Ready or Not! #1 (Abby in Between)
by Megan E Bryant (Author)
From prolific author Megan E. Bryant comes the first book in a young middle-grade series about nine-year-old Abby, a girl trying to grapple with all the chaos that can come from growing up.
For nine-year-old Abby McAdams, everything seems to be changing. Her cousin and best friend, Zoe, has moved across the country, her mom is going back to work, and Abby is stuck in the only after-school activity still available--running--which she absolutely loathes. Her perspective on the world is changing, too, after an encounter in her community sheds light on the issue of homelessness in her town. On top of everything, sudden changes in Abby's body mean she has to deal with things like deodorant, bras, and uncomfortable conversations. And without her best friend by her side, she's not sure she can handle it all. She's not a grown-up yet, but she definitely doesn't feel like a little kid anymore. She's Abby, in between.
Ready or Not! is an accessible and positive exploration of the early stages of puberty, and is the perfect pairing to nonfiction guides like The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls.
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School Library Journal
Gr 3-5--Nine-year-old Abby McAdams is facing a lot of change as she starts fourth grade: her cousin and best friend, Zoe, is moving away, her mother is going back to work, and her father has been laid off. To top everything off, she's stuck joining the after-school running club, and she's noticing that her body is starting to change. When she learns about the issue of homelessness and its presence in her community, Abby realizes there must be something she can do to help. As she finds her voice, Abby discovers that some change can be surprisingly good. Bryant handles challenging, uncomfortable subjects with a lighthearted tone, allowing these topics to resonate with the younger end of middle grade readers. Abby learns about tiny house communities and corporate layoffs, and her mom learns that girls are going through puberty younger nowadays. These elements, alongside the evergreen challenges of growing up, create a story that is timely and universal. The conclusion feels like a ray of sunshine, empowering and hopeful, and will have readers eagerly awaiting the next book. VERDICT Younger middle grade readers will identify with Abby's journey in this series debut that can help them navigate the changes, big and small, that life presents.--Kristin Brynsvold
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Bryant delicately captures the shock, embarrassment, and self-consciousness of a young girl at the onset of puberty and writes with true compassion for a preteen yearning for independence while still needing emotional support. —BCCB
JUV014000 - Juvenile Fiction | Girls & Women
Families
Family life
Coming of age
Running
Homelessness
Novels
