Call number
JF JON
Collection
Series
Publication
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (2007), Edition: First Edition, 352 pages
Description
When Emmy discovers that she and her formerly loving parents are being drugged by their evil nanny with rodent potions that can change people in frightening ways, she and some new friends must try everything possible to return things to normal.
User reviews
LibraryThing member TigerLMS
Emmy can't figure out why no one in class, including her teacher, pays any attention to her-- or, for that matter, why the class rat can talk to her. Emmy's newly wealthy parents are constantly on the road, leaving her with her horribly awful nanny, Mrs. Barmy. Not only can the rat talk, but it has
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a special power: it shrinks people, including Emmy's first friend at school and Emmy herself. This is the first book of several in a series that are aimed at the middle elementary year crowd, and these are quite entertaining. Emmy desperately wants her parents back, the old parents who would pay attention to her and thought that time with her was the most important thing in the world. When she realizes that the conniving Mrs. Barmy is behind all the shennanigans, she and Joe (and the class rat, Raston) embark on a wild journey to set things right. Girls especially will like this one, my third grade daughter certainly did-- as well as the immediate sequel Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls. Recommended for elementary. Show Less
LibraryThing member SunnySD
Just call Emmy the invisible child. Ever since her parents inherited a lot of money and moved across town to the huge old mansion, they've done nothing but travel, leaving Emmy in the incredibly detailed and smothering care of Miss Barmy, her new nanny. Overachiever Emmy is practically perfect:
The plot had me grinning, the dialogue is entertaining, and there's just enough silliness in the suspense to keep things moving without being overwhelmingly scary. (Who wouldn't love an Endear Mouse?) Clever and very re-readable.
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straight As, ballet, gymnastics, basketweaving, but nothing she can do seems to make her parents care or her classmates notice her. The only one who does talk to her is the classroom's biting rat -- and he's mean. But when Emmy rebels and lets Ratty out of his cage, things begin to get interesting: suddenly, Emmy might have a friend, the teacher notices her... and what in the world is Miss Barmy doing with that odd little man with all of those rodents?The plot had me grinning, the dialogue is entertaining, and there's just enough silliness in the suspense to keep things moving without being overwhelmingly scary. (Who wouldn't love an Endear Mouse?) Clever and very re-readable.
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LibraryThing member Book_Shelter
What a sweet.....and yet at times creepy book. I have to admit I really liked it. The story surrounds the life of a little girl named Emmy, her very wealthy parents and the evil/creepy nanny. It really kept me wondering where the author would go with the story, somthing I love because so many
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stories are so predictable. I would recomend this book to people who liked the Series of Unfortunate Event books......but, this book turns out well! Show Less
LibraryThing member mcelhra
Emmy feels like she’s invisible. No one notices her at school and her parents are always traveling, leaving her at home with her crotchety Nanny, Miss Barmy. Emmy tries her hardest to be good but she can never seem to please Miss Barmy. One day the classroom pet, the Rat, not only notices her but
I liked that this book was dark without being too scary or too suspenseful. Emmy’s parents are absent most of the time, but not dead like parents are in a lot of fantasy books. My first grader is super sensitive and can’t read books or watch movies with dead parents. It was also funny and has some grossness that kids will love. Even though Emmy is a girl, this is not a “girly” book and should appeal to both girls and boys. There is plenty of action, mystery and fantasy.
This middle grade book is geared toward three-six graders. My second grader, who reads at probably a third or fourth grade level, read this book to himself and loved it. He had no problem comprehending the plot. I read this book aloud to my first grader, who also loved the book but a little trouble connecting the dots when Emmy started to solve the mystery of the talking Rat and the evil Miss Barmy. When I sensed he wasn’t getting something, I would stop reading and discuss with him what he thought was happening and then help him to understand it better. With this help, he was also able to comprehend the book and he also loved it. His favorite part was the flipbook on the right margin. As you read the book, there are pictures of the Rat slowly falling out of a tree. It was a fun way to track our progress through the book
My boys and I read this book for the Intergenerational Book Club at our church. The facilitator of the book club came up with some really fun activities to go along with our discussion. We always have food that relates to the book so she brought miniature peanut butter cups, which are the Rat’s favorite snack. Also mentioned in the book are jam tarts. She found some cookies with jam in the middle and brought those. In the book, Emmy makes a chinchilla foot out of clay so the facilitator brought some modeling clay and a picture of a chinchilla. The kids had a blast making their own chinchilla feet. And the piece de resistance (for the kids anyway!) was the whoopee cushion she brought for them to take turns playing with. Farting plays a significant part in one part of the book, much to my disgust and all the children’s delight.
This book is the first in a series that includes at least three books so far. My boys were delighted to know that there were more books about Emmy waiting for them to read – a ringing endorsement for sure!
