Friday, June 5, 2009

PORTIA'S EXCLUSIVE AND CONFIDENTIAL RULES ON TRUE FRIENDSHIP by Anna Hays


Once again Portia is on the case. There's a new girl at the middle school. Her name is Misty, and she's determined to make Portia her new best friend, in addition to getting Portia's help with a serious problem.

Portia is excited to have a new detective case and dives right in helping her new friend. The case involves a rabbit named Maxwell. He's one of the stray animals Misty has an uncanny knack for finding and bringing home. Although her mother doesn't approve, she can't seem to avoid running into animals with problems. Along with Maxwell the depressed bunny, she is dealing with a three-legged grasshopper that escapes in Portia's mother's restaurant The Tent. Needless to say, Misty is keeping Portia busy.

In other plot action, Portia is still searching for her absent father Patch. She is hoping for new developments in that case and gets one from an unlikely source, Vera, owner of Trash and Treasures. There is also a possible romantic interest in Portia's life. Webster the math genius seems to be trying to get Portia's attention with what he says is an important question. Indigo's restaurant is once again a backdrop for much of the action. This time the menu item of interest is the pomegranate, and Portia finds herself sampling all sorts of crazy concoctions her mother creates.

PORTIA'S EXCLUSIVE AND CONFIDENTIAL RULES ON TRUE FRIENDSHIP is a fun read with whimsical characters, a bit of mystery, and insightful comments regarding the meaning of friendship. Portia offers a needed breath of fresh air in tween lit. She doesn't worry about make-up, hair styles, and fashion magazines. Instead she focuses on family and friends and helping make the world a better place.

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