Amelia Bedelia's family goes "off to roam" in book 3 about her life as a young, modern girl. Although she's disappointed it's not "off to Rome," Amelia Bedelia soon adapts. She keeps a journal, learns to read a map (kind of), accidentally joins a small-town parade, and enters the Miss Bigmouth fishing contest. Like the earlier books in the series, Amelia Bedelia is likable and funny, though somewhat less outlandish than in previous books by Peggy Parish. Small illustrations break up every spread, making it a good choice for readers transitioning into chapter books. Hand this to fans of Junie B. Jones and Ruby Lu.

Young Amelia Bedelia embarks on a surprise road trip with her parents. They enjoy a week at a lake, and, despite her dimwittedness, Amelia wins a fishing contest. Amelia's mistakes play much better in the original books, where the grown-up maid's cluelessness is actually funny. Here her youth (and readers'?) is the source of the humor. Silly black-and-white illustrations break up the text.