Everything I know about you

Barbara Dee

Book - 2018

"Misfit Tally is forced to room with queen bee Ava on the seventh grade's extended field trip to Washington, D.C., and discovers several surprising things about her roommate, including the possibility of an eating disorder"--

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Children's Room jFICTION/Dee Barbara Due Apr 1, 2024
Subjects
Genres
Fiction
Published
New York : Aladdin 2018.
Language
English
Main Author
Barbara Dee (author)
Edition
First Aladdin hardcover edition
Physical Description
306 pages ; 22 cm
Audience
Ages 9-13.
ISBN
9781534405073
9781534405080
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Worst. Class. Trip. Ever. At least, that's what Tally thinks as she boards a bus for her seventh-grade trip to Washington, D.C., since she's forced to room with her nemesis, Ava Seely. They are complete opposites: Tally is tall, big, self-assured, and dresses creatively, while Ava is petite, perfectly groomed, and, as Tally discovers, tightly wound. Furthermore, her best friends, Sonnet and Spider (real name Caleb), are also rooming with enemies, but, to Tally's surprise, they seem to like their roommates. Then Tally starts warming up to Ava, discovering an unsettling secret: Ava is anorexic. Ava doesn't want Tally's help, even threatening to share a terrible picture of her with the class if Tally tells anyone. Tally is torn between getting help for Ava and self-preservation, and she wonders whether it's any of her business anyway. Tally's transformation and insights in her first-person narrative ring true, as does the rest of the novel: she's surrounded with complex, interesting characters in a realistic plot that nicely captures middle-school experiences and friendships.--Scanlon, Donna Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Seventh grader Tally is many things: fiercely protective of her best friends, Spider and Sonnet; adopted (and proud of it); outspoken; confident; and very good at math. One thing she's not is a "clonegirl," like her nemesis, Ava, whose look comes straight from a fashion magazine. Instead, Tally dons funky glasses and outsize jewelry to show that she is an individual, not part of the pack. When their class goes to Washington, D.C., Tally is dismayed to learn that her roommate is Ava; Spider's is Marco, the boy who bullied him last year; and Sonnet's with Haley, one of the clonegirls. Tally vows to stick with her friends and protect them both from potential teasing, but once in D.C., things shift, leaving Tally unsure of her role for the first time and forcing her to reconsider Ava. Dee (Star-Crossed) sensitively portrays Tally's fears about being left behind as friends change, as well as the signs and impact of the anorexia Ava is hiding. Readers will root for big-hearted Tally, whose willingness to speak her truth makes for honest and engaging narration. Ages 9-13. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-7-Seventh grader Tally Martin has a strong sense of self and celebrates what makes her unique. She is adopted and has close relationships with her supportive family; she describes herself as large and shows great confidence and body positivity; she has a quirky fashion sense and doesn't much care what others think of her-especially the "clonegirls" at school. Unfortunately, Tally is stuck rooming with head "clonegirl" Ava during a field trip to Washington, D.C. Determined to use the trip as an opportunity to learn more about Ava, Tally soon begins to notice some worrisome behaviors indicative of an eating disorder. Unsure of the best way to help Ava, Tally struggles with whether to tell someone what's going on, especially when Ava threatens to post an embarrassing photo of Tally online if she doesn't keep Ava's secrets. Eventually, Tally comes forward with what she knows, and Ava begins treatment for anorexia. Dee's acknowledgments briefly touch on her own personal experience with disordered eating, and back matter includes additional resources for those seeking help or further information. Though other characters lack the same dimension, Tally is a refreshing middle grade character who is never defined unilaterally. Her efforts to navigate the complexities of adolescent friendships and ever-evolving social circles will resonate with readers. Ava's struggle with anorexia is portrayed with care and makes an important subject accessible for a younger audience. VERDICT While perhaps tied up a little too neatly, the author succeeds in weaving together threads of self-acceptance, individuality, what it means to be a friend, and even responsible Internet use. A strong addition to library collections.-Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

Tally, whose classmates are tired of her superior-seeming attempts to help others, navigates awkward seventh-grade dynamics on a class trip to Washington, DC. Signs of a classmate's eating disorder force her to consider interfering despite others' annoyance. Dee nails the voice and characterization of preteens trying to find their place in the social order. Eating disorder resources are appended. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

