Breakout

by Christina Wyman

Breakout is a middle-grade novel about a girl with chronic acne figuring out how to feel good in her own skin.

Ellis Starr likes learning about active volcanoes. She does not like having acne that resembles them. But it’s not just cosplaying as a pepperoni pizza that has Ellis on the verge of erupting. Her mom’s hot-and-cold moods have the two of them butting heads nonstop—especially now that her mom is dating for the first time since her parents’ separation. Then there’s Ellis’s best friend, Aggy, whose own life—and skin—seems perfect. And who could forget that Ellis still needs to decide on a research topic for a big school project.

With eighth grade proving to be every bit as pesky as a new pimple, Ellis’s only bright spot is the time she spends with her aunt Lydia, whose adorable puppy, Rocco, is a natural stress reliever. (And perhaps the perfect subject for her project.) Maybe this season of breakouts can lead to a breakthrough about what Ellis needs to truly feel good in her own skin.

Genres: Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult

Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Christina Wyman is a writer and teacher living in Michigan with her husband and silly rescue cats named Alfred and Greta Cannoli―not to mention the raccoons, owls, and hummingbirds that occupy a tree outside their bedroom window. She grew up in a tiny apartment with her family in Brooklyn, New York, where she dreamed of becoming a writer. Her work has been published in New York Magazine, The Washington Post, Elle, Ms. Magazine, the Guardian, and other outlets. When she’s not writing, you can find her stocking up on chocolate or trying to convince her husband to adopt more cats. Most recently, she’s developed a passion for eating strawberry jam straight out of the jar.

Christina is the USA Today-bestselling author of the middle-grade novels Jawbreaker, Slouch, and Breakout. Her upcoming novel, “Breakout,” is a fresh and funny middle-grade novel about a girl with chronic acne figuring out how to feel good in her own skin, and is available wherever books are sold, including through local independent bookstores. Her runaway debut hit, “Jawbreaker,” is a middle-grade book that follows a seventh-grader with a craniofacial anomaly, and is a Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2023. Her sophomore novel, “Slouch,” about a tall girl navigating friends, family, self-esteem, and boundaries, is a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year.

Reviews

[Patti Sabik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very satisfying story about being a stressed 8th grade kid, puberty, family and friends drama, and dogs. As a mom, as well as a middle school librarian, I appreciated Wyman’s ability to show multiple perspectives of conversations and experiences. She competently showed how kids and adults all have different issues going on in life and we all are struggling with something. Very convincing dialogue and problems.

[Erin H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good middle grade book - Ellis is in 8th grade and is having difficulties navigating challenges that come with that age - acne, friends, parents, school, to name a few.

As a mom, I related to Ellis’s mom and it was hard to read their arguments sometimes. However, it helped to have Ellis’s perspective and reminded me that I went through similar struggles at her age. I especially liked Aunt Lydia and how she emphasized how important it is to be resilient and keep moving on and trying even when things are rough, because there will always be a challenge in our lives; that’s just being human!

This novel did drag out a bit at times; there was a bit of repetition and long dialogue sections that could have been reduced. That said, I truly enjoyed it and loved the therapy dog aspect and how helpful they can be in reducing stress, especially in schools.

This was my first Christina Wyman novel, and I would like to check out her others. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

[libreroaming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighth grader Ellis Star has a lot of problems: an upcoming social studies project that comprises most of her grade, and divorced parents who aren't exactly on the friendliest terms. It's not smooth sailing, and it is reflected in her once smooth skin being overtaken by the explosion of acne on her face, leaving her mom to complain about her hygiene and her social life to suffer because she's becoming too self-conscious to hang out with her friends.

Wyman does a great job of crafting a believable young voice. Although I can imagine many eighth graders say another f-word instead of the flippin' Ellis is so fond of using, she has such a strong voice I can practically hear the accent. Her procrastination over major projects and her love of dogs inform a lot of her narration and don't feel like tacked on traits. Likewise, the other characters in the novel have their own issues and drawbacks to present interpersonal conflict, making them feel like lived in characters rather than props for Ellis's journey.

It's good to see stories where the caregivers are flawed human beings, yet still attempting to be a good influence for their child. Oftentimes adults are presented as a confidently supportive role and their shortcomings or less than graceful moments rarely happen because the story needs the child protagonist to be the focus. "Breakout" presents some adults who aren't just overworked and tired, but kind of unpleasant at times. These characters are not frequently represented in children's fiction unless they are the driving force of the conflict, so having Ellis deal with school and friends *and* her parents being less than understanding fleshed the novel out.

