The school scenes are balanced with the interactions at home, and we get to know the parents and siblings of the main characters just enough to get a sense of their backgrounds. They’ll also delight in discovering a secret cat in a theater closet and following as Avery tries to overcome deep anxiety and self-doubt. Middle grade readers will recognize typical family situations including annoying siblings and too busy parents. Jazz Taylor creates situations that feel authentic and unforced. The main character Avery is a Black, gay, new-girl-in-town who suffers from panic attacks and a lack of friends. A smooth, easy read, this book is simple enough to attract emerging readers and detailed enough to hold the attention of more experienced readers. What looks like a simple middle grade novel about a secret pet and a secret crush rustles up topics centered on anxiety, sexual orientation, emotional parental abuse, and the uncertainty of blossoming friendships. MEOW OR NEVER by Jazz Taylor is much more hefty on the issues than the cover makes it seem.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |