Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen Hardcover – March 26, 2019

So, let’s talk really real right now. Kids love to laugh. They love to be surprised and to be shocked and to be entertained. And Bernice is gonna do all of that for your middle grade readers (and, tbh, for you too). Bernice is one memorable character. Let me try to accurately paint this picture for you. Ok, so if Junie B. Jones grew up in a trailer park with a disinterested mother instead of two exhausted parents? She’d probably turn into someone like Bernice.Bernice really never had a shot at knowing social norms. She’s got these four older brothers who spend their days jumping off the trailer onto a trampoline and a mother who doesn’t show much interest in her kids except for what they can do for her. So it isn’t a surprise that Bernice ended up a bully who doesn’t know how to make friends.She dreams of being a stuntwoman (inspired by her brothers I would imagine) and really wants to go to Hollywood to attend this camp for kids who are into that sort of thing. Instead, Bernice’s mom drops her at her aunt’s convent and heads off to Hollywood without her. So rude.The story itself is a hilarious tale of how Bernice attempts to turn over a new leaf and stop being a bully. I loved it because I have a heart for an underdog, and Bernice is one if I’ve ever seen it. My little mama-teacher heart goes out for this kiddo and I know that people can, and do, change when they are given enough love.I’d recommend BERNICE BUTTMAN, MODEL CITIZEN to lovers of funny middle grades that pack a lot of heart into their hilarious pages like BETTER NATE THAN EVER, WHEN MISCHIEF CAME TO TOWN, and (to take a blast to the past) TALES OF A FORTH GRADE NOTHING.

The adjective "humorous" was used in several reviews and summaries of "Bernice" and I strongly disagree. While some of the pranks, tricks, and living situations described in this 2020-2021 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee might be deemed funny by some, for others, they are completely realistic and somewhat painful to read. Bernice Buttman and her family live in Lone Star Trailer Park in a home that is far too small for their family of 7 and is in poor shape. Money is scarce and food is mostly junk. The kids are barely passing in school, father is unknown although there is a live-in boyfriend and he and mom spend their days in front of the TV, hoping for acting jobs. All five Buttman kids have a reputation for bullying that is well-deserved, however, deep down inside, Bernice hopes for a friend other than the town's librarian, although her attempts to gain one end up looking like more of the same mean girl she has been since kindergarten. Opportunity for a clean slate and a new start comes when Bernice's mom sends her off to live with Aunt Josephine, a nun who works in a small town called Halfway, while she and boyfriend Lloyd go to California in search of vague career goals. Bernice grabs onto the second chance, but without any real idea of how to behave any differently than she always has, struggles mightily. The end result is a happy, but not perfect, and therefore, realistic conclusion. Lenz's debut novel has clear and well-developed characters and follows a logical and engaging sequence of events that will have readers rooting for Bernice and probably seeing themselves and their classmates in her fifth grade class. I wish that boogers and poo were less present and think that some of my students will find the frequent reference to them distracting and somewhat immature, but the author does get her point across by including them. Race of the book's characters is immaterial to the plot, but it is likely that most of the characters are white, although with physical descriptions infrequent, many will plug in their own skin tones while reading and visualizing key players. Lenz keeps the text free of profanity, excessive violence and sexual content. Recommended for libraries serving a 4th-6th grade population that appreciates realistic books about second chances. Similar books to complement this one are: Korman's "Restart," O'Connor's "Wish," and "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds.

This book is a perfect read for middle grades. It incorporates hilarious moments, a wonderful character arc, and a beautiful lesson about personal growth- all while reminding you about your love for cheese balls. Middle grade kids need a book that is going to truly draw them in and feel like entertainment, rather than an assignment. This book delivers. However, what I love most about joining Bernice on her path toward self-betterment is that it was not easy, and she does not change over night. You really see her internal struggle between the person she has been and the person she wants to be. I think it will really teach children to look inside and pay attention to how their actions make them feel, and also how to start looking outside of themselves to notice how their actions make others feel. The book is a quick and joyful read. Both you and your children will enjoy reading it together, and you will bond as you grow to love Bernice.

Wonderfully entertaining book. Inspirational, humorous and a heartwarming message. The author does an amazing job of bringing the characters and scenes to life. Plenty of humor, but also very real. This isn't unicorns and rainbows, but trailer parks, booger jokes, tough times and overcoming. Bernice is a wonderful representation of so many kids and she can live in anytown, USA. Perfect chapter book for advanced readers. 225 pages in 33 chapters that just breeze by. This is a tough book to put down. You'll love it. Highly recommended.

Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen is a great book. Bernice just wants to go to Stunt Camp, but she becomes a model citizen instead. Bernice loves Halfway and wants to stay there. It is a book about friendships, families, new starts, and new opportunities. The book is great for bullies who actually want to change. My only complaint is that it was ripped when I got it, but still a great book about kindness, showing how to be kind, and of course, loving cheese balls. Happy Reading the book I had to read for summer, Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen!

This was so much fun and I know some kids who are going to LOVE it. The humor and voice are spectacular and kept this adult reader smiling all the way through. Though Bernice does a lot of mean things, from the first chapter, Lenz gives us a glimpse at Bernice's underlying loneliness and neglect. She's a product of her circumstances. We feel her need to connect, to make friends, to find a sense of home and family. That said, Bernice's spirit remains indomitable throughout. There's no melodrama or martyrdom. Just a hysterical kid on a mission for redemption. This is such a unique take on that arc and I'm so impressed with Lenz' ability to mix wacky antics with a heartfelt tale about empathy and kindness. Come for the cheese balls. Stay for the compassion.