The Missing Pieces of Me - Hardcover

Gr 4–6—This is the poignant story of sensitive Weezie, who is growing up in an 1980's Oklahoman trailer park with an overworked and unloving Mama. The fifth-grader is nearly convinced that she is a completely bad person, thanks to her mother's uncompromising expectations and lack of affection, combined with her own penchant for lying to protect herself from the other kids' curiosity about her life. Van Leeuwen beautifully balances dialogue with action and the internal narrative of her hero to create a forward-moving tale that will carry readers along, feeling alternately sad and proud for Weezie all the way. All of the secondary characters are simple, defined by one or two primary characteristics, but feel full-bodied thanks to the variation in their voices and thoughtful details, such as the teacher who "ran her fingers through her hair, making it stand out like a dark cloud around her head... when she was thinking." Unlike many protagonists of this age group, Weezie is on the innocent and naive side, and nothing shockingly bad or jarringly uncomfortable happens. Ultimately, this quiet book reveals the capacity for good within the characters—despite the hard and unyielding heart of Weezie's mother—and leaves readers with a sense of empathy and understanding about the importance of self-confidence. Recommended for readers who can handle getting emotionally involved with their protagonists, such as fans of Karen Hesse.—Rhona Campbell, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC