Stuck in the Middle (of Middle School)

December 24, 2012
Doreen Bussey aka Dodo aka Doodlebug returns in this companion to Young’s Doodlebug (2010), which shares the loose, meandering, and very funny notebook-style format of its predecessor. As in that book, Doodlebug offers a handwritten and inventively illustrated account of her family’s continuing efforts to resettle in San Francisco. Tensions between Doodlebug’s parents, her sister’s efforts to fit in at school, and an upcoming school dance loom large in this installment. Throughout, Young has a gift for capturing Doodlebug’s scattered but perceptive outlook—“Permanent,” she writes (in permanent marker), “is a word that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with my family so far”—both in her writing and her authentically childlike illustrations. Ages 8–12.

March 1, 2013

Gr 5-8-Doreen (aka Doodlebug) is still dealing with challenges in this sequel to Doodlebug: A Novel in Doodles (Feiwel & Friends, 2010). This time around, her parents are trying to figure out their new jobs, Doodlebug has a teacher who believes she is capable of more, and her first school dance is fast approaching. Will she be able to keep her ADHD in check and solve all of her problems, or are they beyond her control? This story is easy to relate to, with school and home struggles at the forefront, and readers will understand Doodlebug's feelings of guilt regarding the fact that her parents are fighting and her concern that her dad will leave her mom. The format will work well for some readers, as the doodles and conversational style will pull more reluctant readers into the story, but the busy pages may turn others off. Ultimately, this is a good addition to collections, especially for kids wanting more books like Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series (Abrams).-Elizabeth Swistock, Orange County Public Library, VA

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