★ 01/24/2022
After being rebuffed by his friends for interrupting and becoming distracted, aspiring chef Elliott, who is white and has ADHD, partners with perfectionistic schoolmate Maribel, cued as Latinx, who has celiac disease, to establish a gluten-free pie business for a final school project. Upping the stakes is Elliott’s hope of earning enough money selling pies during the year-end festival to reimburse his father for a window broken during The Incident—something Elliott refuses to discuss even with his therapist—which he’d otherwise have to fund from the savings he’s painstakingly set aside to attend summer cooking camp. The sixth graders’ initially rocky partnership gives way to camaraderie and trust as they develop their recipe for a delicious, gluten-friendly product that proves their critics wrong. Interjecting footnotes that mimic the way Elliott’s brain processes information, McDunn (These Unlucky Stars) offers an affirming and nuanced depiction of empathetic and creative Elliott’s experience of ADHD, including the way his executive dysfunction can result in disorganization, impulsivity, resistance to change, and low self-worth. Elliott’s relationship with his father, from whom he craves acceptance despite his dad’s failure to acknowledge Elliott’s specific challenges, is particularly inspiring as the two work toward openness and understanding. Ages 8–11. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Mar.)
Starring a sweet and messy kid tackling problems that will bring laughter and tears, Honestly Elliott has all the ingredients for a memorable story.” —Lynne Kelly, author of SONG FOR A WHALE
“McDunn is a master at creating characters that are fun, flawed, and above all, real. Full of humor and heart, Honestly Elliott is honestly and truly middle-grade at its best.” —Jess Redman, author of THE MIRACULOUS and THE ADVENTURE IS NOW
“A novel full of heart, humor, and honesty. . . . Elliot is an instantly lovable character, and readers will be hooked from the very first chapter.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“McDunn has a talent for creating sympathetic characters. . . . This well-paced, heartfelt chapter book offers a lovable main character, a lively supporting cast, and a satisfying conclusion.” —Booklist, starred review
“McDunn (These Unlucky Stars) offers an affirming and nuanced depiction of empathetic and creative Elliott's experience of ADHD. . . . Elliott's relationship with his father, from whom he craves acceptance despite his dad's failure to acknowledge Elliott's specific challenges, is particularly inspiring as the two work toward openness and understanding.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“In a droll, engaging, self-effacing, and disarmingly open voice, Elliott narrates his story, providing realistic, firsthand insights into living with ADHD. A refreshingly honest exploration of family and friendship.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A slice-of-pie, er, -life novel with all the right ingredients for a satisfying read.” —The Horn Book
“Middle schoolers will laugh, and maybe even cry, as they follow along with Elliott as he stumbles through his days and finally finds a place of comfort for his warm heart and special way of approaching life. This title will be a winner for any reader looking for a story that reads like it could be about a real kid they might know.” —School Library Connection
“McDunn offers a warmhearted, nuanced look at a slightly lonely child. . . . genuine and engaging. . . . Heartfelt and appealing.” —Kirkus Reviews, on THESE UNLUCKY STARS
“McDunn portrays the intertwined emotional lives of middle-school kids with sensitivity and precision. . . . An insightful story of friendship and change.” —Booklist, starred review, on THE QUEEN BEE AND ME
“Meg's first-person narration is emotive and candid. . . . Refreshingly genuine.” —Kirkus Reviews on THE QUEEN BEE AND ME
“McDunn deftly sketches Meg's struggles amid seventh grade's unspoken social order. . . . Readers will identify with the pitch-perfect middle school dynamics.” —Publishers Weekly on THE QUEEN BEE AND ME
“An engaging, honest book—I love Cat, and you will, too!” —Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Newbery Honor-winning author of THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE on CATERPILLAR SUMMER
“I could almost smell the ocean air as I read Gillian McDunn's Caterpillar Summer. What a beautiful story of family, forgiveness, life on an island, and growing up.” —Kate Messner, author of BREAKOUT and THE SEVENTH WISH on CATERPILLAR SUMMER
“An engrossing, heartwarming, beautifully written debut about building and rebuilding family ties.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on CATERPILLAR SUMMER
“McDunn's poignant, gratifying debut about friendship and family encourages both empathy and hope.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on CATERPILLAR SUMMER
★ 04/01/2022
Gr 4–7—A novel full of heart, humor, and honesty. Elliott is your typical kid dealing with his parents' divorce, his best friend moving away, a baby brother being born, not fitting in at his new school, nearly failing sixth grade—and on top of it all, Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder. His passion for cooking drives him to want to do better so he can go to an awesome cooking camp in the summer. When his big school project comes up, he sees it as an opportunity to pay for camp and prove to his dad that cooking is a worthwhile endeavor. But when Elliott's so-called friends refuse to work with him, he ends up making an unexpected ally and convincing her that his cooking skills can get her an A. Elliot is an instantly lovable character, and readers will be hooked from the very first chapter. McDunn provides an honest look into ADHD and normalizes male characters exploring their feelings through therapy, which is a refreshing take on navigating a complicated dad-son relationship. Middle graders will be able to see themselves as Elliot through his various interests and relationships. Those with ADHD may appreciate this reflective text as a glimpse inside the brain of a middle schooler with ADHD. VERDICT This is a must-have for any library servicing middle grade readers; Elliot's struggles are commonplace, and his story is told from a place of warmth and humor, which makes those realities a little less painful and the lessons included easier to digest.—Erin Decker
★ 2021-12-15
A sixth grader’s ADHD exacerbates the loss of his best friend, stress of entering a new school, fear of disappointing his father, and anxiety over a new sibling.
“Always-late, homework-forgetting, not-many-friends, extra-disorganized” Elliott lives with his positive, supportive mother in their comfortable, welcoming home but spends weekends with his focused, organized father and stepmother in their perfectly redecorated house. Since the recent departure of his best friend, Elliott’s ADHD has caused him to nearly fail the first semester of middle school, overreact to his stepmother’s pregnancy, upset his father with “The Incident,” and start seeing a therapist. Elliott, however, loves cooking, an activity during which he’s focused, confident, decisive, and calm. Rejected by the kids he eats lunch with when it’s time to work together on a group project to develop and implement a business plan, Elliott unexpectedly ends up paired with Maribel, the smartest girl in class. When Maribel reveals she has celiac disease and Elliott explains his ADHD, they develop a delicious, gluten-free pie recipe—and their friendship blooms. Over time, Elliott applies his culinary skills, opens up about his fears, bonds with his stepmother, and connects with his father. In a droll, engaging, self-effacing, and disarmingly open voice, Elliott narrates his story, providing realistic, firsthand insights into living with ADHD. Elliott and his family read as White; Maribel is cued as Latinx, and names signal ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.
A refreshingly honest exploration of family and friendship. (recipes) (Fiction. 9-12)
