Greta

July 15, 2024
Middle school is a time of change for everyone, but especially for Greta, who undergoes a major transformation. Everything feels different in seventh grade. Greta Goodwin's classmates seem obsessed with their developing bodies and having boyfriends. Meanwhile, Greta's dreading an upcoming move to a new house that's farther away from her best friend, Lotti Messina. When a boy named Derek invites Greta to a party, she's excited about the attention but nervous about what the experience will entail. When Lotti quickly pairs off with a different boy, Greta is left alone with Derek, and everything turns sour. In the aftermath, Greta doesn't feel right in her body, but then she starts to transform, shedding her skin and turning orange...and that's just the beginning. At first, the experience is scary and embarrassing, but she gradually begins to feel powerful, beautiful, and at ease with herself. This peculiar tale is a pitch-perfect encapsulation of middle school. Lemon demonstrates a deep understanding of the richness and intensity of adolescent friendship. The narrative is ripe for discussion; its unique direction might be too mind-boggling for some, but for others it will land perfectly and resonate deeply. Sexual assault is sensitively handled, and the backmatter offers further guidance. Most characters appear white. Friendship, healing, and being at peace with one's self are at the heart of this moving and original story.(Fiction. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2024
Grades 5-7 Starting middle school, moving into a new house, dealing with body changes, and experiencing inappropriate interpersonal behavior--Greta's life is certainly in a state of flux, and she's feeling all the feels. Written in a comic, quick, contemporary style, this combines common themes of growing up and the inherent stresses of adolescence with a fantasy element that begs the questions, is there a different way to grow up, and can you choose to literally be perfectly in your own skin? Throughout this original coming-of-age tale, debut author Lemon leaves breadcrumbs for readers to gather about what sort of transformation Greta will ultimately undergo, as her skin begins to take on different hues and textures and she deals with issues surrounding self-acceptance and acceptance by others. In the end, Greta becomes her true self and those who love her recognize her "Greta-ness" in her updated form. Using humor and a leap of fantastical faith, while sparely and sensitively exploring complex experiences (including a troubling incident concerning consent), Greta's story will appeal to readers experiencing their own times of transition.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2024
Greta Goodwin is starting seventh grade amidst change. Her family is moving out of her childhood home, puberty is starting to rear its confusing head, and she has her first crush on classmate Derek. Luckily, some things remain the same, like her annoying little brother and her relationship with her best friend, Lotti. When Derek's flirtatious advances at a party turn assaultive, Greta's world begins to shift -- and so does the plot, which takes an unexpected turn into something more fantastical. As Greta grapples internally with her assault, her body begins to take on new color and shape. In a particularly science fictionesque scene, she wakes from a dream to find a translucent, filmy skin peeling off her body. Though unclear to the book's characters at the time, readers will surmise that she is metamorphosing into something insect-like. While classmates tease her for her strange new appearance, Greta has never felt more beautiful: her transformation allows her to feel strong and protected from manmade harm. "For the first time since I was little, my body was something I felt good in; I wasn't wishing it was different." Greta's sarcasm and wit throughout, combined with her beautiful friendship with Lotti, bring a necessary balance to a challenging story. In the end, Greta has fully, satisfyingly transformed into a winged creature; untouchable and free. Hill Saxton

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
Greta Goodwin is starting seventh grade amidst change. Her family is moving out of her childhood home, puberty is starting to rear its confusing head, and she has her first crush on classmate Derek. Luckily, some things remain the same, like her annoying little brother and her relationship with her best friend, Lotti. When Derek's flirtatious advances at a party turn assaultive, Greta's world begins to shift -- and so does the plot, which takes an unexpected turn into something more fantastical. As Greta grapples internally with her assault, her body begins to take on new color and shape. In a particularly science fiction-esque scene, she wakes from a dream to find a translucent, filmy skin peeling off her body. Though unclear to the book's characters at the time, readers will surmise that she is metamorphosing into something insect-like. While classmates tease her for her strange new appearance, Greta has never felt more beautiful: her transformation allows her to feel strong and protected from manmade harm. "For the first time since I was little, my body was something I felt good in; I wasn't wishing it was different." Greta's sarcasm and wit throughout, combined with her beautiful friendship with Lotti, bring a necessary balance to a challenging story. In the end, Greta has fully, satisfyingly transformed into a winged creature; untouchable and free.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)