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"Meet the new Ramona Quimby!" -- Entertainment Weekly. In this hilarious and heartfelt middle grade debut, Gertie is a girl on a mission to be the best fifth grader ever in order to show her estranged mother that Gertie doesnt need her -- not one bit!. Gertie Reece Foy is 100% Not-From-Concentrate awesome. She has a daddy who works on an oil rig, a great-aunt who always finds the lowest prices at the Piggly Wiggly, and two loyal best friends. So when her absent mother decides to move away from their small town, Gertie sets out on her greatest mission yet: becoming the best fifth grader in the universe to show her mother exactly what shell be leaving behind. Theres just one problem: Seat-stealing new girl Mary Sue Spivey wants to be the best fifth grader, too. And there is simply not enough room at the top for the two of them.. From author Kate Beasley, and with interior illustrations by Caldecott Honor artist Jillian Tamaki, Gerties Leap to Greatness is a classic tale of hope and homecoming that will empty your heart, then fill it back up again -- one laugh at a time.. Praise for Gerties Leap to Greatness:. "This story is full of fun surprises: zombie bullfrogs, faithful friends, humor, and hope . . . and a fabulous narrator. Not only is Gertie brave enough to see the world through hopeful eyes, but shes bold enough to be her uniquely wonderful self." -- Natalie Lloyd, author of A Snicker of Magic. "From the first paragraph, I was Gerties fan. Her gumption, her voice, her determination, and her sass jump off the page. Realistic social situations combine with over-the-top personalities to make Gerties Leap to Greatness a surefire hit for kids who loved Ramona and Fudge and who will one day want to be best friends with Scout. If your mission is to discover a funny, heartwarming, relatable, and entertaining middle grade novel, then jump for joy: Your mission is accomplished. Now dive in and see how Gertie does on hers." -- Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company. "[Kate Beasley] writes in the spirit of Roald Dahl and Kate DiCamillo with all the spunk and ferocity of a Southern lady, and Gerties Leap to Greatness is equal parts Matilda and Because of Winn-Dixie. Heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny." -- Clara Martin, Lemuria Books. "Gertie is a dynamic, fun, and well-delineated character, like Ramona and Clementine. Be prepared for Gertie to leap into your heart and mind in 2016." -- John Schumacher, Ambassador of School Libraries