The biggest dynamic for "Breakout" is between Ellis and her mother. Ellis's mom immediately going from being supportive to snappish and defensive is something a lot of kids might identify with, especially those who become aware of their living situation with matters like divorce and money issues piling on stress for their caretakers. That said, I do think Ellis's mom crosses lines that Wyman doesn't appropriately address in their conflict. Multiple times Ellis's mom accuses Ellis of exacerbating her breakouts, even accusing her of continuing to pick at her acne and not believing Ellis when she says she is using the astringent and not doing anything to aggravate her skin intentionally. Elllis rightfully feels hurt by the lack of faith, but those exchanges are treated as more of Ellis's mom being pushy instead of repeatedly accusing her child of lying. 
The fact that this wasn't a one time exchange, but happened three times in the novel led me to a scoff of disbelief when Ellis narrated, "Mom never asks to see my journal. She gives me space and privacy. She trusts me." in response to Aggy's complaints of her overbearing mother. Mother and daughter conflict doesn't have to be neatly resolved in every way, but I felt like Ellis's trust in her mother and her mother's change from constantly harping on Ellis's face to  "No one is paying attention to your face, or your complexion, or anything else about your appearance more carefully than you are" felt unearned, especially for the amount of time spent on the characters' back-and-forth.

In terms of the pacing, some of the plots flowed easier than others. Ellis's jealousy of her best friend Aggy becoming closer to another girl is a definite B-plot but resolved much better than some of the parent drama. I found the little exchange of how Ellis's acne was present, but Aggy's eyesight maybe needing glasses showed how both characters could be going through something the other isn't acutely aware of. It felt like a much more succinct example than all the parental back and forth. Also, Ellis suddenly deciding not to attend her capstone project with twenty pages left to go in the book feels like it was an abrupt 11th hour conflict, but the finale with her project being used was a worthwhile ending.

Overall, "Breakout" isn't Wyman's strongest novel but it has multifaceted issues and realistic conclusions. The most refreshing thing is how it features a protagonist who is going through a relatable puberty issue and addresses her embarrassment and frustration with an authentic voice.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not having read Wyman’s Jawbreaker or Slouch, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened Breakout. What I found is Ellis, a very realistic-sounding 8th grader battling all the things that come with friend drama, academic demands, financial struggles, separated parents, society’s emphasis on appearance and, worst of all, the face-altering acne that often accompanies puberty.

Ellis and her mom live in a small apartment in Brooklyn with her dad living in an even smaller place on the other side of town. Both parents work hard as postal worker and mechanic but there never seems to be enough at the end of the month for either family group. Couple the effort to to keep their heads above water and their own poor examples of being a parent, neither Ellis’ mom or dad seem to know how to express their love for Ellis in a very positive way and instead, mom seems to focus on all that Ellis ISN’T doing to clear up her skin or do her part to ease their financial difficulties and dad doesn’t spend enough time with her to know what she needs to handle the rollercoaster of junior high school life and just keeps sticking his foot in his mouth at every turn. The demands of Ellis’ school amp up for those in the 8th grade with a culminating capstone project that is supposed to make and prove a hypothesis that will positively impact the lives of those in their sphere of influence, her best friend Aggy seems to be moving away from their friendship and towards a new and closer one with Casey, a girl she and Ellis have always been friendly with, and adding the cystic acne into the mix just about pulls her under. Thank goodness for a teacher who stays in tune with the needs of his students and Ellis’ aunt Lydia and her dog Rocco.

Wyman writes Breakout from the perspective of Ellis and that 1st person account is very effective in pulling readers into the stresses of Ellis’ life and may even make them angry at some times, especially when her parents act in such self-centered, far from nurturing ways. Every situation faced by Ellis rings true and is likely something felt by them or observed in the students in their lives making this a highly relatable read. However, I do wish that the author had found a few words in addition to “flipping” to help convey Ellis’ frustration because its overuse got rather tedious at times and while all of us tend to have some favorite words, that doesn’t mean it makes for good writing. (Note: I was reading an arc version of this book so it is possible that the final version avoided the irritating frequency, esp. when it happens 3 or 4 times on the same page.)

Recommended for libraries serving grades 5-8, especially those with high circulation in school-based realistic fiction such as graphic novels by Telgemeier, Hale, Lloyd and Galligan or traditional formatted ones by Graff, Faruqi, Schmidt and Gemeinhardt.

