Amie Rose Rotruck (Children's Literature)
When Emily's Aunt Chester gives her a set of "Flashcards of My Life" for her birthday, Emily is not sure what do to with them. She is not much of a journal writer, even though Aunt Chester encourages her to write. Soon, however, Emily finds herself using the cards to describe her life and attempting to work through her problems. Emily's life consists of trying to juggle friend and boyfriend politics at school, plus her mother and father's constant cycle of fighting and making up. By writing about them on the cards, plus drawing illustrations (such as the "Boyfriend Obstacle Course" map), Emily finds the journaling gives her perspective on her life. While Harper has created a very vivid voice and style for Emily, at times Emily's voice does not match her age (quite often the book feels more like a middle school rather than a high school story). Much is made of Emily's Aunt Chester in the first chapter, but Aunt Chester never makes an appearance in the story. Still, Emily is a very engaging character and her journaling has enough humor to balance the typical teenage angst. 2006, Little Brown, $15.99. Ages 12 up.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 1))
There's a lot to sort out in junior high: Emily's best friend, Sandra, doesn't like her other friends, "the Sarahs"; Emily thinks she might have a crush on Andrew, but is it only because she heard Andrew might be crushing on her; and will her endless-dieting mom and clueless dad ever be happy together again? An unexpected birthday gift, The Flashcards of My Life, might help Emily make sense of it all. With humor and insight, she focuses on such topics as kissing, embarrassing moments, regrets, talent and dreams. Readers will probably gloss over stereotypical inclusions of librarians' attire and a gym teacher who might be a lesbian, to take in Emily's "Girlfriend Sacred Rule," "Boyfriend Obstacle Course" with the "Must Pass My Friends' Let-Us-Decide-If-We-Like-Him Time Trial," and other amusing sketches, charts and checklists. Emily's search for the truth about friendship, romance and identity will appeal to 'tween fans of conversational chick-lit. 2006, Little, Brown, 224p, $15.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 9 to 13. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Deborah Stevenson, Associate Editor (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, February 2006 (Vol. 59, No. 6))
Emily’s honorary aunt is trying to nudge Emily into journal-keeping by giving her a set of “Flashcards of My Life--A Pack of Cards All about You,” comprising cards on important subjects such as Friends, Identity, Kiss, Regrets, Crush, and other key topics for the recipient to discourse upon. Though initially reluctant, Emily quickly warms to the task, documenting her relationship with her best friend, Sandra, her good school friends, Sarah W. and Sarah J., and her complicated entry into the world of kissing and liking boys. The narrative is slight, and it never really acquires a shape, instead moving along linearly to a pause in the frenetic early adolescent relationship dance; some of the characters, especially the boys, aren’t well differentiated, which makes it a challenge to remember who likes whom. However, Harper conveys with absolute fidelity Emily’s age-appropriate combination of self-involvement and acute concern with human dynamics; her interpolated drawings, charts, and diagrams are humorous yet also true to the way kids relentlessly employ methodological conceits in trying to parse human relationships. The story gains a little suspense from a secret kiss, whose perpetrator Emily won’t initially admit even in her private writings (it turns out to have been Mike, who’s now seeing Sandra, who has no idea her boyfriend once kissed her best friend), but mostly the point is the comic-touched intensity of Emily’s relationship travails. Fans of Rachel Vail will likely enjoy snooping in Emily’s postcards. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: Ad -- Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2006, Little, 224p, $15.99. Grades 4-6.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2006)
Emily receives some note cards (labeled with different topics) that serve as catalysts for her journal entries. As she navigates junior high, she chronicles such everyday issues as friendships, crushes, sparring parents, and adolescent awkwardness. Peppered with pencil drawings and handwritten entries, Emily's journal unfortunately suffers from feeling too commonplace and quickly grows wearisome. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2006, Little, 235pp, 15.99. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 4: Recommended, with minor flaws.

Kelly Czarnecki (VOYA, February 2006 (Vol. 28, No. 6))
Talking donuts, laughing trees, and the clothes that librarians wear (not!) are a few of the illustrations Emily includes in her journal that chronicles the roller coaster of her feelings. As a surprise birthday present, Emily's Aunt Chester sends her a package of cards, blank on one side, but with topics such as Friends, Embarrassment, Boyfriends, and Kissing on the other. Although Emily has never been one much for writing, she soon finds out she has a lot to say. Readers looking for unpredictability and non-stereotypical characters will not find them here, but what they will find is a narrator with a strong voice dealing with problems to which many teens can relate. Emily often feels like a klutz as her body is growing: "Just smashed my arm on the side of my dresser. It's like my arms and legs are too long for my body." She works hard to maintain her friendships. Thoughts of dating definitely top Emily's list of what is on her mind, "Benefit of Crush Luck at the Same Time: You can talk freely and often about how happy you are without worrying about hurting your friends' feelings because they don't have what you have." Readers who liked What My Mother Doesn't Know (Simon & Schuster, 2001/VOYA October 2001) or One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies (2004/VOYA October 2004) by Sonya Sones or the Princess Diary series by Meg Cabot will enjoy a glimpse into Emily's sometimes painful, sometimes hilarious life. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2006, Little Brown, 233p., $15.99. Ages 12 to 15.