The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali BenjaminMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Caitlyn and her mother have moved to a new town that is completely different from where she previously lived. She needs to make new friends and navigate a new school. She finds her classmates are quirky, and the school is the strangest school she's ever been in. She keeps hearing about a boy who suddenly moved away, Paulie Fink. Everyone tells stories about him and offers a different description of what he was like. Caitlyn doesn't know what to make of this, but mostly she knows she doesn't want to be his replacement.
This book brought up many issues facing middle schoolers without be pedantic or preachy. The author does a wonderful job of showing Caitlyn's evolution through the story. I loved the quirky kids and they way they were valued for being themselves - something many middle schools don't necessarily allow, as revealed through Caitlyn's communications with her friends from her previous school. And then there's Paulie - who was he really? Can we ever say we really know someone?
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