SuitabookJess's story
Christine Heppermann
- Reading
- Read it as a humorous fantasy, pausing to notice how sport, cooking and magic shape Jess’s confidence. Afterward, discuss the mother–daughter tension and the wording of the language joke without assuming a single interpretation.
- Themes
- Trying to please a parent: Jess tries to surprise her mother by making lasagna, but the attempt fills the kitchen with smoke and leads to her being grounded. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Magic as encouragement: Ms. M returns as Jess’s babysitter after the cooking disaster and uses dramatic magic and a shared love of sport to cheer her up. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Different kinds of ability: Jess excels at several sports but struggles with cooking, especially in comparison with her chef mother. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Family tension, being grounded and embarrassment after a cooking attempt are present. Humour includes a joke comparing intonation with Chinese; some readers may find that wording worth discussing in context.