First-time author Megan Jean Sovern creates an unforgettable character in Maggie Mayfield, a snack-obsessed, school-loving girl determined to become president.
It's the 1980s, but Maggie is a child for all time. An unreliable narrator, Maggie reflects back on her "eleventh year on this earth" with light and macabre humor, and a healthy dose of genuine emotion. Her parents love their children, and reminisce about their hippie past. But life isn't always fun. Maggie's father suffers from multiple sclerosis. He's confined to a wheelchair, and undergoes a series of medical trials, which take their toll on the entire family. Dad's health dominates the plot, but Maggie faces challenges and moments of growth in other areas of her life, too. She develops her first crush on a Neil Young–loving boy named Clyde and suffers when he sends a Flower-Gram to Mary Winter, whom Maggie describes as "the class airhead." Later, Maggie must revise her assessment (when Mary helps Maggie survive a mile-long run), as well as that of her older sisters.
One of Maggie's most interesting characteristics is her size, and her lack of awareness or interest in it. She is addicted to sweets and never acknowledges how much they affect her weight and how others perceive her. Not until a judgmental grandmother greets her with "Oh Maggie, what happened to you?" can readers be sure that Maggie is, indeed, heavy. What is clear, however, is that Maggie is a firecracker character, one who sparkles with wit, cynicism, love and potential. Her voice will charm and captivate readers. --Allie Jane Bruce, children's librarian, Bank Street College of Education