Amber Brown Is Tickled Pink

Amber Brown #10

by Bruce Coville, Elizabeth Levy, Tony Ross (Illustrations)

Beloved Amber Brown returns in a new book!

Amber can't wait to be Best Child when her mom and Max get married, but planning a wedding comes with lots of headaches. Amber can't find the right dress, her dad keeps making mean cracks about Max, and Mom and Max have very different ideas about how much this wedding should cost. Her mother even suggests they go to city hall and skip the party altogether! Even though adults can be a lot of work, Amber is determined to be the best Best Child ever. She helps find the perfect location, makes her dad shape up, and, with the help of best friend Justin, gives the perfect wedding speech.

Paula Danziger called Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy her best friend and her other best friend, and this close connection enabled them to lovingly capture Amber Brown's voice, sense of humor, big-heartedness, and her fondness for puns.

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens, Divorce, Humor, Fiction, Juvenile, Contemporary

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2012

About the author

Bruce Coville was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1950. His family lived in farm territory, about twenty miles north of Syracuse. Bruce grew up around the corner from his grandparents' dairy farm, where he spent a great deal of time as a child, dodging cows and chores to the best of his ability. As a young reader he loved Mary Poppins and Dr. Dolittle, and still has fond memories of rising ahead of the rest of his family so he could huddle in a chair and read THE VOYAGES OF DR. DOLITTLE. He also read lots of things that people consider junk (Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and zillions of comic books). His only real regret is the time he spent watching television, when he could have been reading instead. (A mind is a terrible thing to waste!)

His first book, THE FOOLISH GIANT, was published in 1978. It was illustrated by his wife, Katherine, whom he had married in 1969. This was followed in 1979 by SARAH'S UNICORN, also illustrated by Katherine. After a long period of working separately, the Covilles began collaborating again with SPACE BRAT and GOBLINS IN THE CASTLE, both published in 1992.

Before getting published Bruce earned his living as a toymaker, a gravedigger, a cookware salesman, an assembly line worker, and finally as an elementary school teacher (second and fourth grades). He left teaching in 1981 to devote himself to becoming a full time writer - though it took another five years to achieve that goal!)

Bruce has published over 100 books, which have appeared in over a dozen countries around the world and sold more than sixteen million copies. Among his most popular titles are MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN, INTO THE LAND OF THE UNICORNS, and THE MONSTER'S RING. In 2001 he founded Full Cast Audio, an audiobook company dedicated to creating unabridged, full cast recordings of the best in children's and young adult literature.

Reviews

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always had a soft spot for the Amber Brown series. As a teacher, I watched one of my 4th graders go from not reading to devouring Amber's adventures, as well as other Paula Danziger novels. I thought that Paula's sudden death in 2004 would be the end of Amber, and who knows what other charming novels she could have written had she lived. But I was wrong, there would be at least one more Amber Brown book for kids to discover how much they like to read. Paula's best friends Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy teamed up to give us Amber Brown is Tickled Pink.

But does it work? Is Amber the same Amber she always was, dealing with her joys and sorrows as she learns some important life lessons in the same charmingly 'I, Amber Brown' way?

You bet it does and it is almost seamless.

And best of all, the whimsical illustrations by Tony Ross, who did the other Amber Brown books, are back, too and help to provide a nice sense of continuity

In Amber's latest adventure, her mother is about to get married to Max and Amber couldn't be happier. Not only does she get to be "best child" at the wedding, but it means her best friend Justin and his family will be there all the way from Alabama, and her dad is seeing a counselor to help him move on with his life and get pass his bitterness over being divorced from Amber's mother.

But suddenly there is trouble in paradise. Amber's mom is worried about money and wants to just go to City Hall to get married and punk on the reception. Which means no Justin visiting and telling her friends Brandi and Kelly they are disinvited from the reception party.

To top it all off, Amber's dad is making very snarky remarks about the wedding and Max and causing this 9 year old a great deal of unhappiness, and almost ruining their perfect weekend together.

So who would have thought the a possible affordable solution for the wedding and reception would be found through her nose-picking classmate Fredrich? But even after Amber hatches what seems to be the perfect plan, can she pull it off? And will she be able to get her dad in line, too?

Fans of Amber already know some of the trials and tribulations she has had to deal with over the course of the series and so many of them caused by the adults in her life. Her best friend Justin's move to Alabama, her parents separation and divorce, her father's new job in Paris, and her mother's new boyfriend now fiancee. And then there is school - homework, skunks, a girl who also has a two color name.

