[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and North Star Editions in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
Daisy is a semester away from the shift to high school and the ground beneath her feet has never felt less stable. Her parents have launched a dog poop business, trying to stay afloat after her mom was laid off. And as her parents use every spare moment to secure their own footing, Daisy has to step up at home, including helping her older brother, “Squirrel,” who has Down syndrome.
When Squirrel endures several crushing disappointments in a row, Daisy decides she’s going to help him achieve his dream – to be a YouTube celebrity. Even though her parents have forbidden him from all social media after the #EligibleBachelor incident.
Review
This was quietly amazing. I was hooked by the characters early on, but was starting to feel the stress of the impending doom. You know it’s all going to explode at some point. One minute I was braced for disaster and ready to skim ahead. The next I was wiping away tears, and reading every word. This is SO GOOD.
Like most of my favorite middle grade and older middle grade books (this one is for readers 10-14), this has an excellent teacher at the edges of the story, encouraging and cheering on his students.
If you can work around a few uses of the word “ass” in the text, this would be an excellent class read aloud – or a family/bedtime read aloud. I could also see this being a fantastic book club selection for upper elementary or middle school students.
If you love books with great characters, personal and family growth, and a triumphant ending, don’t miss Daisy’s story! (Includes some examples of online trolls/bullying)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*
*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!