Confessions of a So-called Middle Child

by Maria T. Lennon

Overview

Meet Charlie C. Cooper, reformed bully, misguided fashionista, and so-called middle child! Fans of Louise Rennison, Harriet the Spy, and Mean Girls will cheer when they meet her. This fresh tween coming-of-age story is an honest look at bullying and the obstacles of middle school from talented screenwriter Maria T. Lennon. Extras in the back of the paperback offer tidbits about famous middle children (including Abraham Lincoln and Madonna) and a special interview with heroine Charlie herself.

Both seriously funny and poignant, this story follows the hilarious Charlie as she tries to fit in at her new school in Los Angeles. As a middle child, she knows what it feels like to be overlooked. To get attention, she resorts to becoming a prankster, which leads to big trouble. So her therapist gives her a seventh-grade mission—she must turn over a new leaf, find the most bullied girl at her school ("Marta the Farta"), and become her friend.

Charlie faces down the mean girls and decides between right and wrong once and for all. And she does it all in turquoise Doc Martens boots! As Charlie learns to help Marta, she uncovers the meaning of true friendship and impresses new crush Bobby along the way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062126917
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	08/26/2014
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	222,076
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Maria T. Lennon is a graduate of the London School of Economics, a novelist, a screenwriter, and the author of Confessions of a So-called Middle Child. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Charlie visits frequently.

Editorial Reviews

After being expelled for a laxative incident, middle sibling Charlie Cooper has spent the summer grounded, reading books in her bedroom and visiting a psychologist each week. As Charlie begins seventh grade at a new school, Dr. Scales has one final assignment, “to find the most bullied girl in your class and take her under your wing.” Finding her is easy—Marta Urloff is filthy, friendless, and mocked by everyone at her Los Angeles middle school. “She was a horror. You could see it from space,” thinks a despondent Charlie. “She looked like a homeless Disney princess.” With the support of her family, a spiritual makeover (hey, it’s L.A.), and a boost from Houdini (the Cooper family lives in his old mansion), Charlie might just overcome her destructive, attention-seeking habits once and for all. In her first book for children, adult author Lennon (Making It Up as I Go Along) offers a fast-moving story with a satirical edge. Although Charlie’s biting snark can be a bit much, her empathy and heart eventually shine through. Ages 8–12. Agent: Victoria Sanders, Victoria Sanders & Associates. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

How can a twelve-year-old girl, Charlie C. Cooper, fit in with her peers in the seventh grade in her new school in Los Angeles after she is expelled from her former school for a serious prank, grounded for the summer, and receives mandatory counseling? Will visits to a psychologist lead her to a more normal life when the counselor directs her rehabilitation in this new environment? Follow Charlie as she navigates through her problems, and agonize with her when she is told by her therapist to befriend the loneliness girl in her class so all of her peers can see her actions. Charlie's response is, "Just kill me now, please." These are some of the trials this middle child faces when she has an over-achieving older sister and a cute younger brother, and subsequently engages in attention-seeking habits. This is a story of peer pressure and fitting in, and portrays a realistic view of middle school as well as the problems of being the middle child. Tweens will enjoy following Charlie's transformation. The first person point-of-view provides a sense of immediacy to the story, and readers will feel that they are a part of her journey. Reviewer: Annie Laura Smith

Children's Literature - Annie Laura Smith

09/01/2013
Gr 5–7—Twelve-year-old Charlie is starting over at a new school after an incident involving, of all things, laxatives. Entering the seventh grade, she is torn between wanting to be friends with the popular crowd and trying to be a better person. As part of her rehabilitation plan, her therapist, Dr. Scales, gives her a task: "to find the most bullied girl in your class and take her under your wing." The object of Charlie's focus is Marta, whom she describes as looking like a "homeless Disney princess." What begins as an obligatory project designed to turn Charlie into a kinder, more empathetic friend becomes a laugh-out-loud adventure as the two classmates confront truly mean girls and face challenges that allow Charlie's genuine good nature to shine through-especially when she learns a secret about Marta's life outside school. The snappy dialogue sounds like the script of a witty TV tween comedy, but Charlie is a far more likable and entertaining character than many of the girls portrayed there. As the title implies, Charlie has two siblings, an older sister and a younger brother, both of whom are excellent foils for her growing apprecation for her family. Charlie regularly inserts "True Facts" into her narative. Confessions is a funny story with a fresh and sassy, winning heroine who develops into a loyal and resourceful friend, daughter, and sister.—Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA

School Library Journal

Eager to escape her troubled history, 12-year-old Charlie is ready to start over. Charlie's decision to lace the school lunch with laxatives in an attempt to frame another student resulted in her expulsion from school and mandatory counseling. Relocation to another school district and a new school year offer Charlie an opportunity to begin again. But Charlie's recent commitment to reform is challenged when her doctor assigns her the job of seeking out the student most in need of a friend at her new school. Soon, Charlie is caught between her determination to help Marta, a student cruelly picked on by her classmates, and her longing to be accepted. A fierce gymnastics rivalry and Marta's resistance to Charlie's overtures of friendship further complicate Charlie's endeavors. However, Charlie's attitude changes from exasperation to concern when she uncovers Marta's tragic secret. Lennon's tale addresses manifold topics, including the pressures and social issues of middle school, friendship quandaries and bullying. Charlie's eclectic mix of interests--she's a computer prodigy with a talent for hacking and an aspiring fashion trendsetter who harbors a keen interest in Harry Houdini--contribute to her distinctive narrative voice. Lennon skillfully delves beyond Charlie's sass and troubled façade to reveal her insecurities and vulnerability. Readers will admire the unabashedly quirky Charlie as she embarks upon her journey of self-understanding and transformation with verve. (Fiction. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews