One of the absolute joys that I experienced in judging the middle grade fiction round I nominees for the Cybils was discovering many books that are perfect for that older middle school reader (like my daughter, Amanda, an avid 12-year-old reader). Barbara Dee’s This is Me From Now On was one of the stand-outs (linked to my review of it and other awesome novels for tween girls).
When I had the opportunity to review her new novel, Trauma Queen, I knew it was something that Amanda and I would enjoy.
This book centers around a mother-daughter relationship, or rather the lack of a relationship, since the daughter in question is in middle school and lives in a perpetual state of embarrassment of her mother. Her reasons are many, but mostly stem from her mother’s wacky job as a performance artist. In fact, one of her performances not only cost Marigold a relationship with her best friend, but resulted in them leaving town.
Marigold changes school right at the end of the year, giving her an outsider’s view of all the middle school drama. There are cute boys, mean girls, and loners — all the usual suspects — but I loved that they are not portrayed in a completely stereotypcial way.
This funny and sweet novel is a great book for moms and daughters to read together. Both Marigold’s (“She named me after a flower that most people think is a weed!”) and Becca’s (“You know I hate being called Mrs. Bailey”) stories are told fairly, which will help mothers and daughters empathize with each other.
I am pleased to be able to offer a copy to one of you (U.S. and Canadian addresses are eligible). Please leave a comment if you’d like to win, and we’ll announce the winner in our giveaway post on Wednesday, May 4.
Also, please check out author Barbara Dee’s guest post on “The Perfect Mom” (in literature), published here in our On Reading column.
- The winner of The Fourth Stall, another fabulous just-right novel for older middle grade readers, is #15 Chris Curuchet
- The winner of the 5-Star memoir The Wilder Life is #8 Barbara H.
Jennifer Donovan has never wrapped herself in plastic wrap as Becca Bailey did, but she still embarrasses her tween daughter. She tries not to blog about such matters at Snapshot.
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Sounds like a great book. Thank you for this opportunity.
Another great prize – count me in please 🙂
Karen–
You won this book! Congrats. Please reply to the email notification with your shipping info.
My daughter would love this book. She is 9, and loves to read! Thanks.
This sounds like exactly what my young reader’s group would love to read!!!!!! I’ll be requesting it from our library for sure! Thank you for the review!
Thanks, Jennifer, for such a lovely review! I’m so glad you found the book fair to both the mom and the daughter. That’s something I was really focused on as I was writing–but it was tricky because the book is from the daughter’s point of view! If your readers share it with their daughters, I’d love to hear how it goes!
I would love to read this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Would like to win!
My granddaughter would love this.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Looks cute!! Thanks for sharing.
I think I know some trauma queens! Would love to see if I do!
This looks like a great book
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would love to read this, thanks
I’d love to win this for my middle school library
mearley1979 at gmail dot com
Sounds like a really great book. I daughter would love it!
I would like this.
grandaughter would love this book
new facebook fan
YES…I WOULD LIKE TO WIN THIS BOOK
I would love this.
This would be a great book for my daughter.
kimkmc at yahoo.com
I enjoyed the review and Perfect Mom post, so, yes, count me in.
Count me in!
Count me in! I’d love to read it and pass it along to my middle school library!
I would love to read it, it sounds really good.
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My daughter is not quite a Tween yet. But soon.
This looks like a great book!
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id like to win!
I’m always on the lookout for a new book and this one sounds great! Thanks!
Sounds like a brilliantly funny book, just in time for mothers day LOL
Sounds like a fun read.
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Yes, I would love to win!
This sounds like a fun read for summer.
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I would like to win-thanks!
I need some books for summer reading at camp – would love to add this one to my “to read” list
thanks
I subscribed via e-mail and it looks and sounds like an adorable read