Full Text Review(s)
"Emma is back with the entire O’Fallon clan. In the third installment of "Emma Dilemma" adventures, all of the kids are eagerly awaiting the return of their beloved nanny, Annie, from her visit back to Ireland, but only Emma and her older brother Tim get up before sunrise to meet her! Emma has a whole list of things she needs Annie’s help with, including getting Annie to chaperone her soccer game to Washington, D. C. and to help her figure out what to do about Katie, a girl on the team who Emma does not like. When chaos ensues during Annie’s first dinner home, and Emma’s parents do not want to hear the kids’ explanations, Emma comes up with a plan--the O’Fallon kids are going on strike! With five kids, a dog, an escaped ferret named Marmaduke, and some new pets in the mix, kids are sure to love Emma’s family and their fun, crazy lives."

"In this third installment of the adventures of boisterous, soccer-playing Emma, the entire O'Fallon household feels the effects of her scheming. Annie, their fabulously obliging nanny, has returned from her Ireland vacation and is secretly keeping a new kitten and ferret in her apartment. How is Emma going to introduce additional pets to her already stressed-out parents? More importantly, how will she convince Mom that Annie, not Mom, should be the traveling soccer team's chaperone, on their first away game, in which she needs to prove her skills against ball-hogging rival Katie? When her parents are surprised by the new pets' escape-chase around the dinner table, Emma's dilemmas increase. Taking a cue from her father's impending airline strike, Emma organizes her siblings into a picket line, complete with demands and offers of negotiations. Hermes craftily combines suspense and mild amusement with themes of self-esteem and problem-solving. Emma's bold planning allows for positive outcomes as she learns about her own strengths while recognizing the differing individual support her mother and nanny provide. Another winner."

"In the third Emma Dilemma title, nine-year-old Emma’s soccer team is headed to Washington, D.C., and the trip poses plenty of dislemmas for Emma, both at home and on the team. Emma is a lively protagonist who faces everyday ethical issues and learns to look beyond her own wants to consider others. The descriptive prose incorporates soccer elements, sometimes droll scenarios, and feelings readers will recognize, including Emma’s desire to be the best at something. Underlying the story are messages about the importance of honesty and communication, as well as the challenges and unexpected rewards of compromise."