Copyright Date:
2019
Edition Date:
2019
Release Date:
02/01/19
Pages:
249 pages
ISBN:
1-684-46028-X
ISBN 13:
978-1-684-46028-1
Dewey:
Fic
LCCN:
2018029008
Dimensions:
20 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
Cancer is so inconvenient.It would be challenging to find a more self-obsessed 12-year-old than Josephine, whose dithering over an upcoming birthday party takes precedence over everything in her life—including her mother's upcoming mastectomy. Josephine's twin, Chance, decides to support his mother by dyeing his hair pink, setting off a new wave of panic for Josephine, who doesn't want anyone, even her best friend, Makayla, to know about her mom. The flailing continues as Josephine debates going to spirit night, where Autumn will ask boys to her birthday party (OMG), and rejects a support group for kids whose parents have cancer (no way!). Josephine's fear of attention is equally linked, by her, to unwanted scrutiny after her parents' divorce and an unhappy sixth-grade romance (the shame of it all!). A crush on Chance's friend Diego is just too much for a girl with the resilience of a fruit fly. To helm her tepid plot, Pyros has created a solipsistic main character who fails completely to capture readers' empathy. Set in New York's Westchester County, the story will leave them more annoyed with Josephine than they are with either cancer or divorce. Makayla is black, and Diego is Latinx; other characters, including Josephine and her family, are default white.Only a girl with the depth of a bowl of soup could blow off everyone who loves her while complaining that no one gets her. (Fiction. 12-14)
Word Count:
45,813
Reading Level:
4.5
Interest Level:
4-7
Accelerated Reader:
reading level: 4.5
/ points: 7.0
/ quiz: 196490
/ grade: Middle Grades
Reading Counts!:
reading level:4.4 /
points:11.0 /
quiz:Q76871
Lexile:
720L
Twelve-year-old Josephine has a lot on her plate, best friend issues, first crush issues, divorced parent issues, twin brother issues . . . and then her mom hits her with news that shakes her to her core: a breast cancer diagnosis. Josephine doesn't want anyone to know, not even her best friend. Sharing the news means it's actually real, and that's something she's not ready to face. Plus it would mean dealing with the stares and pity of her classmates. She got enough of that when her parents split up. Unfortunately for Josephine, her twin brother, Chance, doesn't feel the same way. And when Chance dyes his hair pink to support his mom, the cat is out of the bag. Suddenly Josephine has to rethink her priorities. Does getting an invite to the party of the year matter when your mom is sick? And what if it does matter? Does that make her a monster?