With Love from Spain, Melanie Martin
- Book Review,
by Marci Roth (Illustrator)
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6--Melanie is back in her third adventure as she and her family vacation in Spain. The 11-year-old reveals her trials and triumphs in her diary, scattering goofy poems and the pronunciation of Spanish words throughout. Her brother, "Matt the Brat," is a source of both entertainment and exasperation with his bathroom humor, and Melanie is worried about her parents as they spend time with her mother's old flame. Despite her needless anxiety, she discovers that Antonio has an attractive, 12-year-old son, Miguel. The Martins attend a bullfight in Valencia, explore museums in Madrid, and enjoy flamenco dancing in Seville. Along the way, Melanie develops a crush on Miguel, who travels with them to several sites, and must deal with the pain of saying good-bye at journey's end. She is a likable, realistic character, and the book contains a lot of humor and drama. The diary confessions ring true, and fans of her previous novels will enjoy this sequel, although new readers could easily get into the story. A great choice for those who enjoy diary-format fiction or funny stories about growing up.--Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-6. Readers who have been to Italy (The Diary of Melanie Martin) and Holland (Melanie Martin Goes Dutch) with spunky Melanie, her pesky brother, "Matt the Brat," and her art-loving parents, know they are in for another thoroughly enjoyable adventure abroad. This time the family accompanies Dad on a business trip to Spain during Melanie's fifth-grade spring break. Melanie's mom is looking forward to seeing an old boyfriend, Antonio, and Melanie the worrier is already imagining the worst. What Melanie never imagined is that she would fall for Antonio's handsome son, Miguel. As with the two previous novels, the story is told partly through Melanie's delightful diary entries and partly through her lively first-person narration. Weston does a great job of giving Melanie an authentic preteen voice, including Melanie's comments about her gross little brother, and her whining at her parents about visiting yet another museum. Her greatest feat, however, is expertly weaving loads of history and art, as well as Spanish words (with pronunciations), throughout the text. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"Fun. Fun. Fun." --Kirkus
"Appealing young heroine" --Vanity Fair
"Agreat children’s book" -—New York Daily News
"Achingly real…especially gratifying" —-Booklist
"Laugh out loud funny" --School Library Journal
"Charming…right as rain" --Family Fun
"Big fun for wise kids and their parents" --Philadelphia Inquirer
From the Inside Flap
The third of the popular Melanie Martin books finds Melanie in Spain—and caught up in her first romance!
Dear Diary, All of us are excited about this vacation, but Mom might be too excited.
Mel is back and off to Spain, the land of bullfights, flamenco, and Picasso. But this is no ordinary vacation—the Martins are visiting Mom’s old boyfriend. Mel’s worried that Mom might still have feelings for Antonio . . . until she meets Antonio’s son, Miguel, who’s almost exactly Mel’s age—and cute! So instead of spying on Mom for Dad, she ends up getting pretty distracted herself. . . .
About the Author
In addition to being the well-known advice columnist of Girls’ Life, Carol Weston is the author of The Diary of Melanie Martin, Melanie Martin Goes Dutch, Girltalk: All the Stuff Your Sister Never Told You, and For Teens Only: Quotes, Notes, and Advice You Can Use.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
March 16
Dear Diary,
Four more hours till we land in SPAIN!!
If I didn’t have my seat belt on, I’d be jumping UP AND DOWN.
We have been waiting waiting waiting for spring break and it’s finally here! NO early-morning wake-ups, NO pop quizzes, and NO homework–for two weeks anyway.
Since Dad had to go to Madrid on business, Mom used frequent-flyer miles so we could all tag along.
Today they picked us up after school, and we went straight to the airport.
I’m excited about this trip because I speak Spanish– hablo español (Ah Blow S Pon Yole). Not fluently or anything, but I know how to count. One is uno (Oo No), two is dos (Dose), and three is tres (Trace). I can also say hi, which is hola (Oh La), and lots of other words.
I hope I meet a nice Spanish girl so I can learn more.