But these realistic situations told in a first person narrative are exactly the kinds of everyday issues that Amber's young readers are often also dealing with, and for some the stories may be just entertaining, but for others, they may bring moments of solace and solidarity, they way they did for my student.

And I, Alex Baugh, am happy to see Amber's return.

This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was obtained from the publisher.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Rated by my daughter**

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paula Danziger passed away after the previous book but called upon her best friends, Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy, to continue the books and I have to say that they succeeded with this one.

The storyline was fun and I loved how Amber stood her ground for the things that mattered to her and that she also made some realizations about her own past actions toward others.

One scene involving a horse made me laugh aloud, though I definitely understood why it bothered poor Amber. I thought the conversation that she and her mother had about the dress was especially heartfelt.

I also loved Amber’s speech. Even though Paula didn’t write this one, it definitely felt like her in spirit.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Amber Brown book since Paula Danziger died and it is written by two of her best friends, Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy. Both are big names in kids' lit and have their own style. They managed to completely drop their styles and this book rings very true to the way the Amber Brown books are written and feel. There is an afterword by Paula's niece saying she is the real Amber Brown and she is thrilled with the way this book turned out. BTW her name doesn't have a single color word in it. I'm not going to describe the book itself so as to not give anything away but it has the sheer niceness that all the Amber books have. Justin appears in this book as well as does Aunt Pam. I was dubious when I first heard about the book project since so often it is mostly mercenary in nature after the original author has died but these two do not need the money from this series and it is very clearly a labor of love on both their parts. Now I am looking forward to more Amber Brown books coming out. At least I hope there are more!

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could be better than Paula Danziger's two best friends continuing on the legacy of Amber Brown? Elizabeth Levy and Brice Coville are amazing writers on their own, and together they manage to stay true to Amer Brown's voice. Amber is worried about all of the arguing surrounding her mother's upcoming wedding, and feels pulled between the different sides. In typical Amber Brown fashion, she manages to help save the day, and everyone feels better at the end. An must read for fans of the series.

[Janni]

I can't think of better writers to pick up the Amber Brown series. Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy did a wonderful job of staying true to Amber Brown's voice and in so doing, paying tribute to her creator.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Amber Brown is Tickled Pink" is like a big hug wrapped in a book! It's all about Amber Brown getting ready for her mom and Max's wedding. Amber wants to be the Best Child, but there are so many things going wrong. Her dad keeps saying mean things about Max, and her mom wants to skip the big party! Can you imagine? But Amber doesn't give up. She helps find a cool place for the wedding, makes her dad stop being grumpy, and even gives the best speech ever with her friend Justin.

I love how the authors, Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy, really understand what it's like to be Amber. She's funny, kind, and loves making jokes. It's like they're Amber's best friends, just like Paula Danziger, who wrote the first books about her, was. They really captured her spirit!

This book is perfect for kids who like funny stories about families and weddings. Amber Brown feels like a friend you'd want to have adventures with, and this book is full of those adventures!

[Paige]

Teacher gives a project to the students to practice on budgeting as an adult. This makes her think about her mothers wedding that is coming up very soon. She feels uneasy about going back and forth from her moms to her dads. Amber has a new kid in her class, Fredrick. His father has a pretty camp that Amber thinks would be perfect for the wedding. Max loves it. Mom does not. The two have a huge fight and Amber wonders if the wedding will even happen. They two get back togetehr and everyone continues to get ready for the big day.
Amber wasn't sure how she felt about her mom beign married again, but she remebers how much she like Max and how happy he makes her mom. It was a beautiful day.

[Annie Flanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying the Amber Brown series. I am so glad that Paula Danziger's best friends - Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy have continued the series.

This book is centered around Amber's mom getting married to her boyfriend Max. I am really happy to see that Amber is growing so nicely and is adjusting very well to her parents behaviors. She won't let them make her a ping pong ball. I know that parents who are divorced will understand that comment. I like to see books where a child of divorced parents can grow up and not be pulled between the dad and the mom. Amber sets boundaries.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this latest Amber Brown. I never believed that anyone else besides Paula Danziger would be able to carry the voice and the character of Amber Brown but Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy have done it. I listened to the book on cd - Dana Lubotsky was a remarkable voice of Amber.

[JC0llier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a smart and thoughtful story. If only adults were as smart as Amber. Any parent going through divorce and new family dynamics should read this with their kids

[Hadia Basit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book totally recommended!!!!

