I Am the Wallpaper

by Mark Peter Hughes

Thirteen-year-old Floey Packer feels like she’s always blended into the background. After all, she’s the frumpy younger sister of the Fabulous Lillian, a girl so popular and spontaneous that their house is always packed with a gaggle of admirers. But when Lillian suddenly gets married and heads off on a month-long honeymoon, Floey decides it’s her time to shine. Armed with her trusty diary, some books on Zen philosophy, and a jar of Deep Wild Violet hair dye, Floey embarks on a self-improvement mission—with excellent results. People are finally noticing her, especially the boy who really counts. But then disaster strikes.

Are people noticing Floey because she’s so fabulous—or because her evil cousins posted her diary on the Internet? And how will Floey ever repair the damage?

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Middle Grade, Teen

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2005

About the author

Mark Peter Hughes was born in Liverpool, England in the Oxford Street Maternity Hospital, the same hospital as John Lennon. His family moved to the U.S.A. when he was one and most of his childhood was spent in Barrington, Rhode Island.

Mark’s first novel, I Am the Wallpaper, is the the story of a girl who feels unnoticed and ends up being an unwitting online sensation. Soon after its publication he began work on Lemonade Mouth, a novel that taps into his experiences playing in oddball rock bands and trying to change the world. In a style loosely based on the interviews of the fab four in The Beatles Anthology, the five oddball members of the band called “Lemonade Mouth” tell the band’s chaotic story and their own individual stories in their own voices. The Disney Channel adapted Lemonade Mouth into the #1 cable movie of 2011, and the highly-praised book sequel, Lemonade Mouth Puckers Up, came out in 2012.

A Crack In The Sky is Mark's award-winning futuristic adventure of a boy and a mongoose on an overheated Earth at the end of the world. Mark is currently working on the follow-up to A Crack In The Sky, which will be called The Keepers of Tomorrow.

Mark lives in Massachusetts with his wife, three kids, and a dog named Wendel.

More Fun Facts:

… Mark was once kicked out of eighth grade music class for throwing a spitball.

… He plays trumpet and guitar with his band, The Church Ladies.

…He did a commentary about the writing life for National Public Radio. You can listen to it by going to his website.

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has the generic feel of one written by someone who has never read a young adult novel and thinks: well, i'm writing about a thirteen year old girl, so there should be a diary, an embarassing incident involving a bra, a crush, a fight with her best friend, etc...

But more troubling is how utterly unlikeable the narrator is. She has no qualms about stealing her best friend's crush, and frequently makes commments like, "Thank God Rebecca Greenblatt was such a fatty." The only moments in which she is sympathetic are those in which other people treat her poorly. She makes not one kind gesture, nor thinks one kind thought in the entire book.

Add to that some weird plot bits like her flighty 21 year old sister dating many men in March, and then marrying one in June with no discussion of that being worrysome or surprising.

Ugh.

[Lee Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review of i am the wallpaper


A better formatted version of this review is in this link.

My review

I really liked this book. It's short, funny, and amazingly convincing as something a 13-year-old girl could write, think, do etc. even though it's written by a guy!

It's all about the trials and tribulations of a kid in her early teens.Floey is the main character and she feels left out most of the time ("in the wallpaper"). She has several close friends. Azra and she have a crush on the same guy, Wen, and they have a pact that they'll kind of "share him." But then she sees him with another girl. Another guy, Calvin, emerges. He's a bit older than she is. And has a girlfriend.

The first haiku appears early in the book. These are three lines, 5, 7,5 syllables. Many more appear throughout the book. They are totally awesome.

nothing in the cry
of cicadas suggests they
are about to die

—Matsuo Basho 1644-1694


Much later in the book she will receive a letter from Calvin:

bright and wild like fire
suddenly she steps forward
out of gray nothing

Floey's world gets real complicated when her home is invaded by visiting cousins. Who are big time nasty. We learn her thoughts via her diary writing (all in script font). They take the form of letters to herself. Given her disappointments, she decides to become a totally awesome future self.

For example, after a really bad experience when she falls onto her new acquaintance Calvin (who has given her champagne) and found herself in an embarrassing position on top of him ... she wrote:

Much later, a friend of one of her cousins, and the cousin himself, do a very nasty thing: they build a website and publish her diary. She ultimately figures out a way to expose them.

