The Mortification of Fovea Munson balances macabre humor with the cringe inducing social anxiety of a middle schooler working in her parents' cadaver lab. Readers enjoy how scientific anatomy facts merge with the absurdity of talking severed heads and a fast paced mystery. Books in this family share a blend of gross out comedy and quirky, high stakes adventures.
Reach for this book when your middle schooler feels like their family's quirks or interests make them an outcast at school. It is an ideal choice for a child struggling with the transition to seventh grade or anyone who feels 'gross' or different because of their parents' unusual professions. The story follows Fovea Munson, who is forced to spend her summer working in her parents' cadaver lab, only to find herself embroiled in a hilarious, slightly macabre mystery involving three talking, severed heads. While the premise sounds spooky, it is actually a deeply funny and touching exploration of self-acceptance and the realization that everyone, even the 'normal' kids, feels like a monster sometimes. It treats themes of friendship, family loyalty, and the embarrassment of puberty with a light, humorous touch. Parents will appreciate how it uses a high-concept, scientific setting to normalize the very real social anxieties of the middle school years.
