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Annie's Life in Lists

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For Annie, lists are how she keeps her whole life in order. And there is a lot to keep track of! Do you love Anastasia Krupnik, Ramona Quimby, and the Penderwicks? Then you will love Annie!Annie's a shy fifth grader with an incredible memory and a love of making lists. It helps her keep track of things when they can seem a little out of control, like her family, her friends, and her life in a new place.Annie An incredible memory (really, it's almost photographic) that can get her in trouble.2. A brother who is mad at her because he thinks she is the reason they had to move to Clover Gap, population 8,432.4. A best friend who she is (almost) certain will always be her best friend.5. New classmates, some of whom are nicer than others.6. A rocky start finding her place in her new home. From the author of The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School, Annie's Life in Lists finds that even amid the chaos of everyday life, it's important to put things in order."Perfect for anyone who's ever worried about starting a new school, saying the wrong thing, dying of embarrassment, or losing a best friend. I loved getting to know Annie through her lists!" --Kelly Jones, author of Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

262 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2018

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About the author

Kristin Mahoney

3 books42 followers
Kristin Mahoney is the author of Annie's Life in Lists, about a girl who moves from Brooklyn to a small town in the country. Kristin herself grew up in a small town in North Carolina, and eventually moved to Brooklyn. Now she lives in New Jersey with her family, where she makes lots of lists about groceries, writing ideas, and karaoke songs she'd like to sing.

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5 stars
360 (36%)
4 stars
383 (39%)
3 stars
184 (18%)
2 stars
35 (3%)
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12 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
Profile Image for sAmAnE.
1,144 reviews125 followers
March 27, 2022
آنی دختریه که هر چیزی رو لیست میکنه. شماره گذاری می‌کنه و بعد در موردشون توضیح می‌ده. دقیقا مثل خودم که عادت دارم تمام کارهام لیست کنم و بعد 😄از انجام دادنشون یکی یکی اون‌ها رو خط بزنم و اینکار برام یکی از لذت‌بخش‌ترین کارهاست.

اما آنی هر چیزی رو لیست می‌کنه. مثلا چیزهایی که در مورد تعطیلات یا پدر و مادر یا دوستانش می‌پسنده و دوست داره یا مثلا چیزهایی که جزء دغدغه‌هاش محسوب می‌شه.

خلاصه که برای من یک کتاب سرگرم‌کننده و خوب بود و من این کتاب رو به بچه‌هایی که بی‌نظم هستند و شلخته خیلی خیلی سفارش میکنم. حتی حواس‌پرت‌ها
Profile Image for Kate Willis.
Author 25 books553 followers
February 5, 2019
Just to be nerdy (and because my brain will work better this way in spite of my head cold), I’m gonna review this amazing book with a few lists of my own. ;)

4 Reasons I Picked Up Annie’s Life in Lists
1. I love lists.
2. The doodles are adorable.
3. The highly unusual format had me intrigued. (The whole book is literally written in lists. :D )
4. It promised to be a sweet contemporary middle-grade book, which I’m always down for. ;)

4 Reasons I Loved This Book
1. It delivered on all of the above.
2. Annie was such a real and relatable character. :D
3. Lots of great themes of loving your family and navigating friendships.
4. Lists. :D Which could be somewhat disorienting, but I still liked it a lot.

4 Ways Annie Was So Real
1. She had things she liked and disliked about herself, without thinking about her appearance too much.
2. She was just trying to make friends… “Turns out my fear of not making friends is stronger than my fear of haunted houses.” Same. XD
3. She argued with her brother and miscommunicated with her parents but she loved them dearly.
4. She and her friends did really ordinary but special things for fun. Like snowball fights, volunteering at the the library, and memorizing old songs.

4 Reasons Annie Was So Relatable
1. She remembered random facts about people and had to withhold them so she wouldn’t freak people out. GIRL, I have this malady too.
2. She blamed herself for things.
3. She was quiet, but not shy.
4. This is just to make this list the right length. :P Are we sure Annie and I aren’t the same person??
5. Oops. Well, anyway, she hates gym.

4 Side Characters That Were Actually Really Awesome
1. Zora. Such a queen.
2. Ted. Quintessential bro.
3. Kate, the bookworm who always hums.
4. Millie, the “old friend”.

4 Funny Things
1. The “Great Hole” incident and her aunt’s reaction. :P Also, their brothers were such sweet goofs.
2. Dad’s country life escapades. (Yes, you are supposed to wave at everyone who waves at you.)
3. The list of ways she annoys Ted. Very important.
4. That one “list” that was pretty much a trick. You’ll see.

