Addie on the Inside (Hardcover)
Description
The Gang of Five is back in this third story from Paintbrush Falls. Addie Carle, the only girl in the group of friends is outspoken, opinionated, and sometimes…just a bit obnoxious.
But as seventh grade progresses, Addie’s not so sure anymore about who she is. It seems her tough exterior is just a little too tough and that doesn’t help her deal with the turmoil she feels on the inside as she faces the pains of growing up.
Told in elegant, accessible verse, ADDIE ON THE INSIDE gives readers a look at a strong, smart, and sensitive girl struggling with the box society wants to put her in. Addie confronts experiences many readers will relate to: the loss of a beloved pet, first heartbreak, teasing…but also, friendship, love, and a growing confidence in one’s self.
You Are Who They Say You Are
They say in the seventh gradeyou are who they say you are,
but how can that be true?
How can I be a /Godzilla-girl /lezzie loser /know-it-all/
big-mouth /beanpole /string bean/ freaky tall/
fall-down /spaz attack /brainiac /maniac/
hopeless nerd /*bad word*/brown-nosing /teacher’s pet/
showing off /just to get
attention –
oh,
and did I mention:
flat-chested…
How can I be all that?
It’s too many things to be.
How can I be all that and
still be true to the real me
while everyone is saying:
This
is
who
you
are.
About the Author
James Howe is the author of over eighty books for young readers, including the modern classic Bunnicula and its highly popular sequels. In 2001, Howe published The Misfits, the story of four outcast seventh-graders who try to end name-calling in their school. The Misfits is now widely read and studied in middle schools throughout the country, and was the inspiration for the national movement known as No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org ), an event observed by thousands of middle and elementary schools annually. Totally Joe, a companion novel to The Misfits, was published in 2005, and a second companion novel, Addie on the Inside, is being published in 2011. Howe’s many other books for children from preschool through teens frequently deal with the acceptance of difference and being true to oneself.
Praise for Addie on the Inside…
"Written in narrative verse that has the rhythm and punch of spoken-word poetry, this companion to The Misfits and Totally Joe intimately conveys the internal conflicts of seventh-grader Addie…Howe's artfully crafted lines show Addie's intelligence and wit, and his imagery evokes the aura of sadness surrounding "this purgatory of/ the middle school years/ when so many things/ that never mattered before/ and will never matter again/ matter." Readers will empathize with Addie's anguish and admire her courage to keep fighting."
--Publishers Weekly, May 16, 2011, *STAR
"Told entirely in verse, the story follows 13-year-old Addie’s struggles to define herself according to her own terms. Through her poems, Addie reflects on her life and life in general: her first boyfriend, what it means to be accepted and her endeavors to promote equality.... Her forthright observations address serious topics with a maturity beyond her age.... Readers will agree when, in the triumphant final poem, an assured Addie proclaims: “I am a girl who knows enough / to know this life is mine.”
--KIRKUS REVIEWS, June 1, 2011
“Howe explores the tender thrills and insecurities of early adolescence in first-person poems….Howe maintains a consistent voice…without compromising the heartfelt urgency of Addie’s words. This exploration of Addie’s struggles and reconciliations makes a strong addition to its companion titles and stands on its own as a compelling and moving story about growing up and out.”
--Booklist, July 2011
“Howe completely captures what it is like to be a 13-year-old girl–the ups and downs, the emotional tightrope, the push/pull between childhood and growing up, and the power of gossip and school cliques. Addie negotiates the corridors of middle school with thoughtful determination; she’s a young woman with a lot to say. Add this fine novel to the growing list of novels in verse.”
--School Library Journal, August 2011, *STAR
