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Louise the Big Cheese and the Ooh-la-la Charm School

Illustrated by Diane Goode

About The Book

Louise the Big Cheese is back, and she’s charming as ever...but is she VIP?

“Dream big” is Louise the Big Cheese’s motto. But try though she might, she’s still feels like plain old Louise. Her new friend Claire E’Claire holds the promise of stardom with her VIP charm school…but is Claire all that she appears to be? Young readers will sympathize as Louise finds out it takes more than VIP charm to make a true friend.

About The Author

Photograph courtesy of author

Elise Primavera is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Auntie Claus series and the popular Ms. Rapscott’s Girls. She is also the author of the Louise the Big Cheese books and other award-winning titles. She lives in New Jersey, and you can visit her at ElisePrimavera.com.

About The Illustrator

Photo Credit:

Diane Goode is the illustrator of dozens of beloved and critically acclaimed picture books, including several written by Cynthia Rylant: Alligator Boy; When I Was Young in the Mountains, a Caldecott Honor Book; and most recently, Baby Face: A Book of Love for Baby. She is also the illustrator of President Pennybaker and My Mom is Trying to Ruin My Life, both by Kate Feiffer. She lives and works in Watchung, New Jersey, with her husband, David, and their two dogs, Jack and Daisy.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (February 7, 2012)
  • Length: 40 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781442431232
  • Ages: 5 - 8

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Raves and Reviews

Louise, the little girl with big ideas about getting noticed, has a new route to prominence here. A new kid,
Claire Eclaire, takes Louise under her wing and shows her how life is lived in Paris. She teaches her things like how they make beds in France and how to dress in a shower curtain. When it becomes clear that Claire is from Paris, Maine, Louise not only knows she’s been duped but regrets her treatment of best-friend Fern. Readers will find loads to look at in Goode’s hilariously detailed artwork, and they’ll both frown and laugh at Louise’s predicaments. Fun, even in repeated readings. --Booklist, February 1, 2012

In her fourth outing, Louise, the small girl with ginormous aspirations, meets Claire Eclaire from Paris, who invites her to attend her charm school. But it turns out that Madame Claire is bossy, makes Louise wear a shower curtain, and is actually from Paris, Maine. Goode’s comic book–style watercolors match the young diva’s energy and ambition. Even readers who relate to Louise’s high-flying fantasies should appreciate seeing her come back down to earth (and remember what it means to be a good friend). Ages 5–up. --Publishers Weekly, December 19, 2011

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More books from this author: Elise Primavera

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