Say It Out Loud

July 1, 2021
Courage, kindness, and finding your voice are hard lessons for the "Biggest Chicken at Carol Burnett Middle" to learn. Charlotte Andrews, sixth grader and lover of musicals, is starting middle school with her best friend, Maddie. Both are nervous, but Charlotte has extra anxiety due to her stuttering, a source of insecurity. When Charlotte and Maddie witness another student being bullied, Maddie reports it against the wishes of Charlotte, who wants to keep a low profile. The bullies then focus on the girls, realizing Maddie turned them in. Charlotte makes a choice she immediately regrets, abandoning Maddie to endless torment and losing her only friend. Charlotte's surprising refuge is the school musical: She never stutters when she sings and finds herself enjoying it. But when the news breaks that the musical theater program is being cancelled, Charlotte realizes she has a great deal to say. Still afraid to speak up, Charlotte writes secret letters to her classmates--even the bullies--as well as pleas to the school board, sharing her truth through the written word. In her author's note, Varnes describes how she used her own experiences with stuttering to honestly show its impact on Charlotte's self-worth. Readers will embrace Charlotte, with all her flaws, as she navigates self-doubt, owns up to her mistakes, and inspires those around her. Most characters read as White. A heartfelt story about personal courage that shows it is never too late to express kindness and empathy. (Fiction. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2021

Gr 4 Up-The author of Property of the Rebel Librarian (2018) has written another thought-provoking title for middle school readers. Charlotte dreads the beginning of middle school. She has to ride the bus for the first time and everything else is different. One thing remains the same for Charlotte and that's her stuttering condition. Because she doesn't stutter when she sings, Charlotte's parents insist that she take musical theater as one of her electives. And when the teacher announces The Wizard of Oz as the year's show (her favorite musical), things in middle school don't seem quite as bad. Best of all, Charlotte still has her good friend Maddie. Then a bullying incident on the bus involving another student Ben occurs and Maddie bravely reports it to school administrators. When the bullies then seek revenge on Maddie, Charlotte is afraid to defend her friend and that inaction drives an impenetrable wedge between the girls. In despair (and because of her English class), Charlotte finds her voice in the written word and even though Maddie won't talk to her, the little notes of affirmation she sneaks into backpacks and lockers of her other classmates begin to make a difference. Charlotte realizes that not everyone has it easy in middle school and that the collective voices of all students can make a difference. Charlotte is cued as white. VERDICT Varnes's got a knack for capturing the middle school experience and readers in this age group will see themselves reflected in the cast of characters and situations that make up the story. The book could also serve as a springboard for topics such as bullying (cyber and physical) and even plagiarism.-Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State Univ., NH

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 23, 2021
With an authentic tween voice and relatable implied-white characters, Varnes’s (Property of the Rebel Librarian) second novel centers Charlotte Andrews, a bespectacled musical lover who has a stutter and fears letting anyone hear it. Charlotte and her outspoken best friend, Maddie Hobson, are new sixth graders at Carol Burnett Middle School, and the duo will be riding the bus for the first time. Despite having Maddie by her side, Charlotte is deeply self-conscious about her stutter. When Maddie gets involved after witnessing a bullying incident on the bus, the bullies turn their sights on her, and Charlotte inadvertently hurts Maddie to protect herself. Suddenly, Charlotte finds herself adrift, agonizing over leaving class for speech sessions, trying to stay out of anyone’s crosshairs, and learning about her own voice—particularly how little gestures can make a big difference. When the musical theater class her parents enrolled her in is threatened, Charlotte must decide if she’s willing to publicly stand up for something she believes in. Middle grade readers will find reassurance in this affirming story of choosing kindness and making amends. Front matter includes an author’s note. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rick Richter, Aevitas Creative Management.