MMGM- Mind Over Monsters

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Uhrig, Betsy. Mind Over Monsters

July 16, 2024 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Lena is anxious enough that the school decides to let her get out of homeroom to participate in a pilot meditation program, since the school has paid for an app (called De-Stress-O-Rama) invented by a former student. Lena sort of hopes her parents will say no, but when her older brother Spike chimes in that it would be a good idea to help her manage stress, Lena finds herself hanging out with counselour "Call Me Barb" and six other students who all have their own quirks. Since Lena is having a hard time with her best friend, Gina (who now wants to go by "Regina" and has "turned pretty"), getting out of homeroom doesn't seem like the worst idea. Lena starts noticing that after the meditations, sometime there are residual objects left on the yoga mats; bits of glass, feathers, etc. These all seem odd and cold, and Lena keeps a small collection of them. The app seems to be helping her anxiety, and providing her with some coping mechanisms. When the group encounters a "blob" in the gym that seems to grow on the ceiling then flings itself to the floor before fleeing when one of the younger members chases it, they think they are having a group hallucination, but are pleased at how they all handled it. The app is rolled out to the whole school, and even Regina and her crush Jared talk about it. It's too expensive for the school to pay for the third step, but the kids in Lena's group like it so much they think about asking for it as a gift, even though they've identified subliminal messages in the sounds that tell people that the app is helping and that they need to continue. There are some good moments in Lena's life, like getting to know Kenni, who understands her anxiety, and finding out that her mother's own history with anxiety is why she is so hard on Lena. Will Lena and the "Worriers" be able to overcome their fears and the interdimensional blobs threatening Cranberry Bog Middle School? Who knew lacrosse sticks could be so helpful?

Strengths: This is on trend with the current ideas about anxiety among tweens, and the whole idea of a mediation app is not at all far fetched; my school had "advisory" last year, and there have been a lot of lessons on breathing and managing stress. I liked that even though she was anxious, Lena was involved in Climate Change Club and ceramic lessons at the art museum, and had a very supportive family, although she doesn't appreciate her mother's "crackpot" solutions to her worries. The group of diverse students come together to work against obstacles, and have some real affection for each other. The problems that Lena has with Regina as she grows further from her friend will resonate with many young readers. The monsters being associated with an app about controlling one's fears is definitely fresh and innovative! Uhrig writes with a lot of humor, which will keep readers turning the pages. 
Weaknesses: Even though the students are in middle school, this might appeal more to elementary students. Monsters are tricky in middle school, and this cover is on the young side, with the Margaret Keane style eyes.  My middle school students who want monster fighting books prefer them to be grosser and more violent, like Killick's sick and squelchy Dread Detention. 
What I really think: The  monsters will draw in readers who enjoyed Wishingrad's Between Monsters and Marvels, Sparrow's Little Apocalypse,  or Ballarini's A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting, but this is essentially a book about anxiety along the lines of Machias' Flight + Fight, Khan's Drawing Deena, and Dilloway's Five Thing About Ava Andrews.