Read more
Anxious, nature-loving Bunny Baxter prefers plants to people. Especially the kids at her new middle school. If Bunny Baxter were an insect, she’d have so many ways to slip through seventh grade unnoticed. But she’s tall instead of tiny, has flaming red Medusa hair instead of camouflage, and she suffers from social anxiety, which makes it hard to be part of a swarm. Worst of all, she’s been redistricted to a new middle school away from her best friend who she could always hide behind when her anxiety got the best of her.; The first day at E.D. Britt Middle School does not go well. Bunny trips on the steps, falls into the cutest boy in the school, and causes a kid domino pile-up. At lunch, she unintentionally causes an uproar in the cafeteria, which lands her and another girl in the principal’s office.; Bunny decides there is only one option: to get expelled so she can transfer to the school her best friend attends.; She soon discovers that it isn’t that hard to get in trouble--don’t turn in your homework, walk around the track instead of run in P.E., pretend you deliberately hit someone with a badminton birdie. What isn’t so easy for Bunny is realizing she now has a reputation as a troublemaker. And even more confusing, when it looks like her plan to get expelled might work, she’s no longer sure what to do.;;
Report
This heartfelt tale by Roberts (A Rose Named Peace) distinguished by a distinctive, layered cast with authentic-feeling motivations and relationships nimbly explores subjects such as the ecological importance of pollinators alongside a fine-tuned emotional exploration of adoption.
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
This novel is perfect for any anxious middle-schooler, who will not only relate to Bunny s struggles but learn. . . . Readers who enjoy character-driven stories will readily find a friend in Bunny Baxter, as will fans of Jamie Sumner and Barbara Dee.
Booklist (starred review)
Roberts tucks engaging classroom activities into this already thematically robust tale . . . as she artfully tracks a profound transformation in her protagonist s sense of self. . . .Sweet, smart, and sensitive.
Kirkus Reviews
