When a visit to Boston spurs Judy's interest in Revolutionary heroes and heroines, she's soon on a quest for more independence in this hilarious new episode from Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds. Huzzah! She, Judy Moody, would hereby, this day, make the Judy Moody Declaration of Independence. With alien rights and her own Purse of Happiness and everything. Hear ye! Hear ye! Everyone knows that Judy Moody has a mood for every occasion, and now a visit to Boston has put our famous third grader in a revolutionary mood. When Judy meets an English girl named Tori at the Tea Party ship, she is gobsmacked to learn how many liberties her British friend enjoys — her very own phone, private loo, and pounds of allowance. When a day of cheerfully doing her chores doesn't earn Judy Moody more rights, and staging a revolt in the form of a tea-throwing Boston Tub Party has her dad reading the riot act, Judy is forced into temporary retreat. Who would guess that a real-life crisis involving her brother, Stink, would finally give Judy a chance to show her courageous quick thinking – and prove her independence, once and for all? Fans get a history lesson delivered with humor, as Judy petitions for her own freedoms — such as more allowance. —Publishers Weekly Fans can cheer 'Huzzah! Huzzah!' for Judy as she connects history with her own story. —San Francisco Chronicle Judy's petitioning for parental concessions will spark recognition in many readers, and in both McDonald's charismatic narrative and Reynolds' line drawings, the characterization of a dauntless, endearingly notional third-grader is as spot-on as ever. —Booklist INDEPENDENCE is good for curricular ties to social studies units, and McDonald does a great job of transforming the concepts into familiar concerns. Read aloud or alone, this delightful book will inspire children to write their own declarations of independence. —School Library Journal Illustrator Peter H. Reynolds portrays Judy’s spunk, and McDonald tells a story that not only offers a fun, fictional heroine, but also admirably introduces a real female heroine from the time of the American Revolution. —Connecticut Family Megan McDonald  is the creator of the popular and award-winning Judy Moody and Stink series. She is also the author of three Sisters Club stories, two books about Ant and Honey Bee, and many other books for children. Megan McDonald lives in California. Peter H. Reynolds  is the illustrator of the Judy Moody and Stink books and the author-illustrator of  The Dot, Ish, Sky Color, So Few of Me, The North Star, Rose’s Garden, The Smallest Gift of Christmas,  and  Playing from the Heart . Born in Canada, he now lives in Dedham, Massachusetts. When Judy got home, she dragged her tote bag upstairs to her room. Thwump, thwump, thwump. She dragged her backpack, her blanket, her pillow, and her sock monkey. And her stuff from the gift shop. She shut the door and climbed up into her secret hideaway (her top bunk). She, Judy Moody, was supposed to be writing her makeup book report, as in not waiting till the very, very last minute. Instead, she declared freedom from homework. Then she, Judy Moody, had an idea. A freedom idea. A John Hancock idea. A Declaration of Independence idea. She did not even stop to call Rocky and tell him about the Boston Tea Party Ship and the Giant Milk Bottle that sold star-spangled bananas. She did not even stop to call Frank and tell him about Mother Goose's grave and the musical toilet. That could wait till tomorrow. But some things could not wait. Judy gazed in awe at the copy of the Declaration of Independence she'd gotten in Boston. It was on old-timey brown paper with burned edges that looked like tea had been spilled on it. Judy squinted to try to read the fancy-schmancy handwriting. When in the bones of human events . . . blah blah blah . . . we hold these truths . . . more blah blah . . . alien rights . . . Life, Liberty, and the Purse of Happiness. She, Judy Moody, would hereby, this day, make the Judy Moody Declaration of Independence. With alien rights and her own Purse of Happiness and everything. _____________________ JUDY MOODY DECLARES INDEPENDENCE by Megan McDonald. Copyright (c) 2005 by Megan McDonald. Published by Candlewick Press, Inc., Cambridge, MA.