• 
  Emilie

  Super cute novel for kids. Really liked the voice and the strong female character. Fun book.
• 
  Lesley

  delightful
• 
  Margarita R

  This book is really fun and sweet. I hope you all get the chance to read it.