Judy Moody Predicts the Future

July 1, 2003
Judy Moody Predicts the Future in the famously temperamental third-grader's fourth adventure by Megan McDonald, illus. by Peter H. Reynolds. Here Judy, equipped with a mood ring, convinces herself and her classmates of her clairvoyant capabilities. Fans can track their own mood swings with The Judy Moody Mood Journal; the paper-over-board volume, with lined pages and Reynolds's occasional spot art, sports a spinner set into the cover, whose arrow (when spun) lands on one of 10 possible Judy moods. Sections such as "Favorite Pets" suggest prompts and provide quotes from the books to spark budding writers' entries.

January 31, 2005
The famously temperamental third-grader, in her fourth adventure, dons a mood ring and convinces herself and her classmates of her clairvoyant capabilities. Ages 6-10.

November 1, 2003
Gr 2-4-After eating seven bowls of cereal, third-grader Judy finally uncovers her mystery prize- a mood ring. It stubbornly stays black ("Grouchy, Impossible") after she slips it on, but over time the ring warms up to her. She thinks it has ESP, which allows her to make some outlandish predictions. Judy (as Madame M) forecasts she will ace her spelling test without studying. Naturally she doesn't, nor does she foresee getting in trouble with Mr. Todd, her teacher, after distracting the class with her prized possession. Judy's brother and friends are skeptical about the girl's newfound ability but with a few lucky guesses and a lot of confidence, Madame M marvels them with the biggest prophesy of all: Mr. Todd is in love. Established fans and new readers of the series will enjoy this adventure. Amusing black-and-white watercolors capture the humor and the girl's inimitable spirit. Prediction: another winner starring Judy Moody.-Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2003
Gr. 2-4. Perennial favorite Judy Moody returns in a fourth offering, this one focusing on Judy's psychic abilities, or, more accurately, her lack thereof. Judy claims the prize at the bottom of her cereal box--a mood ring--and tries to convince her family and third-grade classmates that she can foretell the future. She predicts the return of the Toad Pee Club's lost mascot, a brilliant performance on her spelling test, and her teacher's romance with the Crayon Lady. Unfortunately, the mascot is a fake and she bombs the test, but her forecast is right on the mark when it comes to Mr. Todd and Ms. Tater. McDonald has a wonderful sense of how eight-year-olds think and behave, and the irrepressible Judy is completely believable as she careens out of control in the classroom, earning time to chill out at the Antarctica desk at the back of the room. Reynolds' black-and-white illustrations convey the suitably goofy personalities of Judy and her friends and will appeal to kids; short chapters and large print add to the book's appeal. This is a great choice for first-chapter-book readers, especially those already acquainted with Judy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2004
When Judy finds a mood ring in a cereal box, it sets her off on a predicting-the-future binge: she'll get a 110 percent on her spelling test (wrong); her teacher is in love (right). This latest installment features the same accessible, open format and plentiful illustrations as the previous Judy Moody books, and the writing is as lively as ever.

(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)