Zibby Payne & the Wonderful, Terrible Tomboy Experiment

It's the start of sixth grade, and Zibby Payne is convinced that this is going to be the Absolute Best Year Ever. All of that changes on the first day when Amber and Camille show up wearing teeny little miniskirts and "Groovy Grapilicious" lip gloss. What's worse is that Zibby's Best Friend on the Entire Planet, Sarah, wants to sit on the benches with them at recess and talk about boy bands and "do" hair. Zibby can't stand the boredom, and decides to play soccer with the boys instead. When Matthew begins referring to her as a "tomboy," Zibby gets one of her Very Good Ideas. Tomboys never have to sit at recess and wear lip gloss or skirts. She makes up her mind to become a real tomboy. The tomboy life suits her just fine, but everyone else seems to have a problem with it. Her mom won't let her give away all her old girly clothes or burp the ABCs at the dinner table. Her brother, Anthony, stops letting her borrow all of his old shirts. And Sarah starts ignoring her and hanging out only with Amber and Camille. Finally, Zibby decides to start a "Tomboy Club" at school, but will any of the other girls make the grade? This first book about a girl who has stubbornly decided to maintain her individuality begins a promising, light-hearted series. Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

Zibby Payne is psyched to start the sixth grade with her best friend Sarah. They have always been close and have lots in common, from head to toe. They like many of the same things and often trade shoes so that they have mismatched pairs. Unfortunately, her first day of middle school does not completely go as she had planned. Sarah and Zibby's friends start talking about boy bands, comparing lip gloss flavours, doing each other's hair, and giggling when boys from their class walk by. Zibby can't believe her eyes or her ears. At least she still has Sarah. Right? Well, kind of. Sarah's still her friend, but she's interested in this new recess routine. Zibby would rather go play soccer with the boys than talk about them. She decides that she's a tomboy and starts wearing her older brother's T-shirts so she can kick the soccer ball around at recess. She then founds an Ultra-Exclusive Tomboy Club. Sadly, one other girl is declared fit to join, and the club is short-lived. Meanwhile, Zibby is shocked to discover that her older brother has a girlfriend. What is going on with everyone lately? As the self-proclaimed tomboy continues to play soccer with the boys, she watches Sarah and her other friends chatting away. She truly misses talking to Sarah. Zibby realizes that although she and Sarah each have new interests, they still share other things, and the two can remain friends. Alison Bell has created an outstanding character who sticks to her guns and trusts her instincts. Zibby is extremely loyal and very aware of the power of words. She apologizes when she gets too loud or overworked about something. Young readers will learn some important lessons from her, including two very big ones: you don't have to change for others to like you, and you should be proud of who you are. I highly recommend Zibby Payne and the Wonderful, Terrible Tomboy Experiment because it is absolutely adorable and true-to-life. I look forward to reading Zibby Payne and the Drama Trauma, the second book in this series. If it's anything like the first book, it will have kids relating to and laughing along with Zibby from start to finish.

I really loved this book and so did my children. The story is lots of fun... Zibby is a spunky girl who is making the transition to middle school. It doesn't exactly go as planned! But she comes through it in the end with heart and humor. The book is great for girls who are starting middle school and younger girls who are looking ahead. It also touches upon the problem of dealing with cliques and changing social roles...but does it with a light touch and a really funny plot.

I LOVE Zibby -- she reminded me of myself and many other girls I have observed over the years. I have met many a Zibby, hurtling toward the teen years while grappling with what it really means to be a girl. Thanks to Alison Bell, we can now read her mind, and we see a strong, sassy, smart, and loyal girl who finds a way to be true to herself. I wish I had had Zibby to read when I was in sixth grade -- it might have made a lot more sense! Betsy Kahn, Middle School Librarian

My daughter who is actually a seventh grader just finished this book -- she's a little of a tomboy too, so she related well even though the story is about a sixth grader. I also read it and I liked the Zibby character. She's an independent thinking girl who doesn't allow peer pressure to steer her towards stuff she's not interested in or ready for. The story moves along nicely -- lots of believable kid interaction. Very fun story -- the next one in the series looks very fun too!