It's Monday What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/12/16

                                                    




                                                         

      Jennifer Weiner is one of my favorite adult authors, so I was excited to read her first attempt at a children's book. I was not disappointed. Here's the funny thing about The Littlest Bigfoot- no matter how I try to describe it, the plot sounds crazy, but I promise it's fabulous.

      Alice is a twelve-year-old girl who just doesn't fit in no matter where she is. Physically she is a big girl with crazy hair that can't be tamed. Her wealthy family pretty much ignores her existence even though she yearns for her mother's love and acceptance. Also, she has been to SEVEN different schools, but is always asked to leave because of her clumsiness, forgetfulness, or accident prone ways. As sweet as Alice is, she can't seem to find even one friend no matter how hard she tries. Her last hope is a new type of experimental school in the woods where kids are expected to learn outside of the box and find their inner strengths.

      Across the pond from the school is Millie whose life is very similar to Alice's. Lonely Millie doesn't fit in among her friends and neighbors and her family just doesn't "get" her. Millie's dream is to be a famous singer and travel the world, but her family won't even let her leave their village. O.K., now here is the crazy part- Millie is a BIGFOOT! Yes, a bigfoot, as in a yetti  chewbacca looking kind of creature. Millie is obsessed with No- Furs (humans) and longs to get rid of her fur and be part of their world. Inevitably, Millie and Alice meet and become the kind of friends each girl has been longing for all of their lives.

     For as strange as the premise might sound, Weiner has crafted the story in such a way that it is completely believable that Millie's tribe exists with their Etsy store and old Friends reruns to keep them entertained. Her descriptions of how they have cleverly managed to stay hidden for hundreds of years makes me wonder if the Yare might actually be out there somewhere. This book is fascinating and extremely entertaining, but at it's core it's simply a story of friendship and finding a place in the world without feeling like a misfit. I'm hoping I can convince my students to give a try because it is well worth it!