MY BIG SISTER IS SO BOSSY SHE SAYS YOU CAN’T READ THIS BOOK

In a swirl of anxiety, confusion and hilarity, Effie strategizes to surpass her inventive genius by making a reliable paper toilet-seat cover for a school assignment, to maintain her trusted status as the treasurer for her Angel Scout troop and to make best friends with a behemoth who is the first girl in her class to grow hair under her arms. Instead, the well-plotted hijinks reveal rejection and thievery that strike at the heart of Effie’s goals. In her debut, Hershey weaves humor into the characters’ deep motivations; these characters jump off the page, especially that of Effie, whose true voice narrates the well-paced plot. She discovers depth to her family, friends and herself as she encounters choices and begins to learn the skill of taking charge of her young life. A rare combination of psychological insights and a plot that accelerates to a riveting and satisfying conclusion, much like being struck by lightning—in a good way. (Fiction. 8-12)