*Target age: grades 5-8
*Profanity: less than a handful of mild words and used at times of extreme emotion
*Violence: none
*Sexual content: near zero, but after a weekend at her father’s house, Ellis does spot slippers belonging to her mom’s boyfriend in their home. No reference is made to any sex that may or may not have happened other than Ellis being uncomfortable with seeing them and she and her friends dodging what their presence might mean.
*Representation: other than some references to complexion and some distant heritages, physical descriptions or cultural references are sparse leaving any race determinations up to the reader
*LBGTQ+: near zero but in a humorous aside, Aggy tells Ellis she should talk to Casey about divorced parents beginning to date and when Ellis says she thought Casey’s mom would never date another man, Aggy responds, “I guess that’s why she’s dating a woman.”

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ellie Starr's parents are separated, and live across town from each other. Ellie spends most of her time with her mother, seeing her father only two weekends a month. Now that 8th grade has started, Ellie has to turn her attention to the capstone project that teachers have been alerting them to since 6th grade; Ellie isn't happy that her school has a "Stalk You Child" system so that her mother always knows her grades. Her best friend, Aggy, whose mother's family is from India and whose father's is from Germany, is being forced into a project that her mother finds interesting, and Ellie is ready to default to one about processed food and carbon footprints before she hangs out with her Aunt Lydia. Lydia is a dog trainer, so Lydia wants to use her aunt as her "expert" and research information about whether dogs make people happy. Ellie is struggling with severe acne, and will try anything, including putting toothpaste on her face. This doesn't end well. Her mother thinks that Ellie picks at her face, and eats the wrong foods, and that's why the blemishes persist. Money is tight in Ellie's family, and a source of argument between her parents, who say they can't afford to get divorced. To further complicate matters, Ellie's mother is dating a man named John, borrowing Ellie's fashionable jeans to wear, and putting on makeup. She wants Ellie to help out more around the house, doing her own laundry, helping with grocery shopping, and staying by herself when her mother goes out. Her mother doesn't talk to Ellie in a very productive way, and constantly uses hurtful language. Luckily, Aunt Lydia is more supportive. When the family car is damaged, money becomes even tighter. There's some friend drama with Aggy, who has been hanging out with another girl, Casey. Eventually, Ellie's mother takes her to a dermatologist, who says that while Ellie's acne is bad, there's not a lot to be done about it.
Strengths: I love the family dynamics in all of Wyman's books, and seeing Ellie going between two living situations with different expectations will resonate with many readers. Being unable to afford things is something that many families experience, although I am one of those people who buy mulitple boxes of pasta when it is on sale! The capstone project was stressful just to read about, so that was a good thing to have hanging over Ellie's head on top of everything else. Wyman has a great foreword about including supportive adults in her characters' lives, even though kids in real life don't always have them. Including dogs and dog training is a nice touch. There's a good amount of information about treating acne, although there could also have been an end note with some resources.
Weaknesses: Wyman's Slouch and Jawbreaker both ended up being rather hefty books with small print, and haven't circulated as well as I had hoped. I would have liked this to have been better edited so that it was shorter; some of the situations could have been condensed or not mentioned as many times. I think that the contrast between the graphic novel looking cover and the length of the stories has caused some trouble. I wish it weren't the case, but it seems to be.
What I really think: There are not a lot of books that address the common teen problem of acne, but Howse's Zitface (2011), Greenwald's The Real Us (2017), Burns' YA Smooth, and Ogle and Valeza's Pizza Face do. Readers who are interested in more complex characters with sometimes difficult lives will be interested in this title.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellis is an 8th grader who feels like her acne is the worst of anyone she has ever known. She is the daughter of young, separated parents who do not get along and who struggle to make ends meet, especially since they live in New York City. In addition to her acne, Ellis clearly struggles with anxiety, though it isn't named. The main plot surrounds a major upcoming school project that Ellis has to do. At first, she doesn't know what to do, but eventually she decides to research therapy dogs and their positive effects on teens' stress, as her aunt is a dog trainer.

Never have I ever related to a middle grade character so much, wow. Growing up, like Ellis, I struggled mightily with acne. Like Ellis, my parents disagreed on how to manage it, with my mother hounding me, blaming me, and MASSIVELY embarrassing me about it seemingly constantly. Like Ellis, my mother got me products that were much too harsh (Proactiv) and made it so much worse. Unlike Ellis, my family didn't get me professional help, and unlike Ellis, I didn't have a lovely aunt nearby to help. I absolutely adore that Ellis' mom works hard to get Ellis to a dermatologist, and I adore Aunt Lydia who is always there for Ellis no matter what she needs. Ellis' mom is not perfect, but she shows growth throughout the story.

