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lkstrohecker's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
kisjdmls's review against another edition
4.0
I don’t think there’s anything worse than navigating the world as a thirteen year old girl. A summer camp setting lets two girls navigate & come to terms with a broken friendship. Feels both realistic and fanciful.
littlepythonmom's review against another edition
5.0
I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity.
I'm a music teacher by profession. But as a kid, I was just like Maggie in this book. A talented kid musically with two left feet. I was in grad school before I was diagnosed with dyspraxia. Like Maggie, I had big dreams, but also a recognition of reality. And like Maggie, I had to watch friends excel without,seemingly, even trying. I was fortunate in that my falls and funbles came before the internet. And I was fortunate in that my friends weren't TV stars and professionals who seemed to have it all.
See, that's the other character. Chloe had a prior starring turn on a TV show and a few other pro credits, She also has a stage mom and dreams of Broadway. She's beautiful and popular. And, while Maggie sometimes doesn't realize it, she too envies her friend, and has a growing realization that she's afraid her mother might not accept-but Maggie's supportive moms would.
That is where this book excels. We meet the girls after their falling out. After Chloe's pressuring Maggie to join the school musical with her went horribly wrong, after their friendship was apparently over, they both get assigned to the same cabin at Drama camp. The screenwriting program is canceled, and worse, they both end up in the musical. Through a mix of flashback and current events, we get the story, with alternating perspectives.
As someone with dyspraxia, I found this book realistic, and I think kids with dyspraxia, as well as friends and classmates, will welcome it. But Chloe's story is equally valuable and relatable.
The LGBT content in this book is woven in skillfully and completely appropriately for the MG age group. It is the best kind of representation, that where being gay is simply part of the character as a whole, not their primary identity, And it's nice to see that gay kids have ackward crushes, too.
This book deserves to be read. I hope it gets the chance it deserves.
I'm a music teacher by profession. But as a kid, I was just like Maggie in this book. A talented kid musically with two left feet. I was in grad school before I was diagnosed with dyspraxia. Like Maggie, I had big dreams, but also a recognition of reality. And like Maggie, I had to watch friends excel without,seemingly, even trying. I was fortunate in that my falls and funbles came before the internet. And I was fortunate in that my friends weren't TV stars and professionals who seemed to have it all.
See, that's the other character. Chloe had a prior starring turn on a TV show and a few other pro credits, She also has a stage mom and dreams of Broadway. She's beautiful and popular. And, while Maggie sometimes doesn't realize it, she too envies her friend, and has a growing realization that she's afraid her mother might not accept-but Maggie's supportive moms would.
That is where this book excels. We meet the girls after their falling out. After Chloe's pressuring Maggie to join the school musical with her went horribly wrong, after their friendship was apparently over, they both get assigned to the same cabin at Drama camp. The screenwriting program is canceled, and worse, they both end up in the musical. Through a mix of flashback and current events, we get the story, with alternating perspectives.
As someone with dyspraxia, I found this book realistic, and I think kids with dyspraxia, as well as friends and classmates, will welcome it. But Chloe's story is equally valuable and relatable.
The LGBT content in this book is woven in skillfully and completely appropriately for the MG age group. It is the best kind of representation, that where being gay is simply part of the character as a whole, not their primary identity, And it's nice to see that gay kids have ackward crushes, too.
This book deserves to be read. I hope it gets the chance it deserves.
melissa_withthelonglastname's review against another edition
3.0
As a former middle school girl, this book rang true in a lot of ways. I had a lot of friendships dissolve during those years. I can only imagine being stuck at the same camp (in the same cabin!) with some of those girls -- yikes.
This was my first Sarah Kapit book, and there were times in the story that the adult author's voice seemed to come through her tween characters in a very strong manner. In the final third of the book, there were a lot of heavy-handed messages about forgiveness and acceptance. Good messages that I totally agree with, but it seemed more "tell" than "show."
As the mom of two girls, I struggle when middle-grade books have nothing but hands-off adults. The director-counselor Audrey helps Maddie at times, but no girl should have to feel like they have to handle their real problems on their own. I worry that the overall message of this book is just a version of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" when I want my kids to learn to advocate for themselves and reach out to trusted adults when they are struggling.
Note: there are 20 uses of fat/fatter in this book. As a plus-size woman, I am all for body positivity and reclaiming the word fat, but this just seemed like Maddie talking bad about herself...over and over again. I worry that some girls will internalize this negative self-talk and miss the "lesson" of self-acceptance that is trying to be passed on.
(I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
This was my first Sarah Kapit book, and there were times in the story that the adult author's voice seemed to come through her tween characters in a very strong manner. In the final third of the book, there were a lot of heavy-handed messages about forgiveness and acceptance. Good messages that I totally agree with, but it seemed more "tell" than "show."
As the mom of two girls, I struggle when middle-grade books have nothing but hands-off adults. The director-counselor Audrey helps Maddie at times, but no girl should have to feel like they have to handle their real problems on their own. I worry that the overall message of this book is just a version of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" when I want my kids to learn to advocate for themselves and reach out to trusted adults when they are struggling.
Note: there are 20 uses of fat/fatter in this book. As a plus-size woman, I am all for body positivity and reclaiming the word fat, but this just seemed like Maddie talking bad about herself...over and over again. I worry that some girls will internalize this negative self-talk and miss the "lesson" of self-acceptance that is trying to be passed on.
(I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
rosegoldteacher's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
book_witchery's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
torikate7's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Body shaming and Vomit
minisupernovax's review against another edition
3.5
I love that there's books like this that have queer and disability rep
yapha's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It is not uncommon for friendships to fall apart when kids reach 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. That doesn't make it easier on the kids going through it though. Maddie was looking forward to a fresh start at summer camp, focusing on screenwriting, away from the embarrassment of the school year. She is really upset when her former best friend Chloe ends up not only at camp but in the same cabin. Chloe isn't particularly happy to see Maddie either, but she doesn't really understand why Maddie is so mad at her. Told in alternating view points, this book will resonate with kids going through their own friendship issues, especially musical theater lovers. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss