Bad Cheerleader

by Alex Thayer

A dyslexic bookworm joins her school’s cheerleading squad to investigate her sister’s strange behavior in this insightful and sharp middle grade novel about the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

Seventh grader Bag loves to read. It doesn’t come easy to her, thanks to her dyslexia, but she’s determined, and she spends every afternoon after school at the library. It’s a ritual she refuses to miss.

Then a new career opportunity for her mother means Bag will no longer have a ride to her cherished library. Instead, Bag will have to wait for a ride at school. With her sister, Minerva. At cheerleading practice.

Bag is uncoordinated and completely uninterested in school spirit. But she is curious about what her sister has been hiding. Minerva has been acting stranger than usual, and Bag has been noticing. So while cheerleading practice may be the last place Bag wants to be, she’s going to use her time wisely and get to the bottom of Minerva’s secrets.

Genres: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Family

288 pages, Hardcover

Published November 11, 2025

About the author

Alex Thayer is a former film and television actress and elementary school teacher. She lives in New England with her two sons. She is the author of Happy & Sad & Everything True and Bad Cheerleader.

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premise, while simple on its face, was immediately intriguing; what exactly is Bag's older sister up to? As Bag begins to investigate, it quickly becomes clear that there is a lot more to the story. Her narration is engaging, interjected with random thoughts as categorized by the Dewey Decimal System. She is observant, yet naive at times, and struggles to accept the idea that she is actually smart despite her dyslexia, a disability that she feels obligated to hide.

I related to Bag's frustrating experience being a younger sister, especially in the way that Minerva often acts annoyed and upset with Bag for no apparent reason. Despite being close in age, there is a rift between the sisters that Bag struggles to comprehend and overcome throughout the story. Their relationship is further strained by parents who are separated, a situation that has prompted numerous changes in their lives.

Bag must also navigate other relationships in her life, including her friend, her teachers, and the cheerleaders. I loved her growth throughout the story and how she ultimately learns to accept herself and her dyslexia.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publishers.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A MG book about two very different sisters and their parents’ struggling marriage.
📣
Bag is a reader, despite her struggles with dyslexia. She would rather be at the library with the boy she likes, but lately her cheerleader older sister’s odd behavior has taken all of Bag’s attention. There’s something going on with Minerva and in order to figure it out, Bag joins the cheerleading squad to do her own investigation. Now all her attention is focused on finding out her sister’s secret.
📚
This was…okay. I have wanted to read it since I got the physical ARC because the cover, title and the fact that it’s a middle grade book was intriguing to me. The story was ho-hum, but it did discuss big issues many kids/tweens/teens worry about and/or experience. It is one that should be in middle school libraries.

CW: divorce, parental abandonment, drug use, drug addiction, smoking, cheating

2.75 ⭐️

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving and emotional middle grade story about a dyslexic girl who is struggling at school and at home living with her unreliable mother, absentee father and secretive sister. There's lots of sad family dynamics in this story but really great sisterhood and neurodiversity (dyslexia) rep. It was good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Mixed-up or Figure it out, Henri Weldon.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The suggested audience might be much, much younger than I am but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I bought this book for my niece who is slightly younger than Bag and also dyslexic. I thought she might really love a book about a dyslexic cheerleader around her age. Then I saw the audiobook was available to borrow and thought, what the heck, I might as well listen to it myself. Though it made me a bit nervous to find out whether I’d chosen well cause I never read the niece or nephews books. I’m so glad to have found an incredibly heartwarming story with a truly memorable, and lovable character. I think my niece will love Bag.

Bag, aka Maggie, is twelve years old. Her parents are separated and her older sister is a jerk to her. She wants to believe she’s smart but worries that she isn’t. (She definitely is.) she loves reading and she loves her, rather flawed, dad. But she lives with her actress mother. Her mom is kind of a well meaning flake. Because she gets a part in a play, she’s unable to pick her kids up right after school. Because they have to stay at school after hours, she tries to get Bag to join the cheerleading team like her sister. But Bag is just devastated that she never gets out of school early enough to get to the library anymore. She loves reading. She can’t wrap her head around even the suggestion of being a cheerleader.

