Sixth-grader Elyse was born with "cognadjivisibilitis," a disorder in which the words that anyone uses to describe Elyse appear on her body for weeks at a time. While nice words like "awesome" or "cool" are soothing, unkind words such as "dork" or "loser" itch a lot, and they're more prevalent now that Elyse's protective best friend has abandoned her for the mean popular girls. When someone starts leaving Elyse notes encouraging her to participate more in school, she learns to overcome her fears, make new friends, and become a leader. Self-acceptance is the key in Cooper's debut, but Elyse's struggle to get there is painfully realistic. Her interior thoughts and monthly letters to herself reveal a healthy sense of humor ("Holy high heels, he had eyeballs! That was a surprise considering he was such a furry guy"), but it's Elyse's kindness, perseverance, and smarts that help her rebuild her self-esteem. Cooper's stance on bullying is clear: words can—and do—hurt, but their power over you is only as strong as you allow them to be. Ages 10–12. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (July)

Debut author Abby Cooper has created a sweet and genuine heroine for this middle grade novel about a girl suffering from a rare disorder that causes words to appear on her body when others are speaking to or about her. Now that Elyse is in middle school, kids are more likely to be hurtful, intentionally or not. Trying to cope with her disorder and not feel like a social pariah, Elyse is also balancing liking a boy who does not like her back, making new friends when her BFF leaves her for the "Loud Crowd," and working hard to win over the school principal so he will choose her for Explorer Leader. While the disorder is certainly a device for the author to provide a look-in at middle school social structures, it is a strange concept to create an illness when so many real ones exist. This book will fit well in any middle grade realistic fiction section with the caveat that students understand the disorder is utterly fantastical.

Gr 4–6—What if everything others said about you became visible on your body? This is the reality for new sixth grader Elyse. Elyse struggles with issues common to most middle schoolers: navigating the popular crowd, unrequited crushes, and changing friendships. But she also has to deal with cognadjivisibilitis, or CAV: a disease that causes words to appear all over her body whenever they're spoken aloud. It's not so bad when people say nice things about her, but the mean ones are big and itchy and compete for space. As if that's not embarrassing enough, Elyse has just discovered that anything she thinks about herself (positive or negative) shows up, too. Now somebody at her school is sending her secret notes, claiming to want to help her with her predicament. Elyse sets out to learn the identity of the mysterious letter writer, all the while working through her own issues of identity and self-acceptance. Cooper does an excellent job using the imagined CAV to explore self-esteem issues, which are so prevalent at this precarious time in life. Middle grade readers will enjoy Elyse's wry observations about school and family life, and most will relate to the agony of dealing with being different, especially during those awkward preteen and teenage years. Fans of Wonder by R.J. Palacio will enjoy this book for its similar writing style, compelling characters, and upbeat tone. VERDICT A quirky, clever, and lighthearted look at what it means to accept oneself. Highly recommended for most middle grade collections.—Tabitha Nordby, Red River College, Manitoba, Canada