SYNOPSIS

Evan and Jessie, siblings and best friends, had been enjoying summer – until news broke that Jessie would be skipping a grade to join Evan in 4th grade in the fall. Frustrated and worried by the news, Evan invites a classmate to set up a lemonade stand – Jessie’s favorite activity! Only, she’s not invited…  Jessie feels hurt but convinces Megan from down the street to also set up a stand, and challenges Evan to compete for highest earnings over 4 days. Various business methods (shady ones too) are explored, and lots of money is collected (and spent) while brother and sister battle each other. A sad reconciliation is reached when all earnings are stolen by Evan’s sneaky classmate; Jessie has a plan for how they can recover the loss together.

(1st in a 6-book series)

PERFECT AGE 8 – 12

THEMES

• Feeling embarrassed and self-conscious, lashing out and hurting others in response
• Not understanding others’ – especially peers’ – behavior, attitude
• Learning how to attract clients and succeed in business!
• Appreciation for one’s unique talents and abilities

We love

• The “warring” lemonade stands experiment with different sales methods – and in the process, ingeniously educate us about basic business concepts
• Jessie’s interactions with peers demonstrate the challenges of non-verbal communication  – she struggles to interpret Evan’s mood, is surprised and hurt by her classmates’ ridicule of her  
• Despite their quarrel, the siblings deeply care about each other and their recently divorced mom, and find a way to reconciliate

WATCH OUT FOR (Language, Big / Sensitive Topics, Outdated Concepts):

• I kept this book away from my sons for years because a friend mentioned that it taught “bad messages”. Having now read it, I strongly recommend the book and the teachable moments it offers, like the following:
• Four girls in Jessie’s 2nd grade class start the WHJ Club; she is last in the class to join but excited about it until she finds out that it stands for “We Hate Jessie”…
• Jessie resorts to some unsavory tactics (worms and dirt in Evan’s lemonade bin…) to stymie the competition
• Evan’s classmate Scott is not only a lazy business partner but sneaks into Evan’s room and steals the combined $300 in earnings, without consequences (in Book 1, at least)

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• Evan and Jessie have ingenious ideas to attract customers. Which one is your favorite and least favorite?
• How do you think Jessie found out that Megan had feelings for Evan? Why was it a good idea for her to tell him about it?
• Think of the first day of the lemonade “war” when Evan sees Jessie’s stand (she is laughing with Megan) – how is it possible that his and Jessie’s interpretations at that moment were so different?
• How would you describe to Jessie why Evan is upset she’s skipping a grade, without hurting her feelings?