3 Heartwarming Moments
1. When the truth comes out.
2. Walkie-talkies. <3
3. The ending. :D

4 Slightly Iffy Things
1. There was racism portrayed, and while it is treated as wrong and unthinkable, I’d suggest a discussion with younger readers.
2. Annie accidentally stabbed herself with her pencil. A little gross and also came off as kinda cool which may not be a good message.
3. Annie had an embarrassing moment where .
4. A message of this book is speaking up, but I was a little uneasy when it came off as if speaking up makes it okay to tear others down in the process. Annie “apologized” to someone in such a way that called them out in front of everyone. I would have loved a little more gentleness.

1 Content Advisory
1. A side character says there will be “h*** to pay” and another child says “heck”.

Altogether, I very much enjoyed this book, and I will be keeping an eye on this author to see what she does next. :D
Profile Image for ~Ryhnn~.
105 reviews25 followers
March 20, 2023
"چهار دلیل ساکت بودنم
۱‌.گوش می‌کنم.
۲.نگاه می‌کنم.
۳.فکر می‌کنم.
۴.نمی‌دانم چه بگویم."
"وقتی خیلی از کارها و حرف‌های آدم‌ها یادت بماند، حس می‌کنی آن‌قدر که تو آدم‌ها را دوست داری، آدم‌ها تو را دوست ندارند."
Profile Image for Mikayla.
1,054 reviews
August 7, 2019
I loved this. It was probably the most unique format I've ever read. The lists were great, and Annie's outlook on life was to. I loved her almost always giving people the benefit of the doubt. She was nice, and so like most heroines of middle-grade books these days.
There were a couple of unfinished threads I would have like to see tied off but other than that I have no complaints.
This book made me think in lists, and want to write a ton of lists. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet story about friendship and new beginnings.
Profile Image for Ariel.
Author 12 books39 followers
November 22, 2017
Reasons I love this book:
1. Annie is a completely relatable character with a wonderfully original voice
2. The list format keeps the pace moving perfectly
3. All of the side characters (friends and family) are fully formed with their own realistic nuances
4. I was upset when I finished the manuscript because it was so fun to read!
Profile Image for Theresa Milstein.
Author 9 books64 followers
March 13, 2022
This was really sweet. Annie's quiet, but she has a lot of personality. Believable characters and situations. The author, Kristin Mahoney, got the voice of the age just right. It's hard moving and leaving your best and only friend. It's harder to leave when it's your fault. It's even harder when your brother isn't talking to you. Loved how the story moved forward in list format. I think my students who struggle to read will especially appreciate the variation.
Profile Image for Clarabel.
3,535 reviews50 followers
May 6, 2019
Anna est accro aux listes. Elle en rédige tout le temps pour évoquer sa vie, ses envies, ses drames ou ses déboires. Comme de quitter Brooklyn pour vivre dans une petite ville paumée. Apprendre à se faire de nouveaux amis. Ne plus commettre d'impairs (éviter de raconter qu'elle possède une mémoire phénoménale). Chasser le souvenir d'avoir trahi ses parents en avouant au directeur de son école qu'ils ont menti pour la carte scolaire. Et vogue la galère.
C'est donc l'histoire d'un nouveau départ auquel se confronte une fillette de 11 ans avec des questions de son âge. Il ne faut pas s'attendre à un grain de folie car le contenu est assez sage et sans surprise.
Le seul point original, c'est que le roman est entièrement façonné de listes. Au départ c'est sympa mais sur 300 pages ça devient enquiquinant. En plus, ça n'aide pas à se fondre dans le décor, ni à suivre le fil ou à apprécier les personnages. Et c'est assez plat. En bref, ce n'est pas un style auquel j'ai accroché. Ni un roman qui me laissera un souvenir impérissable.
Profile Image for Galleane.
1,485 reviews159 followers
May 1, 2019
Trois bonnes raisons de lire ce roman
---
1 Rencontrer une héroïne franchement sympathique qui évolue d'une bonne façon.
2 La suivre dans une histoire agréable, qui fait la part belle à l'amitié, au dépassement de soi, aux nouvelles expériences et autres rencontres.
3 La construction du roman et donc découvrir une autre façon de lire une histoire.

