My Books
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Elusive Common Sense by Betts Arney
Set in 1960s Green Bay, Wisconsin, this middle-grade, coming-of-age novel follows eleven-year-old Alexandria McKenzie Kelley—Alex—as she embarks on a quest to find the common sense her mother insists she lacks.
As Alex navigates the challenges of growing up, she deals with changing relationships with her family, friends, and teachers. School becomes more complicated, especially when Alex is blamed for the disappearance of her beloved writing companion, Kitty. Her younger sister, Amanda, whom Alex calls “The Pest,” makes every day more difficult, adding to Alex's frustration of being held accountable for things she didn’t do.
Amidst the turmoil of school life, the "Nasty Girls" try to recruit Alex, and a neighborhood bully, Chip, humiliates her during English class. With the school spelling bee approaching, Alex feels overwhelmed by it all.
Despite the ups and downs, Alex pushes through to the spelling bee finals, where she learns valuable lessons about herself and her place in the world. The end of sixth grade doesn’t unfold as Alex planned, but it turns out better than she could have ever imagined.
The Growing Up Alex series is perfect for parents, educators, and librarians, with relatable, real-life themes ideal for readers' groups, book clubs, and classroom discussions.