Worse Than Weird

Readers who love Leslie Connor and Ann M. Martin will adore this story of a citywide scavenger hunt and a girl who learns that family—and weirdness—is relative.

Summer Coding Camp

Incoming 7th graders only

Eight-week session begins June 28

This is it, my summer plan.

Hoping to ditch two months of chicken coops, kale, and her parents’ antiscreen rules, Mac MacLeod sets out to win a citywide food cart scavenger hunt and the money she needs for the summer coding camp of her dreams.

But Mac discovers more than just clues during her cross-city sprint—like how her weird parents might not be the worst thing compared to the circumstances of those around her.

With the same humor and hope of her debut novel, Mostly the Honest Truth, Jody J. Little gives readers another spunky, unforgettable character to root for.

Can a city-wide scavenger hunt solve all her problems?

• A City-Wide Scavenger Hunt: Mac must follow the clues from Portland’s famous food carts if she wants to win the money for coding camp.
• A Funny Family Story: Between goat yoga, chicken coop chores, and the annual Naked Bike Ride, Mac is sure she has the weirdest parents in the world.
• STEM for Girls: A smart, spunky heroine who thinks in code and dreams of designing her own apps and games.
• Heartfelt Lessons on Empathy: An emotional journey about discovering that every family has its own struggles, and that weird is always relative.

“Jane is an old-fashioned fix-it kid in this sweet story of folks young and old in need of what the Three Boulders stand for: forgiveness, redemption, and community.”

“Jane Girl and her Pop are mostly always just enough for each other, except when Pop slides into sadness and drinking and has to go into rehab and get fixed up. Jane is taken in by Officer D-for-Doris who lives outside of town in a commune.  This time, Pop does not come home anytime soon and Jane begins to make a few new friends with some of the kids, though not yielding much to the tough-but-tender foster care offered by Officer D.  But the truth of what happened the last time with Pop’s drinking ultimately comes out.  A pretty honest and accessible novel about alcoholism for the older elementary reader told richly & compellingly.” - Christy McDanold, Secret Garden Bookshop (Seattle, WA)

“Fans of Danielle Davis’ Zinnia and the Bees will fall in love with Jody Little’s tale about a girl named Jane and her quest for home. After a nighttime accident, Jane’s father is ordered a mandatory twelve days of rehab. During this, Officer D takes her to live temporarily in Three Boulders, a small community and Officer D’s home. It is there that Jane discovers more than she ever thought possible, including the ability to tell the ‘honest truth’. In a setting that fills a bit like summer camp, the author explores topics such as: foster care, family addiction, friendship, and the feeling of finding your people.” - Jen Pino, Vroman’s Bookstore (Pasadena, CA)

“Jane finds herself in foster care while her father spends another stint in rehab and she’s determined not to make friends with anyone because this is the last time they’ll be apart. As days go by and she settles into Three Boulders, Jane realizes that family is more than your relatives - it’s who stands by you when needed. Wonderful characters and authentic voices make this story one for all to share.” - Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop (Houston, TX)

“Middle-grade readers are bound to enjoy Mac's machinations.” - Booklist

“When Jane is sent to Three Boulders, she plans on being there for twelve days and getting out--she doesn’t realize how the community there will provide her with something she didn’t know she was missing. A touching and realistic look at how the disease of alcoholism can affect a family, but also how family can be found in the most unexpected places.” - Katherine Warde, Micawber’s Bookstore (St. Paul, MN)

PRAISE FOR Mostly the Honest Truth:   “This upbeat tale portrays a hero’s journey that takes a community to complete.” - Kirkus Reviews

“To get to Three Boulders, turn right at the juncture of sadness and courage, keep straight to the edge of wisdom, and take the fork to understanding.  You won’t want to leave that magical place.” - Susan Patron, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Higher Power of Lucky

“Jane Pengilly is prickly, persistent—and an utter delight! She, and the other inhabitants of Three Boulders, will take your heart apart and put it back together again. A superb debut.” - Leslie Connor, author of The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle

“Plenty of warmth and fun. A good bet for fans of Emma Donoghue’s The Lotterys books or Jennifer Chambliss Bertman’s Book Scavenger series.” - School Library Journal

“Readers will appreciate following the food-focused treasure hunt, Mac's zeal for coding, and her compassionate friends. Earnest, entertaining and original.” - Kirkus Reviews