Clementine

Clementine is a series of children's chapter books written by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Marla Frazee. Debuting with the eponymous title Clementine in 2006, the seven books in the series follow the eccentric and lovable, yet unintentionally devious, eight-year-old Clementine through third grade. Premise The books are focused on an eight-year-old, artistic, but impulsive girl named Clementine, characterized by her flaming red curls. In spite of her good but misunderstood intentions, she frequently finds herself being sent to the principal's office for her lack of cooperation and characteristic imperfections. Other characters include Clementine's loving, understanding parents, her unnamed younger brother (labelled with a vast assortment of nicknames relating to vegetables by his elder sister), her sister Summer, her pet kitten Moisturizer, and Margaret, Clementine's strict, partially stuck-up, but kindhearted best friend. The books are set in Boston. Characters Clementine, a kind, gifted, artistic, but impulsive and unpredictable little girl characterized by her multiple personality quirks. Albeit her intentions are good, she is commonly misunderstood by many authority figures around her and often finds herself being sent to the principal's office. Unintentionally troublemaking, but childishly innocent, Clementine frequently brings up her love of gorillas and her desire to own one someday as a pet. She possesses artistic talent and loves to draw, and her drawings are frequently shown throughout the course of the series. Margaret, Clementine's closest friend, who is depicted as being a year older than she is. She often shows little tolerance for Clementine's eccentricities and enjoys domineering other people, particularly those younger than she (who she perceives as being of lesser authority than she is), and shows a few uptight and snobbish personality traits (she enjoys showing off). She is overall a good friend and has performed great acts of kindness on Clementine's behalf before in the past. She has a baseball-loving teenage brother named Mitchell, who makes frequent appearances throughout the course of the series. In the first title, Clementine cuts off a majority of Margaret's hair, resulting in a rather disastrous week at school for her. She is a massive germophobe.