I’m so excited to be part of the TBR & Beyond tour for this book. Find the full tour schedule here.
About the book
A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery
Publishing Date: July 12, 2022
Synopsis:
A moving, voice-driven novel about friendship, responsibility, and fighting against unfair expectations, for fans of Rebecca Stead and Erin Entrada Kelly.
Max wishes he could go back in time to before he was diagnosed with ADHD, before he grew to be the tallest kid in his class, and before he and his best friends went into the woods in the middle of the night. Max doesn’t remember what happened after he left his friends Will and Joey and the older kids who took them there. He’s not sure if he wants to remember. Knowing isn’t going to make Joey talk to him again, or bring Will out of his coma.
When the local authorities run out of leads, Max realizes that without his help, they may never know what really happened to Will. Charged by the idea that he may be the key to uncovering the truth, Max pairs up with classmate and aspiring journalist Sam to investigate what really happened that night. But not everyone in the community wants that night to be remembered.
Book Review
This middle grade mystery is filled with heart.
One night, three friends went into the woods. When Max got scared and ran, he had no idea something awful was going to happen to his friend Will. Now Will’s unconscious and Joey’s not speaking to him. The more Max hears, the more everyone’s stories don’t add up. He begins digging, pushing to uncover the truth, no matter what the consequences.
The mystery provides tension without getting too dark. While Max’s family has their struggles, they also provide loving if quirky adult characters. Max’s dad uses the family as test subjects for his spicy granola ideas, while Max’s uncle Cal drops by to live in his van in the driveway. Each relationship helps Max come to some realizations about himself and the world.
This book provides valuable representation for kids with ADHD. The insights into Max’s thoughts, worldview and challenges will resonate with many kids. While Max sometimes struggles to fit into a world that isn’t built for him, and his therapist provides coping mechanisms to help him succeed, the book never looks down on him for his differences. Instead, it shows Max finding valuable friendships with people who accept him just the way he is. Max also identifies an adult in his life who possibly has undiagnosed ADHD.
In the end, it turns out Max was the perfect person to find out what happened to Will that night.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
About the author
Melanie Conklin grew up in North Carolina and worked as a product designer before she began her writing career. Her debut middle grade novel, Counting Thyme, is a Nerdy Book Award winner, a Bank Street Best Children’s Book, winner of the International Literacy Association Teacher’s Choice Award, and a finalist for the Missouri Mark Twain Book Award, the Iowa Children’s Choice Award, the Illinois Bluestem Award, and the Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award. She is also the author of Every Missing Piece, A Perfect Mistake (2022), and her picture book debut, When You Have to Wait (2023). When she’s not writing, Melanie spends her time doodling and dreaming up new ways to be creative. She lives in New Jersey with her family.
Need more to read? Find all of my middle grade recommendations here.