But Bag finds out her older sister is keeping a secret and lying to their mother. She doesn’t know what it’s about but she plans to find out.
This was actually an incredibly suspenseful part of the story. I wanted to know almost as bad as Bag lol.

I hope my niece loves this book and I’m glad there’s an audio available too in case she wants to use that option herself.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a messy divorce, Bag and her sister Minerva lose everything they know. Once a soap opera star, Bag's mom is now making lunches at home to deliver to local schools and auditioning for any role she can find. When a unique opportunity lands in her mom's lap, Bag must give up her library time and instead hang with Minerva at cheerleading practice until their mom picks them up. A story about overcoming obstacles, honesty and the brutal side of growing up with absentee parents, Bad Cheerleader was an instant favorite of mine.

First and foremost, any book with dyslexia representation will always be a favorite of mine because my eldest daughter has dyslexia. I really liked that author Alex Thayer actually explained what dyslexia is through Bag and her experience.

Having grown up with sisters I can relate to being the annoying little sister and wanting to look up to my older sister. The mystery surrounding the sisters and Minerva's secret was well executed, well paced and felt authentic to the age group. Bag and Minerva were relatable which is important in the middle grade genre.

I liked seeing how the sisters learned to stand on their own and with each other because their mom didn't instantly become a better parent by the end of the novel. We don't get to pick out parents and sometimes they suck, so it gave a strong authenticity to the story.

A lot of great lessons and a quick and easy read.

Thank you Simon Kids for the gifted copy.

[Thompson McLeod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventh grader Bag does not fit in. Her popular cheerleader sister Minerva who used to be a fun sister has never been more distant, and Bag knows she's hiding a secret. Minerva is downright rude, bratty and AWFUL, calling attention to Bag in front of the entire cheer squad.

Worse, their mother has just landed a part in an off, off, off Broadway play and can no longer give Bag a ride to the library after school. She tells Bag to wait at cheer practice with Minerva to be picked up.

This is the last thing either sister wants. Minerva's absences while the squad is warming up, concerns Bag. She asks the sponsor, Mrs. Yoh, where her sister is, and learns Minerva is "writing cheers." Curious, Bag goes in search of Minerva.

She spots her with another cheerleader near the dumpsters which is very mysterious and secretive. Determined, Bag sets out to find just what her sister is up to. Meanwhile, things between their parents are broken as Dad has moved out and seems in a "bad" place.

Bag wants to turn to her Bff Ridgeey but he, too, seems distant.

Bad Cheerleader is a quick read. The characters are almost believable except Bag seems too naive for a seventh grader. She seems more like grade three or four. She has zero knowledge about smoking and marijuana. Even the most sheltered child has some knowledge from tv or the internet.

Grades 5 and up.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things aren't going very well in Bag's life, but she's used to it. Her younger sister has always outshone her, school is difficult due to her dyslexia, and her parents are struggling with jobs, addiction and a separation. Her one safe haven is reading and the library with her best friend Ridgely. When her mother's schedule changes, that is taken away from her and she ends up in the middle of her sister's world, cheerleading.

This realistic fiction novel explores many issues that middle school readers will relate to such as parent, sibling and friendship issues as well as how doing the right thing is hard but, in the end, so much better for your future. I would recommend this for middle school readers ages 10-14. I loved how one caring adult, the cheer coach, is able to help the girls with consequences that don't destroy futures and the clever inclusion of the Dewey decimal system is amusing for library lovers as they appear in the story as her Random Thoughts on what is going on in the story.

I would recommend this book for purchase by middle school and public libraries.
This book was provided by the publisher in ARC format for review by SWON Libraries.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the free ARC!

