The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee

Gr 3–6—India Wimple is painfully shy. She resides in a small Australian town with her supportive nuclear family. Her little brother is gravely ill, money is tight, and her world is small, but India has a secret weapon: she can spell. When the opportunity arises to audition for Australia's popular game show, The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee, India wants to go for it—only she gets stage fright. India's family and community band together to support their rising star and, despite jitters and financial hardship, she overcomes the odds and finds herself in Sydney with other contestants, both friendly and otherwise. The colorful cover and cartoonlike illustrations in this Australian import will draw in readers, while the gently humorous and rollicking plot will keep them turning pages. India's family is warm and slightly zany. In one particularly memorable scene, various townsfolk don animal onesies to make India more comfortable during a practice session. India stays grounded and hits her stride as the competition rolls along, bringing her to a fairy-tale conclusion that will satisfy readers who appreciate a tidy ending. Chapter titles contain a boxed spelling word with its meaning that describes the contents of the chapter ahead. This results in some sneaky learning and vocabulary growth, making this a great choice for school settings.