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So refreshing to have a young protagonist whose voice sounds authentic and not whiny. It’s tough for me read about kids in blended families because I get so mad at the adults in the stories for being self absorbed and forgetting the kids. The adults in this story are forgivably human and Fizzy is just that kid whom we root for as she tries so hard to be a good daughter and to belong. ( )

This is a sweet book about 12-year-old Fizzy who must contend with her parents’ divorce, moving to a new school and having to make new friends, her parents’ subsequent remarriages, a new sibling and the trauma of being a teenager. Feeling like an outsider in both of her “new” homes, Fizzy tries to prove her worth by winning a cooking contest. This is a great book for teens with lesson on learning to accept yourself as you are, forgiving others for mistakes and that sometimes dreams do come true. ( )

Another “my parents are divorced and getting remarried” book. In this instance, twelve-year-old Elizabeth (Fizzy) and her mother move out of the family home. Fizzy is a normal pre-teen, other than being a talented chef hoping to have her own television show one day. The simultaneous news that her father and his new wife, Suzanne, are expecting a baby and her mother plans on marrying her boyfriend, Keene, is an unwelcome jolt to Fizzy. With a new baby and a new husband taking all her parents’ emotions, Fizzy feels like leftovers—nobody likes them. Her only confidante is her father’s sister, Aunt Liz. Aunt Liz, a talented chef in her own right, suggests Fizzy enter the Southern Living Cook-Off. Fizzy readily agrees to prove to a doubting Keene that she can win and in the hopes that winning a major competition might make her dysfunctional family love her again.

The Thing About Leftovers by C.C. Payne is a fun read about a serious topic. Blended families are prevalent and pre-teens and teens need to realize that, although their parents may be focusing their attentions on new families, it is not to the exclusion of the old ones. In addition, step-parents can love their step-children if given the chance. Learning to adjust to step-parents’ idiosyncrasies can be daunting. Having a support person, as Fizzy has in Aunt Liz, can make the transition easier. Children of blended families will relate to Fizzy’s thoughts and emotions. A thought provoking read for parents and children. ( )

This is a funny and sweet middle-grade read about a southern girl, with a passion for cooking, who feels like a “leftover” from her divorced parents’ marriage. Twelve year old Fizzy is struggling to figure out where she belongs when both her parents remarry and begin new lives. Fizzy finds solace in her cooking and with two close friends, Miyoko and Zach. Eventually Fizzy comes to realize her very important place in her new blended family.

This was a terrific story. It made me laugh in one chapter and then the next, I wanted to give Fizzy a hug and cry with her. Perfect book for grades five and up. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for a review. ( )