novel import Felicia the Critic by Ellen Conford

Felicia argues with the weather on the radio every morning and is constantly trying to tell everyone around her a better way to do things. She thinks the crossing guard is inefficient. She tries to return a fatty roast to the supermarket for her mother. She gets in fights with her sister Marilyn constantly. Her mother tells her that she should be more constructive in her criticism, but even this does not help. When her best friend Cheryl tells Felicia that she can only be in a group her classmates are starting, Felicia shuts up-- even when the group tries to make money by having a carnival... in the middle of winter. When the carnival is a failure, Felicia learns that sometimes she should speak up, but in general, she should learn to be more positive.
Strengths: This title is 40 years old, and even though there are a couple of references dating it (Felicia sets her hair on rollers, a pot roast costs $4, there is a friend named Phyllis), it still stands up extremely well today. Felicia's habit of criticizing everyone is a habit that still gets students into trouble today, and the interactions with family and friends still resonate.
Weaknesses: The art on the first edition copy dates this horribly, and the condition of my library's book isn't great, either, but this still circulates!