I liked this book because I think it is a great book for young female readers. The Katie Kazoo Switcheroo series is about a young girl who turns into different people- and even animals! In the first book, Katie Kazoo turns into the class hamster. With the hilarious plot, young readers will also enjoy the pictures of Katie on different pages. I read this story in third grade and remember thinking people could turn into others. “Anyone But Me” is a perfect novel for third and fourth graders readers but they need to be aware this is a fictional novel. ( )

After a hard day and a run-in with the school bully, third-grader Katie wishes she could be anyone but herself. She soon learns to be careful what she wishes for, however, when she turns into the class hamster for the afternoon. This transitional chapter book is a quick and easy school story with a magical twist. The central metamorphosis seems randomly chosen, but leads to an amusing story, as Katie as Speedy the Hamster tries to escape and return to her own body. Katie also learns about friendship and comes to understand the school bully by the end of the book. A selection of fun facts about hamsters is provided at the end of the volume. The black-and-white cartoon-style drawings combine line and shading to produce lively illustrations that match the tone of the book well. "Anyone But Me" will be sure to appeal to third and fourth grade readers looking for a story just on the fantastical side of realistic fiction. ( )

1223

Lexile: 550
Reading Recovery: 21
DRA: 28
Fountas Pinnel Guided Reading: M