Mon avis complet : https://bloggalleane.blogspot.com/201...
Profile Image for Melissa Sarno.
Author 3 books67 followers
December 27, 2018
This book is so sweet, refreshing and charming. The voice is just perfect. I saw a lot of my young self in Annie and I know my 11-year-old self would have adored this book as much as my now-self did.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
11.3k reviews463 followers
March 28, 2023
Silly blurb. So far at least, Annie is not as adventurous as the Penderwicks, much less as rowdy as Ramona Q. She's her very own person and I love her, p. 34. I came here to note, for those of you who don't make big moves in your life, that it's perfectly natural to love your new home and, simultaneously, to be homesick... it's not the either/or implied here.

Also, there's a book rec. for Homesick: My Own Story... or is it Homesick? Or any other book with Homesick in the title? Dang I get frustrated when authors give fake titles or incomplete info. to real books.

Marked bookdarts:

Dad doesn't like wasted paper. How about waste of any kind? How about the baby carrots that Annie admits to throwing out of her lunch every time?

And if you have icicles, never mind if it's a 'surprisingly satisfying activity' to knock them down. It means your home is poorly insulated and you're wasting heat and therefore money and therefore contributing to climate change.

"Maybe you can't get everything you need from only one person" is a terrific insight for fifth-grader. It'll really help her with her friends for the rest of school, college, life.

I do like the mention of "dessert night" in the family. Not every night, but (I'm guessing) once a week, a ritual tradition to look forward to, a healthy way to incorporate a treat into the nutritional balance.

I need to go to YouTube for Parents Just Don't Understand.

Overall, a fun book with a fresh format, light on tropes and heavy on heart. Recommended for those interested.
Profile Image for FAti^^.
7 reviews2 followers
July 11, 2024
شخصیت آنی فوق‌العاده بامزه بود😭
سبک جدیدی بود به نظرم چون خط داستانیش بصورت فهرست و لیست نوشته شده بود و کاملا مناسب کودکان و نوجوانانه
انگار داشتم کارتون میدیدم😭
تجربه خیلی جالب و جدیدی بود
لذت بردم
Profile Image for Briana.
680 reviews15 followers
June 26, 2018
Six Things I Liked about Annie's Life in Lists

1. The entire book is in lists; they're aren't just lists interspersed.
2. There's a wide variety of characters, and Annie has a friend group instead of one best friend.
3 . Annie's new town has a Clover Festival, and people are really into it.
4. Annie's father likes Harry Potter.
5. There are some simple illustrations scattered throughout.
6. The book is fun and a feel-good read.

Three Things I Like about Annie

1. She tries to do the right thing.
2. She has flaws.
3. She notes that even though she has a good memory, she's not a crime solving genius like Cam Jansen.

One Surprising Aspect of the Book

1. Annie's older brother Ted is pretty good at making up band names.  The band names are better than those in The Beauty That Remains , which was an entire book about bands.

Two Things I Didn't Like about the Book

1. The plot idea of a girl moving from the big city to a small town and having to adjust and make friends is not a new one.
2. The format differentiates the book, but, as much as I enjoyed reading it, I know this is a book I'm not going to even remember that I read in a couple years.



*

Initial Thoughts: A fun book about moving to a new town and learning to fit in. I did not initially realize that the entire book is in lists, which is cool. Probably not a book I'm going to really remember 10 years from now, so I'm not giving it 5 stars, but overall well-written and one I would recommend.
Profile Image for Eileen.
714 reviews6 followers
December 12, 2021
I love lists. I just put the word “lists “ in Libby and this middle grade (?) book came up and it looked cute so I got it on my kindle. It’s a book I not only would have loved as a fifth grader like Annie, but I also really liked it as an adult. Easy reading and I read it in a few hours (and hey not going to lie it’s helping me get to my Goodreads goal of 100 books this year).

Side note: I actually accidentally stabbed my finger with a pencil in 8th grade (this happened to Annie) and at age 57 I DO still have a gray mark under my skin from it d so I many years later. Crazy that it doesn’t go away.
Profile Image for Afoma (Reading Middle Grade).
726 reviews426 followers
May 15, 2019
I LOVED this book! Annie’s Life in Lists is a uniquely written, sweet portrayal of a young girl finding her voice and loving it. With an endearing protagonist, this book tackles coping with a move, handling the evolution of friendships, and finding home in a new place. I’m officially a Kristin Mahoney fan and can’t wait to read her next middle-grade novel. In honor of Annie’s love for lists, it’s only right that my favorite things about this book be in list format. You can read the full review here https://afomaumesi.com/annies-life-in...
Profile Image for Helene.
4 reviews5 followers
March 21, 2018
Fantastic and engaging read. Highly recommend for all middle graders!!
Profile Image for Laura.
320 reviews
March 9, 2019
If I could write my own YA novel, it would be like this! This book was delightful, entertaining, and heartwarming. Annie is a 5th grader with an amazing memory for random details, and it is always getting her into trouble. So when she accidentally gets herself kicked out of her school in Brooklyn, she vows to hide her memory skills from now on so she can be "normal." Her family moves from the big city to a little town upstate, and it's an adventure and adjustment for everyone. I love how Annie's character grows throughout the book.

