Cici's drawings and the beautiful comic illustrations will capture the attention of young readers as well as spark their creativity.
3.5 stars

Appeal Terms:
Character: flawed, michevious, quirky,
Storyline and Pace: plot-driven and fast-paced
Tone: sweet, whimsical
Illustration: charming

I thought this book was very heartfelt--I even got a bit misty-eyed at the end! It's really lusciously illustrated and I enjoyed the parts of the journal interspersed between the story which really gave more insight into Cici's character. I would totally read more stories with Cici in her quaint little town.

Potential issues for young readers
It's a bit strange because the main character has a habit of lying to her mother. And really, the lying does not come back to bite her in the end. However, for young Cici, she does go through her own arc of learning about not using people like objects and gaining empathy.