[Annora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t even know how many times I read the Amber Brown books as a kid. Child me is loving new adventures and adult me is loving the escape.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Amber Brown series is a fun series to read aloud with your child. Amber Brown is Tickled Pink is the most current in the series and possibly the last. It is written by the late Paula Danziger's best friends, Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy, in honor of Ms. Danziger.

One of the details that makes this series so recommendable is that it deals with divorce. Amber's parents are divorced, and not amicably I might add. They complain about each other, make snide comments about each other, etc. It's been a while since I have read its predecessors, but this aspect seems to come out more prominently in Tickled Pink. I imagine the reason is that Amber is older and her mother is remarrying. Weddings seem to have a talent for bringing out the worst in situations that are less than pleasant to begin with. While a child should never be in this situation, I am happy to hear Amber stick up for her parents and tell them their bickering makes her uncomfortable. And I am glad that there are no 100% happy endings, i.e. parents miraculously stop bickering and become best friends. That would be cheating.

Now I may just be getting over-weepy in my old age, but Amber's toast choked me up. If a book makes me cry, or struggle not to, it's a sign of a well-written book in my opinion.

When I started reading this book, I did not realize that Paula Danziger had passed away. I can't remember what it was that alerted me to that fact, but I had not read the dedication. So I went back to read it. That was the second time I got all choked up.

Amber Brown is Tickled Pink is a fun read and I definitely recommend it, especially for anyone who is looking for a book, or entire series for that matter, to read aloud to their kiddos.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we finished Amber Brown Is Green With Envy about a year and a half ago, we thought we'd finished the Amber Brown series. We knew that Paula Danziger had died, so we assumed that Amber's story had come to an end. Well, we were wrong.

We discovered this book at our local library, written in Paula's honor by her close friends Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy. It was also illustrated by Tony Ross, as were the other stories in the series. We were so happy to see Amber again and to see her story continued.

This story has the same emotions and sincerity of the other books; it seamlessly falls into place in the series. The ups and downs of Amber's divorced parents moving on in their lives is chronicled in a sensitive and honest way. I love that Amber is willing to speak up for herself whenever her parents tread into areas that make her upset or feel uncomfortable, especially concerning the divorce.

We enjoyed reading this book together and we were so glad to have another peek into Amber's life.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

9-year-old Amber Brown loves puns, glitter and her best friend Justin who she stays in touch with since his move (in a previous novel of this wonderful series). She has a lot to deal with: her mom is getting married and wants to abandon her plan for a big wedding where Amber would be the "best child," and her Dad is feeling bitterness because of the remarriage. Amber comes up with the perfect solution for the tiny wedding budget: a campground owned by a classmate's family as the venue. Everything else seems to fall into place for the wedding, too: her Dad buys her the perfect dress and her mom agrees to let her wear the dress even though it reminds her of her ex. I love how Amber is able to express her feelings to her parents, and her creative problem solving. Written by the late Paula Danziger's best friends, this warm and humorous continuation of a much loved series is a cause for celebration!

[Marybet Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Amber Brown series. Amber is 9 years old, and is continually facing life changes, some big and some not as big. She is honest, angry, outspoken, and vulnerable in a way most 9 year olds are not able to be. She is very different from myself. When she speaks out, I remain silent. Through her eyes, I can see the honesty of emotions, and I hope that by reading these books, my students can get validation for their emotions -- and learn that while life is a never ending series of changes, we will all muddle through one way or another.

This book is the first not written by Paula Danzinger, but Bruce Coville did an amazing job continuing the series.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last Amber Brown book satisfies and ties up all kinds of loose ends left by the death of the author of the original series. I find myself sad at the end of the story, wanting the series to keep moving on as Amber grows up. I've enjoyed spending time with her over the last few years. An awesome and realistic book, that's fun to read, and is highly relatable, especially to kids with divorced parents. Great series overall!

[Liz]

What a great idea! Two of Paula's best friends and writing partners, Elizabeth Levy and Bruce Coville, have teamed up to write a new Amber Brown story! (Actually 3 Amber Brown stories!) I loved Paula Danziger--the author and the person. So sad when she passed away at the young age of 59! I will be anxiously waiting for this book in September. (Maybe it will be at BEA!!!)

[Christine Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did anyone else not know that Paula Danzinger died in 2004? I was so excited to see Amber Brown back and was shocked to see it listed as "Paula Danzinger's Amber Brown...". What a shock! Anyway, this installment in the delightful series did not disappoint.

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The baby named Paula made me shriek aloud. Such an adorable touch.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story that brings a tear to my eye about a young girl in the middle as her mother prepares to remarry and her father tries to cope with losing his wife.