Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-7

Plot Summary: For the last year, since Ruby moved to Manhattan, Willa and Ruby have been best friends. So when their parents announce they have actually been dating the whole time they've been friends, you would think Willa would be excited about it. But she's not, and she has to deal with Ruby being excited about it! Willa has certain things about her that she doesn't share with anyone, like the fact that she has a sleep sock, goes to an occupational therapist twice a week, and needs checklists and sticker charts at home. She doesn't want to share all of this with Ruby. Will Willa ever open up to her best friend? Will they both get accepted to the same middle school? Will Willa ever be ok with her dad's relationship?

Setting: Upper West Side, Manhattan

Characters:
Willa - 5th grader, has sensory processing disorder, vegetarian, obsessed with dogs
Benji - ~7 yo, gets carsick
Ruby Kapoor - 10 yo, "hates it when people ask her "where are you really from?"
Ruby's mom - AKA Sandyha, Indian, but "grew up in Michigan and went to law school in Connecticut"
Norie and Zoe Robbins - twins, classmates
Maureen - occupational therpist
Mom - Willa and Benji's mom, lives two+ hours away, kids go there every weekend, remarried to Bill who has shown up for the kids
Sophie - kindergartner who loves LEGOs and hates school, doesn't fit in, guidance counselor sets up a weekly time for Willa and Sophie to build LEGOs together, doesn't talk much
Joshua - Willa and Benji's babysitter for the last 3ish years, moving to law school in Chicago over the summer, knows how to handle Willa's sensory needs, gay
Avery - Willa's classmate that is always bragging and judging

Recurring Themes: friendship, divorce, blended families, two homes, happiness, sensory processing disorder, vegetarianism, dogs, LEGOs, being yourself, confidence, choices

Controversial Issues: none

Personal Thoughts: There's a decent amount packed into a short novel. Well-written and engaging, authentic, kind, understanding, warm characters. The types of adults every kid wants and should have in their life.

Genre: realistic fiction

Pacing: medium
Characters: well developed
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity: ( )

diverse children's middlegrade fiction (11 y.o. 5th grade girl in nyc deals with sensory processing issues and her dad getting engaged to the mom of her best friend who doesn't know about the sensory stuff, based partly on the author's autistic son's experiences)

sweet story that depicts one person's experiences living with sensory processing disorder. ( )

Willa has a lot on her mind with it being her last year in the same elementary school she's been in since preschool, and concerns about what middle school she'll end up going to in the fall. But she's about to have a lot more to deal with when her father announces that he is dating the mother of Willa's best friend at school. Willa is convinced that this relationship is not good for her and she doesn't want anything to change. But as her occupational therapist tells her, change is inevitable... but is that something Willa can live with?

This was an interesting book that tackled a lot of complex topics and did so with care. Willa is already balancing her living time between her divorced parents, as is her best friend Ruby. Willa has sensory processing disorder and is embarrassed to let anyone at school know about this fact or the ways she copes with living in a world that can be overwhelming. Ruby and her mother are of Indian descent and there is some mention of microaggressions, although that is not a core theme; likewise, it is revealed much further into the book that Ruby is dealing with anxiety, but it is a minor storyline. There is also a 'mean girl' who Willa attends school with, as well as an extremely laconic kindergartener that Willa is asked by the school counselor to help bring out of her shell.

While this may seem like a lot written in a short paragraph, the book deals with each storyline deftly, slowly introducing different topics and working them into Willa's larger tale. For the most part, all's well that ends well, as I think is fitting in books for children. The difficulties are acknowledged but the conclusion of the book is largely optimistic. Throughout, Mackler peoples the story with characters that feel realistic overall. While there's a little bit of a one-trick pony aspect as times (e.g., Ruby always needs to use the restroom, Avery constantly mentioning her doctor mother), they generally feel well-rounded and like people you might actually meet. It's nice to see a book tackling non-traditional families and how that is not always easy but certainly still family. Likewise, the same is true of Willa and her sensory processing disorder; she feels at times that it makes her 'weird,' but readers will see how Willa is relatable, even if occasionally different than themselves. Be prepared for many different feels, but an ultimately uplifting tale. ( )

Willa hates change, so when her father and her best friend Ruby’s mother announce in the middle of an ice cream parlor that they have been dating and have fallen in love, Willa doesn’t react well. Ruby thinks the romance is wonderful, but Willa thinks it’s the worst thing ever. Willa has Sensory Processing Disorder, so she has many routines and quirks that she doesn’t want to share with anyone, not even Ruby. Plus, what if their parents break up? What will become of their friendship?

This is a great middle-grade novel about adapting to change. Though each person’s experience of Sensory Processing Disorder is different, readers who have sensory issues are likely to relate to Willa’s experiences, as will readers who have experienced the complicated process of blending two families together. The writing is strong, and a small plot twist at the end made me smile. Recommended for kids and adults who enjoy realistic middle-grade fiction. ( )