Cody and the Fountain of Happiness review by Laura...
Cody and the Fountain of Happiness
by Eliza Wheeler, Tricia Springstubb
Age Range - 8 - 12
Genre - For Reluctant Readers
Five Star Award

LitPick Review

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Age at time of review - 32
Reviewer's Location - Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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“There are days that should never be. And then, there are days that, oh, if only they could go on forever!”

That’s how Cody spends her summer vacation. Some days are great. Some days are not so great. When summer begins, Cody thinks she is going to be sent to camp again. But then camp closes, and Cody gets to spend her summer vacation at home.

She meets a younger boy named Spencer looking for his grandmother’s lost cat, MewMew. She helps Spencer find MewMew and learns that he is staying with his grandma for the summer. He is really homesick. So, Cody makes friends with him, and they play together every day.

When she’s not playing with Spencer, Cody is annoying her older brother, Wyatt, who sleeps late when he’s not going to doctor camp. Wyatt likes a girl named Payton who turns out to be Cody’s babysitter who Cody’s dad hires to watch her while they are at work. Cody’s dad is a truck driver who goes away for days at a time. Her mom works at a shoe store, and she’s trying to get promoted to “Head of Shoes.” So, she starts to work longer days.

Cody always tries to do the right thing, but sometimes she tries too hard, and things go wrong. This is especially true when she tries to hypnotize MewMew, and he runs away again. Will they ever find him, and will Spencer ever forgive her?

Opinion: 

I read this book in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. Cody is so funny. I would like to be her friend. She knows all sorts of fun facts, and she loves to talk about all of the beautiful things in the world. She also gets into trouble, mostly by accident. Cody feels bad whenever somebody is upset. When she wants someone to feel better, she writes them a note or tries to help them with their problem, but sometimes she’s not so helpful. We have all made things worse when we’ve tried to help others, but as Cody’s mom says, “…it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason.”

I like how Cody can have adventures in her own backyard. Even small things, like marshmallows and dolphin-shaped toe rings, make her happy. She makes the best out of every situation. She looks up to her older brother, even when he ignores her. She makes the ants in her backyard her pets since Wyatt is allergic to cats and dogs. She likes hanging out with Spencer, even though he is quiet and homesick.

The illustrations in the book are really fun and help to show all of the different characters’ personalities. Some of the chapters end on a cliffhanger, making you want to read on to see what happens next. I used to have adventures like Cody’s, and this book made me remember the good times that you have when you’re on summer vacation.

Rating:
5
Content Rating:

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This book is suitable for all ages.
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