Confessions of a So-called Middle Child

by Maria T. Lennon

Overview

People, what you're holding in your greasy little hands is my manifesto, my confessions, written for all you misunderstood middle kids out there who have no room to shine. Yep, when you're sandwiched between an overachieving, superhairy older sister and a too-cute-for-his-own-good younger brother, how can you ever win, right?

I never really thought of myself as a "middle child." Gifted computer hacker? Check. Fashion trailblazer? Double check. Finest prankster in my sixth-grade class? Triple check.

But then something happened. Things got messy. I did something bad. And I mean really, really bad. Bad enough to get expelled for. Bad enough to have to move for, and even bad enough to be sent to a shrink for.

At first, I thought Dr. Scales was just a sad old man with a hazardous dandruff problem, but you know what? By the end of the summer, I was a changed woman. In our last session, the day before my brand-new middle-school life was to start, he gave me a mission:

I had to find the most bullied, friendless, hopeless, laughed-at, lonely girl in the entire school and be her friend. In public.

Just kill me now, please.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062126900
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	08/27/2013
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	HL610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Maria T. Lennon is a graduate of the London School of Economics, a novelist, a screenwriter, and the author of Confessions of a So-called Middle Child. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Charlie visits frequently.

Editorial Reviews

After being expelled for a laxative incident, middle sibling Charlie Cooper has spent the summer grounded, reading books in her bedroom and visiting a psychologist each week. As Charlie begins seventh grade at a new school, Dr. Scales has one final assignment, “to find the most bullied girl in your class and take her under your wing.” Finding her is easy—Marta Urloff is filthy, friendless, and mocked by everyone at her Los Angeles middle school. “She was a horror. You could see it from space,” thinks a despondent Charlie. “She looked like a homeless Disney princess.” With the support of her family, a spiritual makeover (hey, it’s L.A.), and a boost from Houdini (the Cooper family lives in his old mansion), Charlie might just overcome her destructive, attention-seeking habits once and for all. In her first book for children, adult author Lennon (Making It Up as I Go Along) offers a fast-moving story with a satirical edge. Although Charlie’s biting snark can be a bit much, her empathy and heart eventually shine through. Ages 8–12. Agent: Victoria Sanders, Victoria Sanders & Associates. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

09/01/2013
Gr 5–7—Twelve-year-old Charlie is starting over at a new school after an incident involving, of all things, laxatives. Entering the seventh grade, she is torn between wanting to be friends with the popular crowd and trying to be a better person. As part of her rehabilitation plan, her therapist, Dr. Scales, gives her a task: "to find the most bullied girl in your class and take her under your wing." The object of Charlie's focus is Marta, whom she describes as looking like a "homeless Disney princess." What begins as an obligatory project designed to turn Charlie into a kinder, more empathetic friend becomes a laugh-out-loud adventure as the two classmates confront truly mean girls and face challenges that allow Charlie's genuine good nature to shine through-especially when she learns a secret about Marta's life outside school. The snappy dialogue sounds like the script of a witty TV tween comedy, but Charlie is a far more likable and entertaining character than many of the girls portrayed there. As the title implies, Charlie has two siblings, an older sister and a younger brother, both of whom are excellent foils for her growing apprecation for her family. Charlie regularly inserts "True Facts" into her narative. Confessions is a funny story with a fresh and sassy, winning heroine who develops into a loyal and resourceful friend, daughter, and sister.—Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA

School Library Journal

Eager to escape her troubled history, 12-year-old Charlie is ready to start over. Charlie's decision to lace the school lunch with laxatives in an attempt to frame another student resulted in her expulsion from school and mandatory counseling. Relocation to another school district and a new school year offer Charlie an opportunity to begin again. But Charlie's recent commitment to reform is challenged when her doctor assigns her the job of seeking out the student most in need of a friend at her new school. Soon, Charlie is caught between her determination to help Marta, a student cruelly picked on by her classmates, and her longing to be accepted. A fierce gymnastics rivalry and Marta's resistance to Charlie's overtures of friendship further complicate Charlie's endeavors. However, Charlie's attitude changes from exasperation to concern when she uncovers Marta's tragic secret. Lennon's tale addresses manifold topics, including the pressures and social issues of middle school, friendship quandaries and bullying. Charlie's eclectic mix of interests--she's a computer prodigy with a talent for hacking and an aspiring fashion trendsetter who harbors a keen interest in Harry Houdini--contribute to her distinctive narrative voice. Lennon skillfully delves beyond Charlie's sass and troubled façade to reveal her insecurities and vulnerability. Readers will admire the unabashedly quirky Charlie as she embarks upon her journey of self-understanding and transformation with verve. (Fiction. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews

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