Jordan Sonnenblick is a staple in realistic fiction aimed at middle school readers. His newest offering does not disappoint.
Recommended grade level: 6 and up
Pages: 272 (for ISBN 9780545863247)
Genre(s) and keywords: realistic, humor
Tone/Style: thoughtful, self-pitying
Pace: moderate
Topics: parental illness, strokes, recovery, dance, saxophone
Themes: family, parent-child relationships, selfishness, sacrifice
Summary: It’s not easy being Claire. (Really.)
Claire’s life is a joke . . . but she’s not laughing. While her friends seem to be leaping forward, she’s dancing in the same place. The mean girls at school are living up to their mean name, and there’s a boy, Ryder, who’s just as bad, if not worse. And at home, nobody’s really listening to her — if anything, they seem to be more in on the joke than she is. Continue reading