It was fun to read a book with a mystery component that did not involve a murder! A seventh grade dyslexic girl thinks that there is something going on with her sister who is a cheerleader. When her mom gets a new part in a play and starts having rehearsals that run later into the afternoon, she can no longer drive the main character (Bag) to the library. Bag must wait after school. When her mom tells her to wait at cheerleading practice with her older sister, her sister freaks out. Due to a set of circumstances, Bag finds herself as the equipment manager of the cheerleading squad and notices strange behavior from her sister. and her sister's friend Mimi.

With well-drawn characters, it is interesting to discover what is actually going on and exploring the relationship between Bag and her family.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad Cheerleader has far more going on beneath the surface than just a shady older sister. Bag’s home life is chaotic: her parents are separated, her mom is self-absorbed in a play, her dad struggles with addiction, and her sister Minerva is both cruel and secretive. Bag decides to help out her school’s cheerleading team in hopes of uncovering what’s really going on with Minerva. By the end of the book, however, very little is resolved beyond Minerva’s secret. There is no closure for Bag’s home life or for the strained relationship between the sisters. Despite this lack of resolution, the story is a quick, engaging read that centers on realistic challenges many middle schoolers face. Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Actual rating: 3.75 stars)
Only a few days after reading and many of the details have quickly faded from my memory. This book deals with fairly series topics, but - in my opinion - does not treat them as carefully as I think they should. I also struggled with the idea that a middle school girl with dyslexia would be an avid read of classics. Don't misunderstand me. I know that dyslexia does not mean that a person will never become an avid reader, far from it. My issue lies with the choice of books. Those do not appear realistic. Also, the the relationship between the sisters as well as the characterization of the older sister did not make much sense, making it difficult to engage with the narrative. Even with that, I did not dislike the book. It just did not live up to what it should.

[DJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Bad Cheerleader is heartfelt middle grade novel. The main character Bag is dyslexic girl who loves to read which is nice change of pace. When her mom's job moves them away to a new town, she is forced to wait at sister's, Minerva, cheerleading practice for a ride. Bag has zero interest in sports especially cheerleading but she is very interested in her sister. Minerva has been acting weird and Bag is determined to find out why. This is a sweet book about sisters and relationships. It has a great representation.

[Cheryl A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a different cover than we've been getting for too long - love it!
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Lots to like about the story, too. I wish the characters were 15/16 instead of 12/13 though; it would have been more believable and attracted a more fitting audience of readers. I do like that the random thoughts were keyed to the Dewey Decimal System but I wish I'd found out before the end note.

I don't understand why the sister doesn't know that the mc has dyslexia. They are an odd family, and not just because of the stressors.

It's such a different book in so many ways that I'm not sure what to say about it. I did mark some passages, though:

Rhyme Schemer, House Arrest.

"When you love someone, it's not because of lovely things. Love has nothing to do with nice feelings and hearts and stars and magic. I think love is the opposite When people love one another, it's because they understand what is hurting."

"The body knows before the mind when something is wrong. That's because the mind has a funny way of rewriting the story, but the body can't do that. The body reacts in a clear, direct way. The body always tells the truth."

[Carli · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Seventh grader Bag and her sister, eighth grader Minerva, could not be more different. They are both coping with a move from New York to Rhode Island after their mother’s acting job on a soap opera came to an end. Their parents are also separated. When their mom is cast in a play that requires her to pick the girls up for school later, Bag winds up helping with the cheer squad that Minerva captains. It’s perfect, because Minerva has been acting strangely, and this gives Bag the opportunity to spy on her. I wish the ending would have been stronger, but it’s a good one for middle school libraries. #mglit #librarian #librariansofinstagram #middleschoollibrarian

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bag’s parents are separated and her sister Minerva is up to something. Bag has been newly diagnosed as having dyslexia, and wears glasses to feel smart. Her friend Ridgley seems to be pulling away. Her mom is now in a play, and can no longer drive her to the library so Bag hangs around after school with Minerva’s cheerleading squad who meet in a closet. Bag joins the team, comes up with cheers and routines on the spot that are enthusiastically accepted, and keeps following Minerva to find out what she is up to.
Too many similes, this could have used a strong editing.

