The Kate In Between

In this timely, call-to-action contemporary middle grade novel from Claire Swinarski, author of What Happens Next, a twelve-year-old girl must face herself, and the truth, after her participation in a bullying incident goes viral. 

Kate McAllister is desperate for a change. Something to hit refresh and erase the pain of her mother leaving town without her. So when a group of popular girls folds Kate into their clique, it feels like the answer to all her problems—even if it means ditching Haddie, her childhood bestie.

But when Kate’s new friends decide that Haddie is their next target, Kate becomes a passive participant in a cruel incident that could have killed Haddie…had Kate not stepped in, at the last minute, and saved her. The next day, a cell phone video of the rescue goes viral, and Kate is hailed a hero. But Kate knows the truth—she was part of the problem—and it’s only a matter of time until the full version of the video is released and everyone knows it too.

With so much at stake, Kate must decide who she wants to be: a liar, a follower, or someone greater.

She’s caught between her old best friend and her new popular crowd. What happens when being a hero feels like the biggest lie of all?

• Going Viral: After a video of Kate saving her friend goes viral, she’s hailed as a hero. But she knows the full video would tell a very different, and much darker, story.
• Middle School Life: Navigating the choice between your childhood best friend and the popular clique that promises to solve all your problems.
• The Bystander Effect: An unflinching look at what it means to be a bystander, a passive participant, and how silence can be just as cruel as the bullying itself.
• Making Good Choices: A heartfelt and timely story that asks tough questions about honesty, guilt, and finding the courage to do the right thing, even when it’s the hardest thing.

"This messy middle-school drama shines a light on what it means to develop identity. Illuminating." - Kirkus Reviews

The Kate In Between is a perfect portrayal of the middle school struggle to fit in and find one's true self. Kate's voice had me hooked from the first page. Outstanding!  - Lisa Greenwald, author of the Friendship List series

Well written and on point, Swinarski’s middle-grade take on the mean-girls novel will resonate with readers looking for a realistic story that doesn’t gloss over choices or consequences, giving them complex ideas to contemplate. - Booklist

"An engaging and inspiring novel about standing up for what's right, being your authentic self, and finding the strength to use your voice." - Lynne Kelly, author of Song For a Whale

"Swinarski adeptly presents multiple, and at times conflicting, sides of Kate in her struggle to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. With a well-developed protagonist, this book tackles bullying, friendship, parental roles, social ­media and social justice." - School Library Journal