Mackenzie Goode Makes a Mistake, A Big One

Mackenzie Goode #1

by Judith Natelli McLaughlin

Eight-year-old Mackenzie Goode has a sense of humor that always gets her into trouble. But in third grade, she makes the ultimate promise to herself: no more mistakes. Mistakes are for babies and the last huge mistake she made, back in second grade, caused her a forever grounding and to see a look in her parents’ eyes she never wants to see again: disappointment. When the principal of the school visits Mac’s class as a mystery reader, Mackenzie’s will is tested. Instead of listening to the principal read, Mac sings her best friend, Cheese, a song she makes up about their friendship. Right in the middle of class!

Mac winds up in the worst sort of trouble! The see-you-after-school kind of trouble. The grounded-for-life kind of trouble. The kind of trouble that is sure to create that look in her parents’ eyes she was trying so hard to avoid. Fixing this sort of mistake won’t be easy, but with the help of Cheese (and her parents) Mac tries.

132 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2015

About the author

Judith Natelli McLaughlin grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. Two of her favorite past times were reading and writing. She wrote and illustrated her first book at the age of seven. "The Bunny and The Eggs" is a first edition classic bound with masking tape and treasured forever.

At Ralph S. Maugham School she discovered Shel Silverstein's poetry and Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. Her hunger for reading and writing was forever fed. She graduated from Maugham, moving up to Tenafly Middle School, then Tenafly High School and finally Villanova University. She graduated Villanova in 1987 with degrees in English and Honors.

Currently she lives in Millburn, New Jersey with her husband, Brian, her three daughters, Katie, Lindsay and Maggie and a West Highland White Terrier named Duke.

This Moment is her first novel.

Poems on Fruits & Odes to Veggies - Where Healthy Eating Starts With a Poem is her first children's book.