“This plucky book affirms the value of hard work, team effort, and compassion. As Margie learns when she helps kids connect with their parents abroad, you can always use your own experiences to help other people—and volunteering gives you a great feeling, too.”
5-stars
Margie, the main character in the book Margie Makes A Difference by Dawn Brotherton, loves playing softball with her friends on the Lady Tigers softball team. The players are so close that the team is like a big family; and when they are together, the Lady Tigers are almost unbeatable.
Although Margie’s life on the softball field may seem perfect, her life at home isn’t always that nice. Her dad is in the military and often gets called to serve away from home for long periods of time, leaving Margie with the responsibility of caring for her younger sister. Times like these are tough on Margie, and her teammates can always tell when her dad is away because they see a difference in the way she plays. Softball just isn’t as fun for Margie, or the rest of the team, during deployments. Together, they decide to try to make life a little easier for Margie and other kids with parents in the military. Will the Lady Tigers be as successful helping others as they were playing softball?
Opinion:
I found Margie Makes a Difference, the second book in the Lady Tigers Series, by Dawn Brotherton, to be a quick read with a positive message. It stresses the importance of friendship, patience, caring about others, and working together. The way the team joins together to help one of their own overcome a hardship is a valuable lesson for kids.
Although the book has many of the same characters that were introduced in Trish’s Team, the first book in the series, this book could easily stand on its own. I would recommend this book for kids ages 7 to 11, and believe it would especially be enjoyed by girls who play softball.
