Frazzled

June 13, 2016
Abbie Wu, a beleaguered middle child who is daunted to enter middle school, knows that “nothing good ever happens in the Middles,” as evidenced by the Middle Ages and the middle seat of the car. Yet her best friends are jumping right into middle school life and even having fun in their various electives, leaving Abbie feeling like a “sad reject pastry” in desperate need of a “thing” of her own. As the injustices of the middle school cafeteria mount, Abbie discovers a talent for social—or at least lunchroom—leadership. Could community organizing be her “thing”? Vivat’s funny, quick-moving debut skips along even faster thanks to the endearing doodles that appear throughout, punctuating Abbie’s travails with chibi-esque emotional outbursts featuring flailing limbs, speed lines, and exaggerated typography. Though this is, at heart, a straightforward story of social adjustment, Abbie and her supporting cast show real depth as they learn that passions can change, “not everything has to work out,” and no matter how confident some people may seem, “the truth is, no one really knows for sure.” Ages 8–12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from July 15, 2016
Abbie Wu, Chinese-American preteen and worrywart, is doomed.She's about to start Pointdexter Middle School, and "nothing good ever happens in the Middles." Added to her doom is a family who doesn't get her. Baby sister Clara is annoyingly cute. Big brother Peter is a legend for being good at everything. And Mom never worries about anything, while Abbie seems to have written the textbook on anxiety. At school, Abbie figures at least lunch will be an improvement, with "REAL food," but instead, she comes face to face with the injustice of the eighth-grade-only lunch line. Worse, she must choose an elective, and her nerves explode because choosing one feels like declaring her Thing, which she does not have, unlike her best friends, Maxine and Logan, who sign up for drama and coding respectively and without any doubts. With no elective chosen, Abbie is assigned to study hall, a place with suck-ups, slackers, troublemakers, and loners. And the fun begins. Debut author Vivat writes and illustrates a funny, neurotic, and delightful girl with a heart as big as her worries. The extensively illustrated novel packs a punch with fresh, lively pencil-and-ink drawings and lettering that set each mood perfectly. The multicultural cast of characters, including kooky Aunt Lisa and scary Ms. Skelter, turns up the charm and humor scale. A hilarious Asian-American heroine guaranteed to provoke laughs--not anxiety. (Fiction. 8-13)

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August 1, 2016

Gr 3-6-Middle child and soon-to-be middle schooler Abbie Wu is in major need of crisis control. Her fear and anxiety have her constantly freaking out, especially when it comes to sixth grade. Abbie's mom doesn't understand why she's stressed, and her perfect siblings aren't helping the situation, either. Because Abbie couldn't decide on an elective class, she's been assigned to study hall. Her two best friends actually enjoy school and have found activities they're passionate about. Not having a "Thing" like everyone else is making Abbie feel left behind. The only part of school she's looking forward to is the cafeteria lunches, which include pizza, fries, and cookies. When Abbie discovers that sixth graders are forbidden from eating those foods, she organizes an underground lunch exchange. The success of her food rebellion gives Abbie the confidence to find her voice and, ultimately, her "Thing." Abbie's phobias and worries are charmingly depicted in this heavily illustrated hybrid novel. The humorous, doodlelike artwork makes her struggles entertaining and relatable. VERDICT Share this title with fans of Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series and anyone who will appreciate rooting for a witty underdog.-Sophie Kenney, Glencoe Public Library, IL

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