I loved how realistic everything felt. It makes sense that Ellis' parents might struggle financially, as they had Ellis at 19 and weren't able to go to college. It makes sense that Ellis' mom might resent Ellis' friend Aggy's family, as they are rich and academic and don't have to worry about money. It makes sense that Ellis' mom might date, and that Ellis might be upset about that for awhile. Even the school project felt realistic, and as a teacher, I often find school-related plot devices to be unbelievable. Instead, there was never a time when I felt like something didn't make sense for Ellis' maturity or age level or for the overall plot.

If you have young teens in your life, especially those who struggle with acne, I cannot recommend Breakout enough. I truly felt so seen and wish I had been able to read it when I was 15 or 16.

(And the author lives in Michigan!)
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(Netgalley ARC review)

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan, and Wyman for the e-ARC of Breakout.

Ellis is an eighth grade student with chronic acne and a seemingly difficult time to communicate and maintain relationships. She navigates middle school, shifting friendships, and newly forming family drama, all while fighting her internal voice.

I think this novel would be beneficial to students and parents - the perspective that Ellis has on communication and how she communicates is very on par for middle school students. It really did throw me back into middle school and that edgy feeling of not being understood, but also not knowing how to fully communicate. Ellis finds her voice and confidence slowly but surely. For MS students, Breakout offers solace and companionship - that feeling of not belonging and feeling as though life is out of control is so on the nose and relatable. At some points, you're on team Ellis, and others you're on team mom (and sometimes neither and you want to shake both characters!).

The thrown in SEL elements of stress and how to wrangle it (is it the school's job? students'? parents'?) with actionable proposals was a great addition.

Overall, I enjoyed Breakout and its relatability!

[Ashli Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellis Starr is navigating eighth grade one eruption at a time—whether it’s her chronic acne, her mom’s unpredictable moods, or the growing distance from her seemingly perfect best friend. With pressure building at school and at home, Ellis finds comfort in her journal, volcano facts, and the one calm in her chaotic world: her Aunt Lydia’s puppy, Rocco. 🐶

This book is honest, funny, and deeply relatable—especially for tweens figuring out how to feel confident in their own skin. Christina Wyman captures the awkwardness and ache of middle school so well while never losing sight of the heart. Ellis’s voice is sharp and sweet, and her journey feels like one many girls will see themselves in.

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Kelly Yang, Breakout is full of real talk, warm moments, and the kind of growth that makes you want to hug your younger self.

✨ Emotional but hopeful
🐾 Puppy therapy for the win
📓 Journal girls, this one’s for you
💬 Age 10+ feels just right

Not quite five stars for me, but a strong, lovable read that would be a great conversation starter for moms and daughters, too.

[Diana of Shelved by Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighth-grader Ellison (Ellie) is going through an unbearable season of acne. To make matters worse, her bestie is allowed to wear makeup while Ellie's mom is constantly berating Ellie for the state of her face. Readers will relate to the many stressful aspects of Ellie's life: pimples, separated parents, looming school projects, and that feeling that no one else quite understands what she is going through. I also enjoyed Wyman's JAWBREAKER and SLOUCH, but I think this is my favorite of the three. Not only is acne a more universal problem for my students than braces or being tall, but Ellie's parents are some of the more realistically flawed parents in MG fiction today. They are there, but they are constantly putting pressure on her and chiding her to be more understanding of the difficulties they are going through, seemingly blind to the stress Ellie is living with.

