A 3rd grade girl wonders why no one ever wrote a book to help 3rd graders read cursive writing.

After the first day of third grade, Maggie decides she is not going to learn to read and write cursive. Backed into a corner by her parents' laughter at this claim, she feels forced to go through with her refusal. But her teacher, Mrs. Leeper, tricks Maggie into wanting to learn by letting her be the message monitor and carry notes through the school to and from other teachers - about her - in cursive!

See also: Freckle Juice by Judy Blume, Frindle by Andrew Clements ( )

Muggie Maggie is a story of a young girl who is reluctant to learning cursive handwriting. She is insistent on using the computer or printing but soon realizes that there are a lot of things written in cursive that she cannot read. The central message of the story is to push through challenges. Maggie was her own worst enemy when learning cursive until she opened up to the idea and practiced until she was able to read and write it. ( )

This is a book that I would have really liked when I was in elementary school, however, I do not know how well elementary schoolers would relate to it now being that they do not have to learn cursive anymore. However, it is still a great book.

I read this aloud to my 2nd graders. They are excited over the prospect of learning cursive next year. It's a Beverly Cleary book I had never read before. ( )