January 21, 2025 by HarperAlley
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Very is not only good at clarinet and most of her school classes, but she is popular, kind, and wins her third term as student body president with a platform of fund raising for a class trip to the Danger Hollow Fun Park. After a mishap at the candidates' debate that ended with her almost covered in pizza sauce, she picks Bree, who saved her from catastrophe, as her running mate. This means, however, that Bree no longer has time to work with her friend Lucille on their mobile pizza oven enterprise. Very's math grade is very low, and the principal tells her that unless she brings up her grade, she will have to resign from student government. She is also sent to work with a student teacher in a supplemental class to help with math. Lucille is also in the class, and after being very standoffish, finally admits to Very that she's mad about Bree, and the two bond over their trouble with math. Nate, who runs a gossipy school broadcast, isn't sure what is going on with Very, but wants to uncover it. Very is intrigued by local politician Hazel Shaw, and frequently calls her line to chat with volunteer Ali and get life advice. The fund raising is going fairly well, and a school dance brings in a lot of money, especially when Very talks Bree and Lucille into selling pizza. The final amount of money for the trip is going to be raised by selling t shirts, but when the order comes in, they are in sizes for dogs. Very has transposed numbers on the order forms because she has been trying to do everything by herself.
Strengths: Very has lots of interests, and is a friendly and upbeat person whose troubles come when she is trying too hard to make people like her. Her struggles in class are realistic, and I've definitely seen students who have trouble coping when they start to spiral. I was glad that she and Lucille were able to bond, and she is even able to make things up to Bree. Fund raising for the class trip was more or less realistic, although I was surprised that there was not a PTA mentioned. The inclusion of political activism was interesting. And as for the dog shirts... my school still has a few cross country jerseys in toddler sizes that were the company's fault, so there are sometimes mistakes made!
Weaknesses: My school hasn't had a student council for over twenty years, so the students at my school tend not to pick up books about class elections. We also don't give middle school students such big responsibilities because there's a lot of legal liability. Maybe other schools do.
What I really think: I can't think of any other middle grade books about dyscalculia, and considering the number of students I see on 504s and IEPs, there should probably be many more books about children in supplemental classes. This would be a good graphic novel for readers who enjoyed Garcia and William's Wires Crossed or Gerber's Focused.
Weaknesses: My school hasn't had a student council for over twenty years, so the students at my school tend not to pick up books about class elections. We also don't give middle school students such big responsibilities because there's a lot of legal liability. Maybe other schools do.
What I really think: I can't think of any other middle grade books about dyscalculia, and considering the number of students I see on 504s and IEPs, there should probably be many more books about children in supplemental classes. This would be a good graphic novel for readers who enjoyed Garcia and William's Wires Crossed or Gerber's Focused.
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