Violet and the Pie of Life

January 1, 2021
Twelve-year-old math whiz Violet is stunned when her father moves out after battling--again--with her mom. Consequently, it's hard for her to fully engage when McKenzie, her BFF, pushes her into trying out for a part in The Wizard of Oz but then pressures her to quit when Vi gets the part of the cowardly lion and McKenzie is cast as a monkey. Adding to Vi's distress is the fact that McKenzie's mortal enemy, gorgeous Ally, is cast as Dorothy and turns out not to be the self-centered popular girl McKenzie portrays her as but sensitive and wracked with issues of her own. Vi struggles to come to grips with her irresponsible father's refusal to contact her; she'd cast her mother as the controlling nag who pushed a nice guy into leaving but finally starts to recognize that her dad is a compulsive gambler with commitment issues. Trying to find a way to deal with so much turmoil, Vi reduces her conflicts into understandable (and hilarious) bar graphs, flow charts, and equations. With growing maturity, she finally understands that she's not the only one of a believable cast of characters dealing with significant challenges--McKenzie, whose mother subscribes to free-range parenting, is actually neglected, and Ally's mother struggles with substance abuse. Vi and McKenzie are White; Ally is biracial, with a White mom and Latinx dad. A nice mix of humor and emotional pitfalls: the perfect script for an engaging read. (Fiction. 10-12)

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January 1, 2021
Grades 5-8 Though Violet is a bit of a math nerd, when it comes to figuring out real-life problems, she's stuck. When her dad decides to move out, Violet is totally lost; the longer he refuses to answer her calls or emails, the more frustrated she gets. Between the responsibility she feels for her parents' relationship, her role in the school play, and friend troubles, Violet's got problems that math can't solve. Green (the Zeke Meeks series) transforms Violet's all-too-real challenges into opportunities for her to grow and better understand the world around her when things aren't as clear-cut as her favorite school subject. Middle-grade readers will appreciate the realistic reflection of the social lives of 12-year-olds. Green doesn't shy away from Violet's own shortcomings, making her all the more sympathetic and relatable. The narrative keeps up a comfortable pace and weaves subplots adeptly in along with illustrations that demonstrate Violet's love of math. Recommended for readers looking to take a more serious and mature step past Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

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March 1, 2021

Gr 4-7-Violet is a white, middle-class seventh grader in Orange County, and all she wants is for her life to make mathematical sense. Math is her best subject and how she understands the world; she frequently reflects on her decisions, struggles, and yearnings with pie charts, graphs, ratios, frequencies, and the order of operations. Her mathematical reflections are portrayed in the book through illuminating illustrations. But problems arise in Violet's world: Her parents have been fighting more intensely, and suddenly her dad leaves and Violet can't contact him. Also, she has mixed feelings about trying out for her school production of The Wizard of Oz with her best friend, McKenzie, but decides to stick it out when she earns the role of the Cowardly Lion. McKenzie, who tends to be negative, tries to get Violet to quit, ragging on the seemingly perfect Ally, who is cast as Dorothy, the play's lead. Violet's emotions are all over the place, and she often takes her frustration out on her well-meaning mom, who has high standards. Opportunities for Violet's race and class consciousness are dealt with on a basic level. Ally, adopted by her grandparents, struggles with the pressure she feels as a dark-skinned Dorothy. McKenzie, whose mom identifies as a "free range parent," has a run-down house and ill-fitting clothes. Throughout the book, Violet stays focused on her own small acts of courage and doesn't authentically awaken to the struggles of those around her. VERDICT A simplified yet worthy STEAM read where stories of middle school travails resonate.-Jamie Winchell, Percy Julian M.S., IL

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