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The Making of Martha Mayfield
Martha Mayfield has always been the quiet kid.
Martha is, after all, her mother's daughter. The shy child of an even shyer mum. And she likes it this way.
That is, until Martha's mum loses her job. And Martha's teacher overlooks her at school. And soon, Martha realises something has to give. Can she really go through life being so quiet that nobody takes her seriously? Should she really keep all her good ideas to herself forever?
Putting yourself out there is every quiet kid's worst nightmare, but Martha is determined to make the most of it. And perhaps to make something of herself along the way ...
The Making of Martha Mayfield is an endearing yet funny story about coming out of your shell, finding out what you're capable of, and showing the world who you really are.
Martha is, after all, her mother's daughter. The shy child of an even shyer mum. And she likes it this way.
That is, until Martha's mum loses her job. And Martha's teacher overlooks her at school. And soon, Martha realises something has to give. Can she really go through life being so quiet that nobody takes her seriously? Should she really keep all her good ideas to herself forever?
Putting yourself out there is every quiet kid's worst nightmare, but Martha is determined to make the most of it. And perhaps to make something of herself along the way ...
The Making of Martha Mayfield is an endearing yet funny story about coming out of your shell, finding out what you're capable of, and showing the world who you really are.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 26, 2025
The Making of Martha Mayfield by Jo Dabrowski
☀️☀️☀️☀️
Thanks to Affirm Press for this ARC copy!
This sweet and heartwarming story follows Martha as she goes from shy to... slightly less shy, in a really lovely journey.
As a fellow shy gal, I felt very seen and related heavily to Martha. She has big ideas and strong opinions but is often too scared to voice them, but as things develop for her and around her, Martha finds the inner strength and confidence to push her boundaries without compromising herself.
The side characters all felt well developed with distinct personalities. They aided in Martha's journey but didn't feel like they only existed to serve that purpose, which is great. I especially liked Martha finding new sides to her friends at school, and her opening up to trusted adults. Eleanor's storyline was also a nice reflection of Martha's - I loved their connection.
I flew through this book. It is easy to read and hits on a lot of themes that feel appropriate and interesting for the middle grade target audience. If anyone knows a young person struggling with putting themselves out there, this is a gem that might inspire some introspection and change.
"Mum says I have a special 'noticing' power. She says quiet people like me are better at noticing things than people who are loud. She says loud people are too busy trying to get everyone's attention, while quiet people are better at 'reading the room'.
I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound very special to me. I've heard of people being able to read minds. That sounds cool. But reading rooms? I don't think so."
☀️☀️☀️☀️
Thanks to Affirm Press for this ARC copy!
This sweet and heartwarming story follows Martha as she goes from shy to... slightly less shy, in a really lovely journey.
As a fellow shy gal, I felt very seen and related heavily to Martha. She has big ideas and strong opinions but is often too scared to voice them, but as things develop for her and around her, Martha finds the inner strength and confidence to push her boundaries without compromising herself.
The side characters all felt well developed with distinct personalities. They aided in Martha's journey but didn't feel like they only existed to serve that purpose, which is great. I especially liked Martha finding new sides to her friends at school, and her opening up to trusted adults. Eleanor's storyline was also a nice reflection of Martha's - I loved their connection.
I flew through this book. It is easy to read and hits on a lot of themes that feel appropriate and interesting for the middle grade target audience. If anyone knows a young person struggling with putting themselves out there, this is a gem that might inspire some introspection and change.
"Mum says I have a special 'noticing' power. She says quiet people like me are better at noticing things than people who are loud. She says loud people are too busy trying to get everyone's attention, while quiet people are better at 'reading the room'.
I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound very special to me. I've heard of people being able to read minds. That sounds cool. But reading rooms? I don't think so."
September 11, 2025
Cute story about Martha in yr 5 who is really shy.
But is brave enough to apply to be school captain to overcome her fears of speaking in public and shyness.
