Book Review: Come Back, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Amelia Bedelia tackles some new jobs away from the Rogers

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line: 

This maid changes jobs

Results are literally

The same as always

Talk About Not Being Able to Keep a Job

As much fun as I find the Amelia Bedelia books, they do follow a bit of a pattern.  It's one reason why I like Come Back, Amelia Bedelia so much.  It manages to find some fresh situations for the formula and still entertains in all the classic ways.

When Amelia Bedelia serves Mrs. Rogers cereal with her coffee (in the same cup, of course), Mrs. Rogers has finally had enough and fires her.  Now Amelia Bedelia must find a new job.  She tries a beauty shop, a dress shop, an office, and a doctor's office, but her literal ways always seem to cause problems.  Can she find a job?

This probably isn't the best introduction to Amelia Bedelia.  While you will still enjoy it, there's something fun about wondering just how she can mess up at each new job she tackles.  Most of the issues she encounters are still understandable today like filing papers (with a nail file) or putting on the doctor's gloves (instead of putting them on his hands).  Since the humor in these books relies on plays on words, the fact that today's kids will still get the jokes is a huge plus.

As I said, the story isn't exactly surprising.  You know that by the end her cooking will save the day and she'll be back at theRogers'.  But seeing her interact and frustrate a new cast of characters makes it feel very different and pretty fun.

This is labeled a level 2 book in the I Can Read series of picture books, meaning that it is slightly more complex and the beginning reader might need some help with it.  Honestly, I think most of the words should be easy enough that the beginning reader can sound them out themselves.

The series has had several illustrators over the years, and the edition of this book I borrowed from the library was illustrated by Wallace Tripp.  He gives the characters and backgrounds a slightly more realistic appearance that some of the books in the series have, but it works perfectly here.  The feeling that Amelia Bedelia is out in the real word adds to the fun here.

Beginning readers and their parents will have fun laughing at all the wacky situations Amelia Bedelia finds herself in during this book.  That makes Come Back, Amelia Bedelia another winner in this picture book series.