MARIA LENNON
MARIA LENNON is a graduate of the London School of Economics, a novelist, and a screenwriter. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Charlie visits frequently.
www.confessionsofasocalledmiddlechild.com
WATCH OUT, HOLLYWOOD!
More Confessions of a So-called Middle Child
HarperCollins – August 26, 2014
Hilarious tween heroine Charlie C. Cooper—reformed bully, misguided fashionista, and so-called middle child—is back! This sequel to Confessions of a So-called Middle Child will delight fans of Louise Rennison, Mean Girls, and Harriet the Spy.
Charlie’s adventures offer a fresh look at middle school, bullying, and mean girls. In Book Two, Charlie navigates sudden celebrity and auditions for a television series, but a little white lie may endanger the one friendship Charlie can truly count on—and her connection to swoon-worthy crush Bobby! Poignant and seriously funny, Charlie’s account of her dilemma is one all tweens will relate to.
Charlie knows what it feels like to be stuck in the middle, but it’s finally her time to shine. After saving her friend Marta in the old Houdini tunnels of Los Angeles, Charlie’s become a local hero, gained sudden celebrity, and MIGHT just become a TV star! But will Charlie let her newfound fame go to her head? Watch out, Hollywood!
Praise for WATCH OUT, HOLLYWOOD!
“A great fall read…My kids had no trouble getting hooked on the book Confessions of a So-called Middle Child, and now, the sequel is out: Watch Out Hollywood! More Confessions of a So-called Middle Child. So I’m putting it out there to you parents of teens and tweens, this is a fun book series to introduce to your kid. Take a look, and thank me later…“—Delilah
“A funny story with a fresh and sassy, winning heroine…The novel’s strength is its ability to perfectly capture the particular brand of anxieties that accompany the middle school years and concerns about friends, relationships, and the balance between wanting to do the right thing and to be liked.“—School Library Journal
CONFESSIONS OF A SO-CALLED MIDDLE CHILD
HarperCollins – August 27, 2013
People, what you’re holding in your greasy little hands is my manifesto, my confessions, written for all you misunderstood middle kids out there who have no room to shine. Yep, when you’re sandwiched between an overachieving, superhairy older sister and a too-cute-for-his-own-good younger brother, how can you ever win, right?
I never really thought of myself as a “middle child.” Gifted computer hacker? Check. Fashion trailblazer? Double check. Finest prankster in my sixth-grade class? Triple check.
But then something happened. Things got messy. I did something bad. And I mean really, really bad. Bad enough to get expelled for. Bad enough to have to move for, and even bad enough to be sent to a shrink for.
At first, I thought Dr. Scales was just a sad old man with a hazardous dandruff problem, but you know what? By the end of the summer, I was a changed woman. In our last session, the day before my brand-new middle-school life was to start, he gave me a mission:
I had to find the most bullied, friendless, hopeless, laughed-at, lonely girl in the entire school and be her friend. In public.
Just kill me now, please.
Praise for CONFESSIONS OF A SO-CALLED MIDDLE CHILD
“Lennon’s tale addresses manifold topics, including the pressures and social issues of middle school, friendship quandaries and bullying. Charlie’s eclectic mix of interests—she’s a computer prodigy with a talent for hacking and an aspiring fashion trendsetter who harbors a keen interest in Harry Houdini—contribute to her distinctive narrative voice. Lennon skillfully delves beyond Charlie’s sass and troubled façade to reveal her insecurities and vulnerability. Readers will admire the unabashedly quirky Charlie as she embarks upon her journey of self-understanding.“—Kirkus Reviews
“After being expelled for a laxative incident, middle sibling Charlie Cooper has spent the summer grounded, reading books in her bedroom and visiting a psychologist each week. As Charlie begins seventh grade at a new school, Dr. Scales has one final assignment, “to find the most bullied girl in your class and take her under your wing.” But can Charlie overcome her destructive, attention-seeking habits once and for all? In her first book for children, adult author Lennon offers a fast-moving story with a satirical edge.“—Publishers Weekly
“Confessions is a funny story with a fresh and sassy, winning heroine who develops into a loyal and resourceful friend, daughter, and sister.”—Shelley Sommer, School Library Journal
“Perfect for libraries looking to add additional insightful titles on bullying. Grades 5-8.”—Sarah Bean Thompson, Booklist