Cute story for middle grade readers. I liked the character development. I would recommend this! ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-6

Plot Summary: Jillian comes home in tears when she came home from school on the day that she knew the right answer but couldn't bring herself to buzz in to say it aloud. She wants to speak up, and she's very impressed with Rashida's ability to do it. That and Rashida's speed and brains are what helped her win last year's mind bender competition. Ms. W is telling Jillian she should consider the mind bender competition but she isn't sure. She wants to prove to her late Grammy Ruby that she can find herself but she honestly doesn't know how. Her best friend Marquez suggests training her heart. Will Jillian be able to do that?

Setting: somewhere in Georgia but a place where no one knows about chickens already

Characters:
Jillian - 5th grade
Mom - has lupus
Dad - in a band in his garage
Marquez - Jillian's best friend, confident and silly, worried about telling his dad that they don't want him back because his mom is finally happy with her French-speaking boyfriend
Rashida - very smart, one of the rare 4th grade winners of the Mind Bender competition, in Jillian's class
Ms. Warren. - Jillian's teacher, has a warm yet firm teaching style, kids want to do good by her
Grammy Ruby - was a weaver and taught Jillian to weave

Recurring Themes: shyness, confidence, grief, loss, lupus, competition, friendship, raising chickens

Controversial Issues: none

Personal Thoughts: Was a little slow but really good characters. The metaphor between Jillian coming out of her shell and the eggs/chicks her class is in charge of is obvious.

Genre: realistic fiction

Pacing: slow, very little action
Characters: decent character development--I knew a lot about the characters but it wasn't what kept me reading
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity: ( )

Things I really loved about this book: the school traditions -- both chick hatching and the Mind Bender competition sound like really engaging ways to learn. The space and understanding about grief -- it's been almost a year since Grammy died, and that loss is acknowledged as an ongoing pain, but not so overwhelming as to take all the focus of the book -- really good balance. Jillian's relationships with both her parents and her friends were really good -- sometimes challenging in places, but very supportive and joyful overall. The importance of hair care, specifically Black hair care and the celebration of hairstyles and acknowledgement of the time and expertise it takes to achieve the look you want. Loved the inclusion of a character with Lupus, and the ways community just understood and worked with it. It's a feel good book, and it's a great read. ( )

Just Right Jillian is just right for any middle school reader. It's an empowering story of a girl who must overcome her extreme shyness to prove that she can compete in her school's academic contest, Mind Bender. The class science project watching chicks hatch serves as a metaphor for Jilian's journey, and ass she comes out her shell, Jillian learns to see others for who they are and not what they seem to be. Highly recommended! ( )