Anastasia’s Chosen Career (An Anastasia Krupnik story)

We read everything Lois Lowry writes; the A. Krupnick series has been a particular delight for my 9-year-old granddaughter and her mother. They marvel that she never disappoints.

This was not my favorite title in the series but still some great writing from Lois Lowry so I give it a solid four stars. And given how much my 10 year old giggles at Anastasia and especially Sam's antics we will be buying other books with those characters. I wish I had read this particular series when I was a kid!

Anastasia is all on her own in Boston and Lois Lowry does a great job. She sets an insightful look into a teenager's mind.

I adore Anastasia - hilarious, real, and intelligent. Her adventures feel real - what girl didn't feel gawky and ugly in 7th grade. How many of us had confusion about our future or want to feel beautiful and glamorous. I love her solutions, her spunky, her forthrightness, and her viewpoints. As for the story, it was both hilarious and poignant. It got a more serious at the end then I anticipated - but something I've come to expect for Lowry. Her stories mirror life and often life is both humorous and serious in odd mixtures. I recommend all of the Anastasia books - I know I will read any I can get my hands on!

Like most 13-year-old girls, Anastasia Krupnik is convinced she's a mess of grotesque body parts. Her hair's wrong, her nose is wrong, her mouth is wrong. It's only in her bedroom mirror during the evenings that Anastasia practices different looks, wishing she could change herself.So when she hears about a special weeklong modeling course for preteens, offered during her school break, Anastasia's thrilled. It's totally worth spending all her savings to have professionals offer her fashion and makeup tips, find her a new style and open new doors into a glamorous world.Meanwhile, Anastasia needs to interview someone for her career paper. She's decided upon Barbara Page, a friend of her father's who owns a bookstore. Since Anastasia loves to read, she thinks that might be the perfect career for her one day, too. (Modeling classes could only help her maintain self-confidence and poise in dealing with customers, she believes.)But when Anastasia finally arrives at her first class, she's hugely disappointed. "Studio Charmante" turns out to be a dump, run by a middle-aged, dumpy married couple who don't exactly seem like models. Anastasia's sure that she's made a huge mistake.Yet in the midst of even the worst times, there's usually some good to be found. Anastasia quickly bonds with Henry, a smart-mouthed, witty girl much in the same situation as her. The two become fast friends, and yes, even learn a few things about fashion and deportment.As always, Lowry's Anastasia adventures are a treat to read -- Anastasia is just another girl, no different than most of her readers.

Great book. My 11 year old looks forward to each new book! I would highly recommend this book to others.

I am so disappointed in Lois Lowry! Is there any reason she needed to introduce nude modeling in a book geared toward young girls?! Next time, I will do a better job at proofreading the books my daughter chooses.

Anastasia returns to form in this volume of the series. Anastasia decides to take a modeling class to help her with her school project "My Chosen Career"...which is to be a bookstore owner. That sounds like the most excellent career in the world. However, this is also the least realistic of the Anastasia books so far. I find it unrealistic that the Krupniks would let their 13 year old daughter attend a modeling class in downtown Boston by herself. I find it unrealistic that Robert Giannini who appeared in the first and second books of this series would coincidentally show up in this same class. I also find it unrealistic that a 13 year old would have saved up enough babysitting money to take a $119 modeling course in 1987. I remember being paid $3 an hour to babysit in 1991. Oh, well. I always enjoy reading this book, even as an adult.

Good but kind of boring.

7年生(13才）になったAnastasiaの宿題は、自分が選んだ「将来の職業」について実際に現場で働く人にインタビューをして作文を書く事。まずは自分に自信を持とうと貯金をおろし、モデルスクールに通い始める。そこでまさか！幼馴染のあのスーツケースを持ったRobertに再会。モデルスクールで色々な人に会い、髪を切り、洋服、歩き方、話し方、初めての体験でAnastasiaは今まで気がつかなかった事に気付く。仲良くなった友達の劇的な変化。彼女の選んだ仕事に対する考えも　少しずつまとまってきた。さて彼女の選んだ職業は？　金魚のFrankも頭のいい弟Samも登場！