Right now I’m in seat 22 next to Matt the Brat. He asked me, “Are the street signs in Spain in Spanish?”
“Duh,” I said, and made a how-stupid-can-you-get face.
“Wrong!” He laughed. “They’re in sign language!”
Believe it or not, that joke was better than some of his other second-grade humor. In the taxi, for instance, Matt said, “What goes ha-ha-ha-ha-splat?” I said, “What?” and he said, “A man laughing his head off.”
Well, that was so lame that I said, “You came out funny. That’s why Mom and Dad stopped having kids after they had you.”
He said, “You came out funny. That’s why Mom and Dad had me.”
Fortunately, Matt is now asleep. His eyes are closed and his mouth is open. Mom and Dad told us to try to sleep because when we arrive, it will be morning of a brand-new day–ready or not.
Problem is, I’m not sleepy. Something is bothering me.
All of us are excited about this vacation, but Mom might be too excited.
An old friend of hers is picking us up at the airport.
And not just any old friend. An old boyfriend!
And not just any old boyfriend. A “serious” old boyfriend.
His name is Antonio (On Toe Knee Oh).
All I know about him is that he smokes–which is disgusting. And he speaks English but makes mistakes. And he has a kid. And his last name is Ramón (Rah Moan).
How could Mom have gone out with someone who can’t speak English without making mistakes? And who smokes??
Last weekend Mom showed me ancient photos of them together. In one, they were holding hands at a zoo. In another, they had their arms around each other in front of a castle.
Mom’s friend Lori was visiting, and she and Mom started looking at scrapbooks and giggling as if they were still college roommates.
“I can’t believe you and Antonio have started e-mailing!” Lori said.
“I can’t believe I’m about to see him after all these years!” Mom answered.
“That’s my fantasy,” Lori said. “To see an old boyfriend when I’m with my husband and kids. No, wait! I think my fantasy is to see an old boyfriend when I’m all by myself!” Lori laughed and laughed. It made me feel w-e-i-r-d. “Think he’s still tall, dark, and handsome?”
“Who knows?” Mom answered.
“Well, get your beauty sleep on the plane,” Lori said as she was leaving. “And give Antonio a big kiss for me.”
Get this: Mom asked, “How big?” and they both giggled!
I wonder if Mom and Antonio ever did kiss.
Is that a dumb thing to wonder? Obviously, they must have.
I was tempted to say something to Mom, but I didn’t want her to think I was eavesdropping.
Which I wasn’t. I was in the kitchen finding common denominators of fractions and I accidentally overheard their conversation.
I have to say, Mom has been acting strange all week.
On Monday, she bought a lip gloss and a pink scarf. On Tuesday, she got a haircut even though her hair looked perfectly fine. On Wednesday, she had a manicure. (Mom hardly ever gets her nails done.) Yesterday, she bought a blouse and a pair of pants.
I called Cecily to tell her about Mom’s giggling and shopping and makeover. Cecily pointed out that she and I like giggling and shopping and makeovers and said, “Don’t worry.” She always tells me not to worry. But I always end up worrying.
I thought about asking Dad if he’s noticed anything suspicious. I even considered warning him that Mom is trying to look good for her ex Spanish Sweetheart.
Would that be betraying Mom?
Maybe I am making too big a deal of this.
Maybe not!
By the way, for my birthday, I got a new diary–you!–which I saved for this plane ride. But now I’m going to put you away and wrap the airplane blanket around myself (and Hedgie) so we can try to fall asleep.
I was going to bring a different stuffed animal and leave Hedgehog safe at home. But I couldn’t bear to. (Or hedgehog to, get it?) Matt did leave DogDog behind. He said he couldn’t stand it if DogDog got lost again like on our last trip. So he brought his penguin, Flappy Happy. It is black and white with a yellow beak and trusting eyes.
Good night, or as they say in Spain, Good nights.
Buenas Noches (Bway Nahs No Case)
Melanie Martin
Above the Clouds
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