Ten Reasons I'm in love with Michael Across The Hall 1. He is Michael Across The Hall! 2. He has gorgeous eyes and a super pretty smile. 3. He is kind. I know this, even though I have never talked to him, because I saw him talk to other people and he was nice to them and smiled at them. 4. He lives across the hall and therefore I kind of, sort of, know him (even though we've never talked before.) 5. We now sit across from each other, so now he is not only Michael Across The Hall, but he is Michael Across From Me In Science! Yes! Prayers do get answered! 6. I wonder if Michael is any good at science.... oh, wait, that is not a reason I love him! But, I do wonder that! 7. He seems smart. He answered all the questions the teacher asked correctly. Okay, well, the one he answered he got right. And even though it was only one question, I still feel like he is smart. 8. Because he is compassionate. April said that Emily said that Rebecca said that he once volunteered in an animal shelter (and it wasn't for community service.) 9. Because his name is Michael and that is just a perfect name. 10. Because I think he might be just tall enough that I can wear the high heels (the short ones.) --- 14-year-old Mia can’t seem to stop making lists. Somehow, Michael Across The Hall gets into all of them. Before long, he and Mia are involved in a crazy adventure. And Mia’s lists now include murderous ducks and an out-of-control singing chef!
A young girl has a crush on the boy who lives across the hall. She gets diagnosed with a learning disorder. She gets grounded by her mother, and solves a lovers' quarrel. And writes a lot of lists.
Definitely a different read for me, considering most of the books I read and review fall into the Young Adult genre. I was happy to give it a go though.
Let's start with the main character. She funny, full of energy, and completely lovable. I'm not a tween girl, but if I were, Mia might be the best protagonist on my shelf. Mostly because I'm a case study optimist and I love everything. Mia also loves to use big words, a common trait I share with her, and seems to like explaining what they mean to the reader. Personally, it took me by surprise, since there are many other college students who wouldn't know what "posterity" meant, then again that might just have been my generation, who luv 2 simplify thr speech.
Mia's quirky personality and ability to keep going undeterred made the book fly by and kept me, the reader, engaged. As a whole, the story was simplistic, which was not unexpected because of the age range, and if we take into account the vocabulary lessons that Teddy sneaked in, it was also educational. By the end, I felt myself wishing for more content to enjoy.
A terrific, fun read that is harmless and humorous. I love top ten lists, so it's nice to see this used to good effect here. There's also some whimsy here, as absurd situations keep cropping up after the halfway point.
The only suggestion I can make is that I found the ending a bit rushed. Would have loved hearing more about Michael once she got to know him a bit more.
Also, dyslexia is a complex diagnosis and involves much psycho-educational testing (I have a son who is diagnosed with mild dyslexia) by a certified psychologist and can't be determined in one afternoon. Maybe it could have been worked in that she already had it after going through testing a year prior but she refused to let her mother tell the school until that afternoon she had detention and she finally wanted to unburden herself as her anxiety reached a boiling point?
One other point of dyslexia--I'm not an expert, but I thought it affects learning of most subjects, not one disproportionally (although I think languages could be most highly impacted because of the reading or listening required). It's said in the story that Mia loves English (and presumably does well at it) but not math. I don't usually hear about dyslexia affecting math so much as it affects learning English and second languages. Maybe it's better to simply say Mia hates math, without bringing in dyslexia! Dislike of math is very common among our students in Canada and the United States unfortunately, as math is so important worldwide for careers and human innovation.
This had me laughing out loud! Mia is a fourteen-year-old girl with a great sense of humour. She loves making lists, but her priorities aren't always right... She has her eye on 'Michael from across the hall' and hopes that he will soon be 'Michael my boyfriend'. Her sarcastic best friend Daniella tries to keep her in check, but she drags her into all the mischief she gets up to! Math is Mia's weakness, as she learns she has dyscalculia, but she doesn't let that stop her in her characteristic determination to succeed. I loved Mia. She doesn't let anything get her down, whether it's being banned from restaurants for insulting the chef or getting detention for accidentally thinking out loud. A quote from Mia: "I don't know who Layman is, but his terms are easy to understand." A recommended read for ages 9-14, but to be honest, I think all ages 9 and upwards will get a chuckle out of it.
I already knew I liked O'Malley's work, but the Destiny and Faith books were just a little young for me. But who doesn't enjoy a good middle-grade read? No matter your age, you'd have to have a dead soul. Or not like cats, or something.
Mia is a likable, engaging klutz, who sails through disaster after disaster, all caused by her, with the insouciance of a born winner, emerging at the end, although covered in spaghetti, with boyfriend and friendships intact, although one dimly senses further maths-related detentions in her future. There isn't a dull page in it.
The book is a great read viewed purely as entertainment, but also has a valuable little appendix full of linky goodness for those who, like Mia, struggle with maths. Highly recommended, and I just hope this will be the start of a new series, perhaps dealing with all the different school subjects.
Fast paced, full of fun with a good story structure and likable characters. With school, friendship and boyfriend themes and an exciting challenge for main character Mia to tackle this is a great story for middle grade or younger YA book fans. I liked the diary style and the humour in this book and found myself reading to the end in one sitting. I think youngsters who struggle with or who dislike longer books will find this very manageable and enjoyable. Definitely recommend for ten to thirteens.
I love this book so much, it is fun to read and Mia is just so sweet and relatable.
The way it was written with Mia's lists of ten is interesting and I like it a lot. Mia has a way in expressing her feelings and narrating her diary in an interesting way.The way she overcome challenges and getting closer to her goal is fun to follow. When I read this book, I started remembering how it feels to be a teenager; dealing with school, crushes, and girlfriends. I think my drawing student, who is 8 years old would love to read this book.
This was a short, cute read I really enjoyed. There isn’t much that happens in the book, but it’s pretty funny anyways. Mia pretty much just starts dating the guy she’s liked forever, gets grounded, drags her best friend into crazy situations, is diagnosed with a learning disability, and gets an unhappy singing chef back together with his ex. Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, she writes a ton of lists along the way.
This is a cute, funny tale written in a casual voice that young readers can relate to. Mia is a middle school student with dyscalculia (difficulty with math) who is trying to get a date with her crush. This leads to some quirky adventures and good-natured hijinks. Kids will enjoy this book while also being able to relate to a character who is not deterred by her learning disability.
Mia's Lists of Ten is awesome at it's best! Tweens will love getting a glimpse into Mia's world and they will find a lot of similarities to their own. It's all covered here from best friends, falling in love, hopes and dreams, and many more surprises!
This was a fast-paced Middle Grade read with a nice, lovable character. I like books that are written in a journal format, and this one was no disappointment. I am not familiar with any of O'Malley's other work, but this has made me want to check out some of her other work. I was very fond of this book and I nonetheless enjoyed it. A light, fun read.