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starts talking to her! Is he a good rat or a bad rat? And how is it that he can talk and Emmy can understand him?I liked that this book was dark without being too scary or too suspenseful. Emmy’s parents are absent most of the time, but not dead like parents are in a lot of fantasy books. My first grader is super sensitive and can’t read books or watch movies with dead parents. It was also funny and has some grossness that kids will love. Even though Emmy is a girl, this is not a “girly” book and should appeal to both girls and boys. There is plenty of action, mystery and fantasy.
This middle grade book is geared toward three-six graders. My second grader, who reads at probably a third or fourth grade level, read this book to himself and loved it. He had no problem comprehending the plot. I read this book aloud to my first grader, who also loved the book but a little trouble connecting the dots when Emmy started to solve the mystery of the talking Rat and the evil Miss Barmy. When I sensed he wasn’t getting something, I would stop reading and discuss with him what he thought was happening and then help him to understand it better. With this help, he was also able to comprehend the book and he also loved it. His favorite part was the flipbook on the right margin. As you read the book, there are pictures of the Rat slowly falling out of a tree. It was a fun way to track our progress through the book
My boys and I read this book for the Intergenerational Book Club at our church. The facilitator of the book club came up with some really fun activities to go along with our discussion. We always have food that relates to the book so she brought miniature peanut butter cups, which are the Rat’s favorite snack. Also mentioned in the book are jam tarts. She found some cookies with jam in the middle and brought those. In the book, Emmy makes a chinchilla foot out of clay so the facilitator brought some modeling clay and a picture of a chinchilla. The kids had a blast making their own chinchilla feet. And the piece de resistance (for the kids anyway!) was the whoopee cushion she brought for them to take turns playing with. Farting plays a significant part in one part of the book, much to my disgust and all the children’s delight.
This book is the first in a series that includes at least three books so far. My boys were delighted to know that there were more books about Emmy waiting for them to read – a ringing endorsement for sure!
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LibraryThing member emitnick
Emmy has two rich parents but she might as well be an orphan - although they seem to love her, they are forever jaunting around the world, leaving her with Miss Barmy, the Nanny from Hell. It seems that Miss Barmy has been using magic to meddle with just about everything in Emmy's life - which
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explains why she seems to be all but invisible to her classmates and teachers, and why her parents seem to be able to ignore her so often. Luckily, Emmy's classroom rat, Rat, turns out to have an amazing power or two - and despite his irascible nature, he and several other gifted rodents (and a few oddball humans) help Emmy to free herself from Miss Barmy. With its quiet kid-power motif and witty details and dialogue, this fantasy will appeal to fans of Eva Ibbotson. Show Less
LibraryThing member prkcs
When Emmy discovers that she and her formerly loving parents are being drugged by their evil nanny with rodent potions that can change people in frightening ways, she and some new friends must try everything possible to return things to normal.
LibraryThing member anniecase
I have to admit to being intimidated by the length and even a little bogged down in it at times, but this was a charming adventure story--perfect for voracious readers.
LibraryThing member JeSouhaite
Emmy is used to being invisible…until she hears the class pet rat talk. From there adventure and mayhem ensue. From rats and rodents with magical properties to an evil nanny who has a sinister plan for Emmy and her family.
Ages 8-12
*Check out the continuing adventures of Emmy in Emmy and the Home
Ages 8-12
*Check out the continuing adventures of Emmy in Emmy and the Home
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for Troubled Girls.* Show Less
LibraryThing member GaylDasherSmith
A rolicking adventure that grabs your heart at Emmy tries to win the attention of her parents.
LibraryThing member jepeters333
Emmy was a good girl. At least she tried very hard to be good. She did her homework without being told. She ate all her vegetables, even the slimy ones. And she never talked back to her nanny, Miss Barmy, although it was almost impossible to keep quiet - some days. Honestly, Emmy really was a
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little too good. Which is why she liked to sit by the Rat. The Rat was not good at all. . . Show Less
LibraryThing member bunwat
This was fun. I liked the interplay between Emmy and her various friends, rodent and human. They were all vivid characters in their various ways, and different one from the other - the narcoleptic professor and the sweet gentle Endearmouse and the vainglorious Shrinking Rat and the popular jock who
The villainous nanny is suitably villainous and doesn't have a change of heart or get revealed to be just misunderstood but stays a thoroughgoing villain right through her comeuppance. Which I appreciate very much. I want my villains to be villains otherwise where's the triumph in overcoming them?
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joins the doormouse soccer team. The villainous nanny is suitably villainous and doesn't have a change of heart or get revealed to be just misunderstood but stays a thoroughgoing villain right through her comeuppance. Which I appreciate very much. I want my villains to be villains otherwise where's the triumph in overcoming them?
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LibraryThing member jlryan
good book for elementary school, good for boys and girls. quick read.