The author, Mark Peter Hughes, describes himself in About the Author as follows:

"... As a teenager, Mark worked in many different jobs: gas station attendant, fast-food zombie, beach sticker enforcer ('I was fired after only two days'), clam factory worker ('this was the smelliest of jobs —my sisters avoided me all summer'), and movie theater usher, among others. A former member of a local alternative rock band, he was once kicked out of eighth-grade music class for throwing a spitball."

I especially liked the way he wraps up the book. Despite all the infighting, misunderstandings, crazy teenage stuff, long term friendships are mended, and what we hope might happen, looks like it's going to.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Peter Hughes is, I'm convinced, secretly a teenage girl.

You know those books that are so accurate to how you felt as a teenager that they make you cringe enough to set them down several times during the reading--always with great relief to be past this life stage?

Um, yeah. Enter I Am the Wallpaper.

Floey Packer is an introvert surrounded by screaming, bratty, intrusive cousins--and a cadre of adolescent boys determined to invade what little privacy she has left. (Naturally, her mother simply thinks she's overreacting/making it up/being an overemotional teenager--or simply doesn't notice.) One boy proudly admits to spying on her through her windows. Some follow her, take pictures of her, and post them on the internet. When she discovers a revealing photo in the hands of her devious cousin Richard--and classmates start making too-specific references to things she thought only her diary knew--she knows it's only the beginning. It's time for New Floey to either kick behind or be trampled, utterly, in the process.

Cringeworthy but wonderful. Four stars, one subtracted for issues having to do with the strength (or lack thereof) of the love subplot.

[Chip Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am the Wallpaper, by Mark Peter Hughes, is a wonderful (fictional) story about a thirteen year old girl named Floey Packer. Floey, although amazingly intelligent, introspective and longing for love and recognition is viewed as rather dull and unconventionally "odd" by not only her very popular sister Lillian -- who has just gone off on her month-long honeymoon, but also by her own mother and Aunt Sarah. Floey "blends in with the Wallpaper" and is hardly noticed, until she one day decides to make some bold, creative and life-changing decisions. Floey is told by her mother she must take care of Aunt Sarah's kids (her mischievous and evil cousins) while both Lillian and Aunt Sarah are away for the month. As bad luck would have it, one of her cousins posts her diary on the internet. We read about this cruel act and think there must be no possible way to even begin to heal the damage these bratty kids have done! They have exposed Floey's passionate feelings about two boys she has been longing to be with. One of these boys (with whom she had a very embarrassing disaster at one point) inspired Floey about Zen philosophy, writing and looking upon life's suffering from an entirely different perspective. It is this new mindful awareness, combined with other rather dramatic changes (one being her new Deep Violet Wild hair dye) which contribute to a seemingly impossible solution beyond the reader's wildest expectations. I loved this often very funny story. As told through Floey's diary itself and her own narrative.

[Ellen M.]

i think the theme is there will always be people outshining you and you have to learn to accept their personality

[LouBean ~ ( IT’S TIIIIIIIIME 🎄 ) SEMI-IA · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was clearly not written by a woman. It was like the author thought, oh! I’m writing about a 13 year old girl so there just has to be a diary involved, an incident with a bra, a crush, a fight with her best friend, annoying cousins, a perfect older sister who she is told to be more like, etc. There were some interesting bits, but overall it was generic and uninteresting.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and in my opinion anyone who has a low self esteem should read this book. It tells the story of a teenage girl who went unnoticed and tried to change that but found that there's no body better than who you truely are. This book taught me that to be yourself is the best accomplishment.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and its title. And I love Wen!! It's a great story about someone trying to find out who they are and who they want to be. All while feeling left out. But trying to be different and independent.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book- contemporary realism, friend problems, a diary is posted on the web- you know, the usual

[Anna Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I really like about this book are the haiku poems. The plot was good, too.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, sorta... Kinda

[Abrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book, as it is an entertainment that will keep your eyes glued to the pages. The book is about a thirteen year old named Floey Packer who is the younger sister of her amazing sister Lillian who always has the house packed with admirers. Floey is often felt as a wallpaper compared to her sister. However when Lillian is on her honeymoon Floey has a chance to stick out from the wallpaper. She keeps herself busy with her zen quotes and her diary which she writes in daily. All of a sudden everyone is so interested in her. Boys take a second glance as well as heads turn where ever she goes. Is Floeys dreams coming true? Is she finally the opposite of being stuck in a wallpaper? Maybe people are finally interested in who she really is? Or maybe its just the interests in the diary that secretly got posted by her cousins.