In terms of content, the only issue for those who must maintain very conservative libraries is a passing reference to one character's divorced mom giving up on guys after her failed marriage so that's why she's now dating a woman.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellis is a typical Middle School girl who is dealing with the beginning of breakouts and friendship issues, parents splitting up, her mom beginning to date, and school in general. Her mom is trying to give her advice on how to take care of her skin and they are butting heads over the advice. In addition to that advice, her mom is spending time with a new friend and the two of them are having fun at Ellis’ expense. Ellis is struggling to deal with the changes her mom is making in her life and is struggling to accept the fact that she’s dating. She feels as though she is being left behind as her best friend is spending more time with one of their other friends also. Wyman does a great job with character development and helps you feel what Ellis is feeling. You are right back in middle school and struggling along with Ellis as she tries to explain to her parents how she is feeling and trying to manage her friendships. This is a great coming of age story that many middle schoolers will be able to relate to.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-ARC provided by NetGalley. Breakout by Christina Wyman addresses some of the biggest issues all young people face as they enter puberty and middle school- the pressure to perform well and the pressure to look instagram perfect at all times. For many, the stress of these and other very real problems they are going through personally and in their home and family can cause mental health challenges and even worse acne symptoms, as the protagonist of Breakout learns. Ellis Starr struggles to express her feelings to her parents and her best friend when they either seem to blame her for her acne or act like it shouldn't bother her so much. When her aunt brings around her therapy dog in training, Ellis is inspired to tell everyone how helpful a calm and loving dog can be when you just want someone to listen. The adolescent voice is authentic, though the story drags a little in parts with too many details that can get repetitive. Great for readers who love Telgemeir and Libenson, and especially for those who may be experiencing those same changes of puberty.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breakout is a sweet middle grade, but particularly middle school novel. Ellie Starr is a kid of divorced parents who shuttle her all around the city and never let her forget how lucky she is to have the life she has, and how much they work to make it happen for her. All seems fine until her 13th birthday when she started having the worst acne of her entire life and her mom made he believe it was all her fault!

Between the acne, shifting friendships, and the giant deal of having divorced parents and getting basically the same lectures twice, Ellie also has a giant capstone research project she has to develop and complete in order to graduate 8th grade. IT’S ALL TOO MUCH!

As an adult reader, parts of this felt a bit hokey to me. But as a middle school librarian, I could see my students relating to this and loving it. I’m super likely to purchase this for our school library collection.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars
Pub date: March 10, 2026

[Lauren Bayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can always count on Christina Wyman to write realistic fiction that tackles a WHOLE host of issues all at once. Especially if it includes financial woes, fraught parent/child relationships, friendship drama, a physical concern for an adolescent, and the stress that comes with being a middle schooler. This edition of the classic Wyman emotion-fest includes parents who act like bullies, chronic acne (and subsequent isolation from friends), a parent dating again, discussions of mental health, and an absolute shining example of an adult in Aunt Lydia. Students will adore Rocco, and will probably ask to meet a therapy dog of their own.

A couple of notes on language: this book uses "ass" once and "hell" twice. There are also a LOT of flippings and frickings. I feel like this would make a better read-to-self for students than a read-aloud.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tamikan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

The Good:
-dogs!
-great message for middle school

The Meh:
-Maybe there was too much going on? Acne, difficult mother, capstone project, money issues, a car accident, friend relationship issues, separated/fighting parents, parents dating other people, and school stress. It all comes together in the end, but I feel like some issues didn't get addressed enough because so much was going on.
-Nothing is mentioned about going to a dermatologist until the 60% mark. For a book about acne, I needed that conversation way sooner in the book.
-The mother is bipolar and an all-around terrible person. I felt like she was actually trying to take advantage of the dad and not really in need of money. I'm surprised this issue was not brought up.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellis has a lot going on as an 8th grader. She has chronic acne, a mom who is unpredictable, and a friend, Aggy, who is hanging out with another girl which makes Ellis feel like an outsider. On top of all of this, she has a school project and isn’t sure what to do until her aunt brings over her dog. Ellis then decides her project will be about therapy dogs. Will Aggy and Ellis repair their friendship? What happens at Ellis’ therapy dog presentation?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Puberty hits Ellis hard in the 8th with traumatic teenage acne. All she wants to do is stay home and hide but her mom insists that she not miss a day especially as the 8th graders of her school are starting their capstone projects. Ellis tries a few cures for her breakouts but most make her skin worse instead of better. Added to the pain, Ellis's mom begins to make her complexion the focal point of their relationship. Points of light are the times that Alice gets to spend with her aunt and her pet dog. I appreciated this young adult novel though the message and plot didn't hold any surprises.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book for middle school girls. It was very relatable and I wish there was something like this around when I was younger. Ellis is struggling with acne, divorced parents, and a mom who just doesn’t seem to get it. I think Wyman did a great job at making realistic characters.

These are the types of books that make kids not feel alone.

Highly recommend.

Also 10/10 any book that highlights how great dogs are!

[ARC - NetGalley]

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had this book when I was struggling with acne. Ellis is in 8th grade and she has a lot to deal with, but unfortunately, she thinks she's alone in her struggles. This makes her defensive and her problems get worse.
Thank goodness for her, her friends and family help her get better perspective, on her skin, her relationships, and everything else. This is sweet and emotional.