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bag loves going to the library with her friend to read after school, but when her mom gets a theater roll, Bag is forced to stay after school with her cheerleader sister, Minerva. But Minerva has been acting sneaky lately, and Bag is determined to find out what is going on. Bag's crush is really sweet, and her sister is super mean. Their dad's drug use and parents' separation adds reason behind all the behaviors, yet is still frustrating. Bag is a smart kid trying to figure things out while balancing her love for her father. A good upper-MG/lower-YA read.

[Katie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really a strange bunch of nonsense. All the stuff with cheerleading seemed to make no sense. Bag just shows up and is somehow making cheers without words that everyone loves, and gets to be the top of the pyramid with no practice whatsoever? Nonsensical and dangerous. There were just so many things that really made no sense in this book and some of the people felt so unreal because they didn't act like real people. Mrs. Yoh in particular felt like a complete caricature of a person.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just OK in my opinion. The characters felt a bit underdeveloped and there was a lot of back story that I think would have been important (especially with her father) that is glossed over and not really dealt with effectively. It was a fast read, and it was interesting, but it fell short of its potential (in my opinion).

[natalia gavriloff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it was a good book. Overall. But personally it wasn’t that good. I think minerva(bags sister) was a really confusing character. It also took me a bit too long to read the book. So I think If I read the book quicker it would have been better. Not one of my favorites. Definitely top 8 though.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It shows true emotion when worrying about others and feeling misplaced in your family. I would recommend this to anyone in the 12-15 age range or anyone who likes a good sports story that may jerk a tear or two.

[Cadee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This was a really good book. I'm kinda glad that the sisters had a conflict because it tells me that my brother and I aren't the only siblings that fight." - Cadee age, 13.

[Megz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the ending wrapped up everything all at once, a little too quickly.
I would have loved to see more of the history between the two sisters, and maybe see Minerva's side a bit more.

[Alicia Mesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book literally made me think I was getting too old to read YA books. I was so confused by everyone’s choices. Every character in this book is awful. The ending doesn’t resolve anything.

[Becca]

Haven't read this yet, but for a DDC lover, I was drawn to the book ending during cataloging--"random thoughts organized by the dewey decimal system..."

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this upper middle grade book because it covers some tough topics, but it fell flat for me. I just don’t feel like the story flowed very well. Maybe it is just me though. If you have read it, what did you think of it?

[Evangeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the growth the main character had, but some things annoyed me.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

just ok

[Nancy D · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good concept, but there are so many stories going on at once, it's hard to follow what's going on. My middle school students will not enjoy this at all.

[L Herrmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story about sisters in struggle; one cheerleader, one reader. It's an ok middle schooly book about friends, sisters, cheerleading, and drama.

[Precious Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this story from beginning to end. I didn’t know what the sister was hiding, as an adult I was guessing & I was still wrong lol. This brings a beautiful light to humans that are diagnosed with Dyslexia. I enjoyed this story so much! I really enjoyed the cheer coach, she played a huge part in this story. The mom made me upset here & there.. she seemed so checked out as a parent. Nonetheless beautiful story! I will purchase it when it comes out.

Also very cool writing style.

Thank you NetGalley & Alex for the opportunity to read this Arc!

[CaliNativeBalboa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ARC is picked up as a library staffer. This YA novel examines the family dynamics between two very different middle school sisters. 7th grader Bag (awful nickname IMO) is an avid reader despite her dyslexia. Older sister Minerva is a cheerleader who also excels in math.
When their actress turned caterer single mom gets a role in a play, the sisters are forced to spend time together. Bag notices that something isn’t right about Minerva and is determined to solve the mystery and help her.
This is a suitable novel for the 4th to eighth grader who is intellectually but not emotionally ready for YA content. It’s not the most compelling or original story but it held my interest nonetheless.