[Melissa Allijan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book “I am the Wallpaper” by Mark Peter Hughes is about a 13 year old girl named Floey Packer and the challenges she faces as she wants to go from ordinary to extraordinary. I really liked this book because, in my opinion it is one of those books that as soon as you pick it up you can’t stop reading it. I finished it in a short time and the ending was very good. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books that can relate to them. Like if anyone has ever felt like they were in the background or has friend problems. Even if someone has annoying younger cousins.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS!

obviously, this book is almost not realistic at all. yet, one of the things that is very beautiful about this book is that you cant see the growth.

At the beginning, the main character is very insecure and kind of bratty-bitchy, the author really captured the “im-to-cool” pre-teen. i do wish the main character met a more reliable friend.

towards the end you can tell how the main character grew the hell up and became WAY more confident and learned how to be her goshdarn self!

in some ways this book was immature but it holds so much meaning to me.

[Natalie Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very odd,funny,amazing book and i really liked it because it was about a girl going through middle school and shes 13 so a close age difference and it talks about life and friends and real things that happen to real people and its amazing that it relates to whats going on in life and just reading about and seeing that it happens to other people too shows that your not alone.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t decide if the writing is an accurately jolted voice of a 13-year-old or if it’s just not very good. Something about it just always felt a bit off, never ringing entirely true. Maybe I’m just being overly critical, but I found the story and character decidedly average.

[Natalia Block · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not expect this book to be so entertaining. This book surprised me with twist and turns that I never thought would happen. Floey Packer (main character) goes through so much drama throughout the book. I would recommend this to a friend.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to keep reminding myself that a guy wrote it. And yes, that is a compliment! Mark totally nailed how a young girl’s perspective. Would recommend to any YA reader.

[Kimberly Gulley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Floey is a giant douche. ‘Nough said.

[swords & sweets]

Don't remember enough to rate/review fairly.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good but the main character was annoying

[Nancy Murphy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it was stupid actually. I didn’t like it at all. The format was clever but a bunch of bad situations happened and the main character made them worse. Don’t bother with this one!

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My book this week was "I am the Wallpaper" by Mark Peter Hughes. The main characters are Azra, Wen, Floey, Lillian, and Floey and Lillian's mother. This story is about Floeys life through middle school, and all the things that fall in between. The author also included Floey's little notes to her future self. Everyday, Floey will write something regarding that day that she thinks her future self will enjoy.

If I had to change anything, I would change the main characters name. Floey isn't a bad name, I just think it sounds like a cats name! (I had a cat named Floey). But other than that, I wouldn't change anything else! This story flowed very nicely as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys relatable books and stories. Since I am in middle school as well, there were so many times that I said to myself "I did the same thing!". I rated this book four stars because it was great, but I have read better books.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would've appreciated this book maybe 6 years ago?
It's like reading my diary from then. Hahahah

(Okay, I'm reading some books I got years ago because I'm trying to clear out my bookshelf so that's why I'm reading books I wouldn't normally pick up now)

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I feel as if I could relate to it and I feel that Mark Peter Hughes is a young teenage girl that has been through something like this! This has been one of the better books that I have read and I will probably be relating to it more throughout my life. Floey is a hilarious character that feels invisible. Everyone only usually notices her sister and she's tired of that. Floey discovers a lot about herself through making lots of mistakes, most of which are pretty funny, but I wouldn't want them to happen to me. This book is more for a younger crowd, someone who is older than 10 but younger than 16 would really like something like this book.

[EJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Am The Wallpaper is a story of thirteen year-old Floey Packer and her summer of trying to, essentially, change herself, so she can stop “being the wallpaper.”
Honestly, I would now only rate this about 4 stars after re-reading it, but a year ago, as a thirteen year old, I did think this book was just about the best thing since sliced bread. A part of it ran true to me, I think, because I did, most of the time, feel like the wallpaper, always going unnoticed and unheard (and I think this is still rather true).
The book is a quick read; I read it in one day the second time around. I would recommend it to girls around Floey's age, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen. I know the girl on the cover looks much older – she's only supposed to be thirteen.
The good think about I Am The Wallpaper is that it does make you feel something. I was annoyed when Floey was, saw the unfairness of situations just like she did, and the characters were definitely strong. My thirteen year-old self had a huge crush on Wen, one of Floey's love interests, and I still do find him very likable (not that much changes in only a year). What really is great though, is the problems Floey has with her friends – the fights, the “betrayals,” everything that goes on when you're thirteen. And although I did find myself getting a bit mad at Floey, she is a likeable protagonist for the vast majority of the book.
I especially like the way haiku poems were incorporated in the story, as well as the diary entries. They both gave the book some depth.
If I liked this book enough to go and re-read it, it definitely means it's good. It is a favorite of mine.

[Suebee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Floey Packer is thirteen and feels invisible, like wallpaper, especailly next to her beautiful older sister Lillian. After an incident at sister's wedding where her younger cousins force her out onto a balcony in the rain, soaking her through, she decides to become the "new and improved Floey," wearing fedoras, writing haiku and zen poetry, dying her hair purple and standing up for herself. She documents it all in her diary, while her two awful young cousins, Richard and Trish, take over her home for three weeks. Cousin Richard publishes Floey's diary on a website, and Floey is suddenly (in)famous, but her friendship with girlfriend Azra and guy friend Wen (once a hopeful romance) becomes difficult...Eventually, she shuts the site down, and the book ends with hope for a romance with Calvin, a 15-year-old poetry reading cowboy she first found the courage to speak to at her sister's wedding. Sometimes trite writing, with pop references that will date the book. Warning - the cover image pictures an older girl, maybe 16-18, so this may deceive older readers into picking it up. They should still find it enjoyable.

[Conan Tigard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right from the beginning, I liked Floey Packer. I enjoyed how the author had her writing in her journal so you understand exactly what Floes is thinking and how she is feeling. I thought that the adding of the cursive writing for the journal entries gave the journal entries a feel of a girl really writing her thoughts down. I felt for Floey and all of her troubles, and was shocked and outraged that her journal entries appeared online.

How would you react if something like that happened to you? I know I would be spitting nails! But she handles it well and soon has a plan of her own. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold. I am amazed that a man could have the insight to see inside of a young teenager's mind and write such a good and fun book.

Girls will love this book and feel greatly for the main character and what she goes though. Mark Peter Hughes has does a fantastic bit of writing with I Am The Wallpaper and it is sure to be loved by all who read it. Go get 'em Floey Packer, and you show those boys that they can't treat girls like that, especially girls that they like. Whatever happened to respect?

I rated this book an 8½ out of 10.

[Int'l librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Floey Parker’s me-first middle school arrogance is funny enough to be tolerable. But there’s not much reason to sympathize with her. The same goes for just about everybody else in this frequently fun but haphazard story.

A few characters stand out as annoying: older sister Lilian is an attention-seeking whiner. Younger cousins Richard and Tish are devious manipulators. They supposedly gain favor once Floey decides to team up with them. The worst of their pre-teen terrorism – cyber bullying with sexual implications – is disturbing both for its impact, and the half-hearted manner in which it’s half-resolved.

Floey’s only 13, but that’s apparently old enough to fit right into a high school party that quickly turns abusive. And our library book cover features a girl who seems older, in a pose that’s light years more provocative than it needs to be. With this type of lead-in, it’s plain to see how the cyber fetishes develop.

[ACS Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Floey Parker 19s me-first middle school arrogance is funny enough to be tolerable. But there 19s not much reason to sympathize with her. The same goes for just about everybody else in this frequently fun but haphazard story.

A few characters stand out as annoying: older sister Lilian is an attention-seeking whiner. Younger cousins Richard and Tish are devious manipulators. They supposedly gain favor once Floey decides to team up with them. The worst of their pre-teen terrorism 13 cyber bullying with sexual implications 13 is disturbing both for its impact, and the half-hearted manner in which it 19s half-resolved.

Floey 19s only 13, but that 19s apparently old enough to fit right into a high school party that quickly turns abusive. And our library book cover features a girl who seems older, in a pose that 19s light years more provocative than it needs to be. With this type of lead-in, it 19s plain to see how the cyber fetishes develop.