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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
3 1/2 stars, young juvenile fiction.
This was a very sweet and playful book that deals with a tough diagnosis + aftermath for 12-year-old Maddie. Interestingly, my father had the same tumor/surgery (though his was high-growth, and he was 40+ years older). It's a fairly common tumor, but I didn't realize this book had the same one, so it was a little more special to me for that reason. I really loved the sweet innocence of Maddie. She seems younger than 12, but I prefer that to precocious pre-teens, frankly. A fun & tender read.
Also, this is based on the authors' daughter Maddie and her own diagnosis. I love it when it's a based-on-true-story :)
This was a very sweet and playful book that deals with a tough diagnosis + aftermath for 12-year-old Maddie. Interestingly, my father had the same tumor/surgery (though his was high-growth, and he was 40+ years older). It's a fairly common tumor, but I didn't realize this book had the same one, so it was a little more special to me for that reason. I really loved the sweet innocence of Maddie. She seems younger than 12, but I prefer that to precocious pre-teens, frankly. A fun & tender read.
Also, this is based on the authors' daughter Maddie and her own diagnosis. I love it when it's a based-on-true-story :)
Mustaches for Maddie is a wonderful treasure of a read! Instantly, I fell in love with Maddie. Her attitude towards life was infectious. Plus, I loved how she could turn any situation into a "mustache" situation. As Maddie states "imagine a pig with a mustache or a woman singing opera with a pink mustache". That is where the photo booth is so popular at events. Which Maddie was right to say think that mustaches make any situation funnier as well as people. Take Groucho Marx for example. He was a pretty funny guy who also was famous for his mustache.
Maddie was so brave when facing the diagnosis of a brain tumor as well as surgery and the recovery. Although, her family were pretty great too. I appreciate the authors sharing their daughter's story. I mustache this book so much!
Maddie was so brave when facing the diagnosis of a brain tumor as well as surgery and the recovery. Although, her family were pretty great too. I appreciate the authors sharing their daughter's story. I mustache this book so much!
Go, Maddie, go! This sweet, quirky girl steals your heart from the get-go and keeps struggling authentically with the confusing stress of Cassie the mean girl, the difficulties of being a loner with a huge imagination and a desire to make friends, and the existential uncertainties of having a brain tumor. I loved the authors' note at the end and the letter from the real Maddie. This book inspired me to make a "If you liked Wonder, try this" reader's advisory list.
Love! Such a heartfelt story that is filled with humor, gray characters, and tons of laughs!
This is a warm, uplifting novel about a 12-year-old girl who finds out she has a brain tumor. It's about facing trials with courage, treating others with compassion, and coming together to lift people up instead of tear them down. Based on the real-life experience of the authors' daughter, it's a tender story about family, friendship, and fighting for what's important. I loved it.
Maddie's a 12-year-old kid who loves to laugh and make people laugh, and there's nothing better for that - at least according to Maddie - than a fake mustache. She carries them around with her, always ready to hand out and pop one on to make an uncomfortable situation better, to add some bravery when a situation calls for it, or just to make someone laugh. She's also trying to secure her spot within the school queen bee's clique; Cassie dictates who gets to hang out with her, and demands favors of her "friends" in order to stay in her favor. When she tells Maddie not to hang out with a perfectly nice classmate for no other reason than she said so, Maddie struggles with it, but ultimately - at first - sticks with Cassie. The thing is, Maddie's noticing her body acting weird lately. Her arm isn't acting right; it's curling against her chest. She's tripping over her own two feet quite often. But she tells her mom it's just growing pains. It can't be anything weird, right?
Wrong. When she finally goes to the doctor, she and her family learn that she has a brain tumor that will require surgery. And Maddie just landed the part of Juliet in the school production of Romeo and Juliet! Maddie learns to face her fears - including her fear of not being in Cassie's orbit - and embraces real friendship with those around her. When Cassie turns into a bully, Maddie focuses on the bigger picture: surgery and recovery. Her friends and family rally around her, and there are plenty of mustache moments to look forward to.