LibraryThing member SuPendleton
When Emmy's parents inherit a lot of money, things begin to get really strange for Emmy. Her parents don't seem to be interested in her anymore although they once were attentive to her. A suspicious nanny, Miss Barmy, is now in control of Emmy's life. When Emmy is bitten by the classroom rat, she
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can suddenly understand what he is saying. When her classmate is bitten twice, he shrinks to the size of a rat. Emmy soon finds out the evil plans of MIss Barmy and must try to stop her. A great read for students in 4-6th grades. It was a fast-paced, fun mystery/adventure. Loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Narrated by Lynne Jonell and cast. Emmy does her best to be good at home and school but no one seems to notice her. The teacher and kids at school look right through her, and her parents are always off traveling. Only her nanny Miss Barmy notices her and it's mainly to ply her with nutrition shakes
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and special lotions to maintain Emmy's delicate nutritional balance. The class rat notices Emmy, too; for whatever reason Emmy has always been able to hear and understand the rat's speech. When she frees the rat from his cage, the action sets off an adventure involving animals with special powers and Miss Barmy's greedy intentions. And at last, Emmy has friends. The full cast of voices brings this amusing adventure story to life. Show Less
LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
Emmaline Augusta Addison is a good girl who tries to do everything right, but no one notices her. Her teacher doesn't seem to remember her name and her classmates ignore her. At home her parents are rarely home. Even when they do stop in, between trips to Paris, Salamanca, the Isle of Bugaloo or
Her nanny, Miss Barmy, tells her that it may be that she doesn't try hard enough. Emmy has won tons of awards, earns top grades in school, takes ballet, French, gymnastics, pottery and more! What more can she do? She drinks, eats and puts up with the potions that Miss Barmy give her, that are to make her better and healthier. She even visits Dr. Leander, the psychiatrist, twice a month per Miss Barmy's orders.
It wasn't anything like this before, when she and her parents lived over the bookstore they owned. The three of them spent time doing things together. They were a real family.
After they inherited the castle of a house they lived in and buckets of money that allowed them to do whatever, her parents were constantly on the go, leaving Emmy in the hands of Miss Barmy and the rest of the house staff.
When Emmy finds that she can talk to the classroom rat, a whole new world opens up. Rat also gives her some ideas that lead her to the Antique Rat; a strange shop that specializes in rodents and is run by the strange and scary Professor Vole. Emmy also finds new friends that will stand by her in the various rodents she meets. She also discovers the dark side about her nanny and how it has been affecting her life.
Fantasy, mystery and humour in good dollops are found in this book. It is a book for middle grades, but adults can get some good enjoyment out of it too.
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anywhere else in the world, they never seem to have the time or interest to spend time with her.Her nanny, Miss Barmy, tells her that it may be that she doesn't try hard enough. Emmy has won tons of awards, earns top grades in school, takes ballet, French, gymnastics, pottery and more! What more can she do? She drinks, eats and puts up with the potions that Miss Barmy give her, that are to make her better and healthier. She even visits Dr. Leander, the psychiatrist, twice a month per Miss Barmy's orders.
It wasn't anything like this before, when she and her parents lived over the bookstore they owned. The three of them spent time doing things together. They were a real family.
After they inherited the castle of a house they lived in and buckets of money that allowed them to do whatever, her parents were constantly on the go, leaving Emmy in the hands of Miss Barmy and the rest of the house staff.
When Emmy finds that she can talk to the classroom rat, a whole new world opens up. Rat also gives her some ideas that lead her to the Antique Rat; a strange shop that specializes in rodents and is run by the strange and scary Professor Vole. Emmy also finds new friends that will stand by her in the various rodents she meets. She also discovers the dark side about her nanny and how it has been affecting her life.
Fantasy, mystery and humour in good dollops are found in this book. It is a book for middle grades, but adults can get some good enjoyment out of it too.
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LibraryThing member snickel63
I found this book to be quite entertaining. The premise was light and yet there was a "villian" in it as well. I liked the idea of rodents (which many people do not like) to be nice and easy-going throughout the book. I would recommend this to younger readers.
LibraryThing member mutantpudding
Funny and weird. Reminded me of Jennifer Murdlys Toad by Bruce Coville.
LibraryThing member scote23
Emmy has always tried her best to be a good girl. However, no one except her nanny, Miss Barmy and the class rat seems to pay any attention to her. Why is that? When Emmy decides to set the rat free one day, it sets forth a series of events that answer that question. I quite enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member MollyGroff
This book I think is awesome!
Awards
Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Nominee — 2011)
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2010)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Great Stone Face Book Award (Nominee — 2009)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2010)
Sasquatch Book Award (Nominee — 2010)
Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Nominee)
Bluestem Award (Nominee — 2011)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Nominee — Grades 3-5 — 2010)
Nēnē Award (Nominee — 2009)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2010)
Virginia Readers' Choice (Nominee — Elementary — 2010)
Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Nominee — 2010)
Minnesota Book Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2008)
Pages
352
ISBN
080508150X / 9780805081503