This was a delicious read, and I enjoyed every page. It was also done in an original style, as the narrative is written completely in "lists." We get to read between the lines to pick up the full story.
Brilliant! A fun and easy read. My kids and I all loved it.
Profile Image for Stephanie A..
2,584 reviews89 followers
January 18, 2019
I love lists. I could totally write a book as a series of lists! That's also probably the only way I could ever write a book, so I'm kind of jealous I didn't come up with this idea, but I guess I'd still need a plot underneath it all so never mind. Anyway, great formatting for a cute story about a fifth grader moving from NYC to a small town and going through the typical sense of readjustment, missing her best friend and trying to find new friends. Best part was her mom offering pierced ears in returning for reading 50 books (half of them Mom's choosing, including classics like Dicey's Song). #ParentingGoals
Profile Image for Libby May.
Author 3 books87 followers
May 20, 2020
It was a cute story that I recommend for girls under 16, but as an adult it wasn't my thing. XD The story was cute and I enjoyed the refreshing way it was written, and it wasn't too cliche. Overall it was a good book, just not my thing.

Little note: Annie goes through Halloween as an evil fairy, and there's also talk of parents lying to their kids that makes the kids doubt the parents, which isn't that great. Otherwise there's no content.
Profile Image for Palatine Library.
337 reviews51 followers
Read
July 14, 2020
Annie (Andromeda [pronounced Ann-drama-duh] )has an incredible memory. She may not remember her homework or something else of that sort, but she can remember so many things about others. She remembers everything from a dry cleaner she met a few years ago, to random things about her new friend’s old friend. (There are a lot of friends involved). When her memory gets her into trouble, her parents suddenly pull on her that they’re moving to a smaller town. Annie goes through adventures, while learning more about how different Clover Gap is from Brooklyn, how to fit in while speaking up at the same time, and that she can have more than one friend, like Millie.

I like this book because of how I can relate a bit to the characters. I also think my name is a little weird and long. I am clumsy, and I do think that lists help me organize, even though my entire life cannot be told in lists (another thing very impressive about this book). One thing that I didn’t really like however, is that after someone learns that they can have a lot of friends at the same time, they will eventually acquire too many, and become stressed, worried, they may begin to avoid things that they used to enjoy. This has happened to me before, and I began to avoid people and became antisocial. I felt an urge to go into the story and tell Annie that she will eventually get super stressed out.

-N
44 reviews
February 19, 2019
Even though this book was obviously written for middle-schoolers, I did like it. Having most of the book written in lists was a fresh and engaging way to read, and the characters had wonderful, flawed personalities. No intellectually challenging text, but a nice book that didn't take much effort or thought to enjoy.
Profile Image for Mahsa.
95 reviews4 followers
August 22, 2024
این یک کتاب معمولی نیست، بلکه مجموعه‌ای از لیست‌هایی هست که شخصیت اصلی داستان، آنی، می‌نویسه.
کتاب خیلی دوست‌داشتنی و بامزه هست و من با شخصیت آنی خیلی ارتباط گرفتم و الان واقعا دوست دارم بغلش کنم( هرچند که هر دوتامونم از بغل کردن خوشمون نمیاد و صرفا دستش رو خواهم گرفت :) )
اگه دنبال کتابی هستین که سرگرمتون کنه و لبخند بیاره گوشه لبتون، توصیه اکید میشه.
Profile Image for EJ.
664 reviews32 followers
September 12, 2018
the format bothered me a little bit just because i tend to not read headings/chapter titles (my brain just skips over them automatically) so the list headings were an added challenge for me BUT on the plus side it didn't commit the cardinal error of using a 'handwriting' font, for which i will forgive the format. a sweet, quick read that had a couple of really good poignant moments.
Profile Image for Paige Soule.
373 reviews6 followers
March 23, 2019
Very unique, great way to teach kids a different writing style. Loved the characters and the realness of it all.
Profile Image for Heather.
94 reviews14 followers
June 16, 2019
Super adorable book. I like the lists that still tell a story. Appealing to preteen girls who deal with making new friends and feel like they don’t fit in. SSYRA 3-5 book list
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews

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