Books Like Mean Streak
Families who loved Mean Streak by Ilene Cooper often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved Mean Streak by Ilene Cooper often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child is struggling with the fallout of their own impulsive behavior or feeling the sting of social isolation at school. It is particularly helpful for middle-grade readers navigating the tricky transition of a parent dating after a divorce, especially when those family changes trigger lashing out at friends. The story follows eleven-year-old Veronica, who finds herself truly alone after her sharp tongue drives away her best friend, Robin. This isolation hits even harder when she discovers her father might remarry, leaving her with no emotional safety net. It is a realistic, grounded look at how jealousy and insecurity can create a 'mean streak' in otherwise good kids. Parents will appreciate how it validates the complex anger children feel about changing family dynamics while gently modeling the hard work of self-reflection and apology.