Learning how to work in a group assignment and put forward her ideas with confidence.
Also family dynamics - older sister who likes attention. And mum trying to provide as a single mum and being brave enough to have faith in her own sewing talents.
Lots of messages about self confidence etc.
Fine for. Year 3 and above
But is brave enough to apply to be school captain to overcome her fears of speaking in public and shyness.
Learning how to work in a group assignment and put forward her ideas with confidence.
Also family dynamics - older sister who likes attention. And mum trying to provide as a single mum and being brave enough to have faith in her own sewing talents.
Lots of messages about self confidence etc.
Fine for. Year 3 and above
October 18, 2025
What a fabulous late primary school book, engaging, well rounded and believable characters (inc the new school teacher). It would make a great read aloud for a year four or five.
Very hard to write for this age and this book has done it. Woo hoo. We need books like, this to put into kids hands.
Very hard to write for this age and this book has done it. Woo hoo. We need books like, this to put into kids hands.
March 14, 2026
Pretty perfect
June 13, 2026
“But you’re still the tree. And I’m still the apple. I’ve just rolled a little.”
MGM Review 58 - The Making of Martha Mayfield - @jodabrowski - @affirmpress
One of the last books I read from the @cbcaustralia Younger Readers notables list, this one really resonated with me as a teacher, and it’s one I highly recommend for other teachers to read.
Martha Mayfield has always had great ideas, but as the quiet kid they never get heard. So after a few sudden changes in her life that leave her feeling flat, she realises she might have to make some changes herself and put herself out there a little bit. But that’s not easy, particularly with a group project, a school captaincy campaign and her mums’s unemployment hanging over her. But Martha is determined to make the most of it. Will Martha finally step out of the shadows and show what she’s capable of or will the limelight be too much for her to handle?
This is a stunning story. It’s a book for all those quiet students out there. The ones that have so much to say, but are unheard. It’s a book about fitting in and finding your place. It shines a light on different personalities and that what we see on the outside may not always be what it seems on the inside. It shows that we might have to change a little bit to grow, but we don’t have to change completely and can keep the core aspects of ourselves. It shows us that it’s ok to ask ‘What if…?’ questions, but maybe if we ask too many, we will never see the light of our decisions. Ultimately, it’s a book about relationships - with yourself and others - and how we can manage those for our own growth and happiness.
It’s a book that will move you and leave you smiling. Thank you Jo for writing it and for the gentle reminder that there are so many different ways for our students to shine.
#loveozmg #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks #mgreads #mgbooks
MGM Review 58 - The Making of Martha Mayfield - @jodabrowski - @affirmpress
One of the last books I read from the @cbcaustralia Younger Readers notables list, this one really resonated with me as a teacher, and it’s one I highly recommend for other teachers to read.
Martha Mayfield has always had great ideas, but as the quiet kid they never get heard. So after a few sudden changes in her life that leave her feeling flat, she realises she might have to make some changes herself and put herself out there a little bit. But that’s not easy, particularly with a group project, a school captaincy campaign and her mums’s unemployment hanging over her. But Martha is determined to make the most of it. Will Martha finally step out of the shadows and show what she’s capable of or will the limelight be too much for her to handle?
This is a stunning story. It’s a book for all those quiet students out there. The ones that have so much to say, but are unheard. It’s a book about fitting in and finding your place. It shines a light on different personalities and that what we see on the outside may not always be what it seems on the inside. It shows that we might have to change a little bit to grow, but we don’t have to change completely and can keep the core aspects of ourselves. It shows us that it’s ok to ask ‘What if…?’ questions, but maybe if we ask too many, we will never see the light of our decisions. Ultimately, it’s a book about relationships - with yourself and others - and how we can manage those for our own growth and happiness.
It’s a book that will move you and leave you smiling. Thank you Jo for writing it and for the gentle reminder that there are so many different ways for our students to shine.
#loveozmg #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks #mgreads #mgbooks
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews