About This Book
Reach for this book when your child expresses feeling like an outsider or seems overwhelmed by the sudden shift in social dynamics as peers enter the 'crush' phase of pre-adolescence. This story follows fifth grader Chelsea Zeller, who finds the sudden obsession with boys and makeup in her classroom baffling and isolating. Rather than conforming, she uses her interest in primatologist Dian Fossey to observe her classmates like a scientist studying a strange new species. It is a humorous, reassuring look at early puberty and identity that validates children who are not yet ready to leave childhood behind. Parents will appreciate how it models intellectual curiosity as a shield against peer pressure, making it a perfect choice for the child who marches to their own beat and finds more comfort in the animal kingdom than the school cafeteria.
