About the Book

Book: Zoey: Meet the Misfits & Zoey: Odd Girl Out
Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Middle grade fiction for girls
Release Date: April 15/ August 15, 2019

Zoey’s pretty sure her life is over when her wannaba-rockstar mother uproots her from from their home in Seattle and deposits her in Nowheresville, Oregon to live with her whackadoodle grandparents. Things start to look up, though, when she reconnects with Louisa, the girl from across the street. Maybe, just maybe, Louisa won’t mind that Zoey’s always been a bit of a misfit. Louisa’s ex-BFF, however, doesn’t seem too happy to welcome Zoey to the neighborhood. And when they all end up at church camp together, it’s not just a matter of whether or not Zoey can fit in…it becomes a firsthand lesson in what it really means to “love your enemy.”

When the school year begins, Zoey’s terrified to go without Louisa—who’s out with a nasty flu. The same enemies she made over the summer are there to haunt her, but she and another new girl stick together…and even seem to find a place among the in-crowd. But is this who Zoey wants to be? Are they really her friends? Who’s going to stick beside her when cyber bullying leaves her as the odd girl out?

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My Review

Oh the memories that flooded back reading these two books in the Zoey series! Except, social media, Iphones, and apps weren't quite as much a way of life as it is for tweens today when I was a tween ( I didn't get a phone until 15 and I didn't even have text capability because you had to pay extra for it lol). The book brought back all the drama of being a tween, and how awkward and lonely it can be at times. The book also weaved together a thread of faith in a way that a tween would understand. The book is written from Zoey's standpoint, and the tears, fears, and awkwardness were all conveyed seamlessly for a tween to instantly connect with. I can imagine this book was not easy to write for an adult, and yet, it just seemed so natural. I can say that is one life stage I would not wish to return to, but I feel it is an important time of self-discovery and the first attempts at developing life long habits for the good or the bad (although a lot of us have rough teen years and end up straightened out in the end). I enjoyed watching Zoey learn about who she is, who God is, and just the harrowing path of growing up. The plot was steady, relatable, and brought in the faith factor in a natural way. Each character was clearly defined. I would say the wording seemed choppy at times, but then tween girls tend to speak that way, so it may be alright for this book. I recommend this one for the parent of a tween girl or tween girl looking for a fun, relatable, Christian read that is not overly preachy, but presents Biblical truth in a natural way.

I received complimentary copies of these books, and all opinions given are entirely my own.

About the Author

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books for teens, women, and children. That’s a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a “storyteller.” Her young adult novels appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She’s won a number of awards (including RT’s Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog.

More from Melody

Being a tween these days is more complicated than ever. With our culture’s fast pace, social networking, peer pressure . . . growing up is hard to do. So I wanted to create a relatable character with some tough challenges. And Zoey Petrizzo definitely gets more than her fair share. About to start middle-school, Zoey is forced to relocate her life with her less than conventional grandparents. And it’s not easy! My hope is that readers will either relate to Zoey, or develop more empathy for ‘misfit’ kids like her.