This book is brilliant. Based on the true story of the authors' daughter - who is okay now, thank goodness! - this story, told in the first person from Maddie's POV, is engaging and heart-felt. Maddie has a great sense of humor and a big heart, and strives to see the good in everyone: even a bully. Despite wanting to be in Cassie's orbit, she enjoys embracing her quirky sense of humor, making her a lovable heroine - even moreso, when you realize she's an actual person. SLJ calls Mustaches for Maddie a good readalike for RJ Palacio's Wonder and I have to agree. I've booktalked it exactly once, and that's because the second I put it on the shelf and talked about the plot, it was gone and hasn't stopped circulating yet. The book's website offers a free, downloadable reading guide with Common Core Connections, activities for the classroom and beyond, and CIA (Compassion in Action) activities. There are also fantastic extras, including downloadable mustache posters and greeting cards. I'm considering a CIA program myself, where I provide the kids with mustache templates that they can decorate and we'll display in the library, along with a list of CIA intentions. If I can get the kids to join in, I'll make sure to blog it.
In the meantime, this is a great book for discussion, for gift-giving, for just about everything. It addresses the need for compassion that our society needs some help with these days, and take on a special importance during the holiday season and as we prepare for a new year.
Wrong. When she finally goes to the doctor, she and her family learn that she has a brain tumor that will require surgery. And Maddie just landed the part of Juliet in the school production of Romeo and Juliet! Maddie learns to face her fears - including her fear of not being in Cassie's orbit - and embraces real friendship with those around her. When Cassie turns into a bully, Maddie focuses on the bigger picture: surgery and recovery. Her friends and family rally around her, and there are plenty of mustache moments to look forward to.
This book is brilliant. Based on the true story of the authors' daughter - who is okay now, thank goodness! - this story, told in the first person from Maddie's POV, is engaging and heart-felt. Maddie has a great sense of humor and a big heart, and strives to see the good in everyone: even a bully. Despite wanting to be in Cassie's orbit, she enjoys embracing her quirky sense of humor, making her a lovable heroine - even moreso, when you realize she's an actual person. SLJ calls Mustaches for Maddie a good readalike for RJ Palacio's Wonder and I have to agree. I've booktalked it exactly once, and that's because the second I put it on the shelf and talked about the plot, it was gone and hasn't stopped circulating yet. The book's website offers a free, downloadable reading guide with Common Core Connections, activities for the classroom and beyond, and CIA (Compassion in Action) activities. There are also fantastic extras, including downloadable mustache posters and greeting cards. I'm considering a CIA program myself, where I provide the kids with mustache templates that they can decorate and we'll display in the library, along with a list of CIA intentions. If I can get the kids to join in, I'll make sure to blog it.
In the meantime, this is a great book for discussion, for gift-giving, for just about everything. It addresses the need for compassion that our society needs some help with these days, and take on a special importance during the holiday season and as we prepare for a new year.
Aww Mustaches for Maddie is such a sweet book. Even though it's meant for middle grade/elementary I still enjoyed it a lot. There are a lot of good lessons to be learned from this book. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!
I really enjoyed this book. I especially enjoyed how Maddie overcame her anger at one of her classmates and recognized that sometimes people are mean because they are hurting and don't know how to communicate that.
This was quite the book to demonstrate the need for compassion. We never know what someone might be going through in their lives and perhaps their actions are a self defense mechanism to protect their feelings.
While this book is a middle grade book, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult. The themes cross all age lines and considering what we hear in the news at times about kids being mean to each other, this book is very appropriate. It could also open some dialogue between kids and parents on various topics from bullies to health issues.
This is based on a true story and my heart went out to Maddie (or any child) that has to endure any sort of tough medical treatments. No one should have to go through that. I did like how the parents were not afraid to let Maddie know they were praying for her and it actually made Maddie more at peace with the situation.
Maddie used humor to diffuse any situations where she felt nervous. She also liberally used mustaches to help ease any tensions in tough situation. I can just imagine how funny everyone looked that put on one of these mustaches because of the various colors, textures and styles.
Excellent book!
While this book is a middle grade book, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult. The themes cross all age lines and considering what we hear in the news at times about kids being mean to each other, this book is very appropriate. It could also open some dialogue between kids and parents on various topics from bullies to health issues.
This is based on a true story and my heart went out to Maddie (or any child) that has to endure any sort of tough medical treatments. No one should have to go through that. I did like how the parents were not afraid to let Maddie know they were praying for her and it actually made Maddie more at peace with the situation.
Maddie used humor to diffuse any situations where she felt nervous. She also liberally used mustaches to help ease any tensions in tough situation. I can just imagine how funny everyone looked that put on one of these mustaches because of the various colors, textures and styles.
Excellent book!