It's time for the seventh-grade trip to Washington, D.C.!In an effort to promote "class unity," the optimistic (clueless?) teachers have determined the rooming assignments, and Tally Martin isn't looking forward to three nights with her enemy, the perfect, popular Ava Seeley. Tally's also angry on behalf of her two best friends, who are also in less-than-ideal rooming situations with their respective former bullies. Well-meaning Tally wants to protect Sonnet and Spider from their tormentors. However, the boisterous, eclectically dressed Tally, who has always been her friends' protector, must face the fact that she must let them fight their own battles or risk losing them. But when she discovers that Ava has become "emaciated," skips meals, and exercises obsessively, she must decide if this is a situation she should put her nose in. Flippant and outgoing Tally is "tan," adopted, and bigger than her classmatesnot just taller, but she also has a "squishy belly" and a "big butt" she loves; she sees her fatness as a biological inheritance, just one part of who she is. Her passionate impulse to protect her friends is immediately sympathetic, as is her growing understanding of both herself and her classmates. Diversity among Tally's classmates is implied by naming convention (Sonnet has a Japanese surname, for example) and occasionally called out. Others, including Spider, are white by default.A poignant and often hilarious slice of middle-grade life. (eating disorder resources) (Fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Everything I Know About You Boxes WE GOT TO SCHOOL IN the dark that morning, already fifteen minutes late. By then, cars were headed in the opposite direction, doggy heads hanging out the passenger windows, horns honking good-bye. Ms. Jordan was standing by the fancy bus, wearing jeans (she owned jeans?), checking her clipboard. She looked up; now I could see she was talking to Ava Seeley and her mom, a blond woman dressed head to toe in beige, like she was about to go on a safari. Suddenly I had the feeling Ava was glaring at me. I mean, my brain told me she wasn't; we were maybe thirty feet away from her, in a car, and probably she couldn't even see me through the windshield. But she was the head clonegirl of our grade, basically my enemy, so I was always on the lookout for her nasty expressions. "Gug," I said, my stomach knotting. "Tally, don't decide this will be bad before anything happens," Mom said. "Yeah, well. Too late." "Come on, honey, you got this." Mom gave me a pep smile, which usually worked. Although not this time. "Just share the goodies Dad baked you; that'll help with the bus trip. Oh, and here's a present from me." She handed me a small sandwich bag. Inside were two red things that looked like cap erasers. "Earplugs," Mom explained. "For the bus. And the room, if Ava's a snorer." "If she is, she couldn't be louder than Spike." My dog was a champion loud breather, so I was an expert at ignoring snores. Obviously, Mom meant the earplugs for more than snoring. I stuck the bag in my pants pocket and threw my arms around her. "Thanks, Mom." She smooched my cheek. "You're welcome, Daughter. Text me when you get there, okay? Tell Spider to text his mom too. And let me help with the bakery boxes." We stepped out of the car into the sharp, chilly air. It didn't even feel like September, really--although maybe that was because it still seemed liked night. Maybe once we were on the road, and the sun was up, it would feel like a normal fall morning in Eastview. But not yet. I shivered. Mom carried two of the boxes, and I carried one, plus my duffel bag. The bus had this huge underneath storage compartment, but by now it was completely crammed with everyone's stuff for the next four days. So we had to wedge my duffel in sideways, probably squishing all the extra cookies Dad had packed. Then we walked over to Ms. Jordan. "Good morning, Tally!" Ms. Jordan greeted me too energetically, as if she'd had an extra cup of coffee for breakfast. "I was starting to worry you wouldn't make it. You're Mrs. Martin?" she asked Mom. Mom caught my eye. Because I'm so much bigger and taller than the rest of my family, people say stuff like this sometimes. Maybe Ms. Jordan didn't mean it as an actual question--Are you really Tally's mom?--but it was hard to tell. "Yes, I am," Mom said, smiling at everyone. Even at Ava, who didn't bother to smile back. But Ms. Jordan did. "Quite a daughter you have there. Full of character." Mom nodded. You could tell she was trying to figure out whether that was a compliment. Meanwhile, Ava's mom was reaching out her hand to shake Mom's, completely ignoring the fact that Mom was holding two bulging bakery boxes. "Good morning. I'm Ellen Seeley," she announced. "I'm the parent chaperone for this trip." The parent chaperone? But there were three other parents going, I was sure of it. "Oh yes," Mom said pleasantly. "We've already met, Ellen. How nice of you to volunteer! Tally, could I please give you these boxes? The car is in a no-parking zone, so I really can't stay." Her eyes were begging; she obviously wanted to escape Ellen Seeley. "Sure," I said, stacking Mom's boxes on top of mine. "You'd better hurry, so you don't get a ticket." Mom tiptoed to kiss my cheek. "Have fun, sweetheart, and remember those earplugs," she murmured. "Tune out whatever you need to, okay? And don't forget to text." Then she raced off. Mrs. Seeley turned to talk to Ms. Jordan, as Ava narrowed her eyes at me. "So what's in the boxes?" Ava asked. "Oh, these?" I said. "Binoculars. Pickaxes. Flashlights. You know, assorted extremely high-tech devices for exploring our nation's capital." "Huh," Ava said. She never appreciated my sense of humor. "It looks like bakery stuff." "We're allowed to bring snacks," I informed her. "Not that I am." "Whatever." "What does that mean?" "It means bring whatever you want, Tally. However much you want. I really don't care what you do, all right?" "That's so funny, Ava," I replied. "Because you always act like exactly the opposite." Now Ava definitely was glaring, and I glared right back at her. She was teeny, maybe ten inches shorter than me, so I had to stoop a bit to make eye contact. But it's hard to stoop while balancing three bakery boxes, so I sort of teetered in her direction. Finally she said, "Well, you'd better get a seat. You're late, and we're about to leave." And we know you'd hate to leave me behind, wouldn't you, Ava? I climbed on board, my heart banging so loudly I was sure you could hear it over the bus engine. Because here it was. We'd now arrived at the moment I'd been dreading for the past two weeks. The moment I'd find out if my friends had shown up. Or if I'd have to do this thing--all three days and four nights--stuck in a room alone with Ava Seeley. Excerpted from Everything I Know about You by Barbara Dee All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.