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Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas
Twelve-year-old Josephine has a lot on her plate, best friend issues, first crush issues, divorced parent issues, twin brother issues . . . and then her mom hits her with news that shakes her to her core: a breast cancer diagnosis. Josephine doesn't want anyone to know, not even her best friend. Sharing the news means it's actually real, and that's something she's not ready to face. Plus it would mean dealing with the stares and pity of her classmates. She got enough of that when her parents split up. Unfortunately for Josephine, her twin brother, Chance, doesn't feel the same way. And when Chance dyes his hair pink to support his mom, the cat is out of the bag. Suddenly Josephine has to rethink her priorities. Does getting an invite to the party of the year matter when your mom is sick? And what if it does matter? Does that make her a monster?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2019
56 people are currently reading
2026 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Pyros
4 books39 followersI was born and raised in New York, but spent summers and school breaks with my father and his family in Tarpon Springs, Florida, a small Greek fishing community on the Gulf Coast. As the child of divorced parents, I was alone quite a bit, so I read... a lot.
I went to Vassar College and then grad school at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Now I live in New York's Hudson Valley and work as a freelance writer.
I went to Vassar College and then grad school at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Now I live in New York's Hudson Valley and work as a freelance writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
December 1, 2018
I guess I should say "Baaa", because I feel like a black sheep on this one. I enjoyed this book and often wanted to give Josephine a hug, because she tugged at my heartstrings.
Josephine was a quiet, young woman, who's life got a little tilted, when she found out that her mother had breast cancer. She was a twin, and her brother, Chance, was always standing out, while Josephine tried to blend in. In a show of support for their mother and others dealing with breast cancer, Chance dyed his hair pink. This, of course, drew a lot of attention, and then the secret was out that Josephine's mother was ill, and the pitying looks began.
I really valued Josephine's growth during this story. At first, she was angry when the news of her mother's illness got out, but then she saw how her friends did not pity her, but rather, wanted to show her support. They wanted to be there for her, in much the same way that she realized she wanted to be there for her mom and her brother.
Josephine was also a worrier. She liked predictability, stability, and knowing what to expect. Her mother's illness, impending surgery, and the normal day-to-day worries of a 7th grader got to be a bit of a burden for Jo. I am pretty sure 12-year-old me may have made some some emotionally driven missteps in this situation as well. The important part was that Josephine realized she made mistakes, she atoned for her mistakes, and she learned from them. She never stopped valuing her friends and family at any point, and she did finally realize that being honest with them was of the utmost importance.
I also liked the way Josephine's struggle with her guilt played into the story. She often felt like she shouldn't be enjoying things or doing fun stuff, while her mother was ill. I found it relatable. It is often difficult to enjoy things, when you know a loved one is suffering, and it was that inner turmoil, which really endeared Jo to me.
Overall: I thought Pyros did a great job incorporating issues of divorce, cancer, anxiety, friends, and family while keeping the story on the lighter side and still having some impact.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Josephine was a quiet, young woman, who's life got a little tilted, when she found out that her mother had breast cancer. She was a twin, and her brother, Chance, was always standing out, while Josephine tried to blend in. In a show of support for their mother and others dealing with breast cancer, Chance dyed his hair pink. This, of course, drew a lot of attention, and then the secret was out that Josephine's mother was ill, and the pitying looks began.
I really valued Josephine's growth during this story. At first, she was angry when the news of her mother's illness got out, but then she saw how her friends did not pity her, but rather, wanted to show her support. They wanted to be there for her, in much the same way that she realized she wanted to be there for her mom and her brother.
Josephine was also a worrier. She liked predictability, stability, and knowing what to expect. Her mother's illness, impending surgery, and the normal day-to-day worries of a 7th grader got to be a bit of a burden for Jo. I am pretty sure 12-year-old me may have made some some emotionally driven missteps in this situation as well. The important part was that Josephine realized she made mistakes, she atoned for her mistakes, and she learned from them. She never stopped valuing her friends and family at any point, and she did finally realize that being honest with them was of the utmost importance.
I also liked the way Josephine's struggle with her guilt played into the story. She often felt like she shouldn't be enjoying things or doing fun stuff, while her mother was ill. I found it relatable. It is often difficult to enjoy things, when you know a loved one is suffering, and it was that inner turmoil, which really endeared Jo to me.
Overall: I thought Pyros did a great job incorporating issues of divorce, cancer, anxiety, friends, and family while keeping the story on the lighter side and still having some impact.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 28, 2024
OMG?!? Why is this book so good? This book was relatable in so many ways I don't even know where to start. So, many books struggle with making characters- especially middle-schoolers- realistic, but this book did that extremely well. Josephine felt real to me. She reminded me of myself. That's how you know a book has portrayed a middle-schooler well because I don't feel that way about almost any other middle-school character. I related to Josephine's feelings a lot. She mentioned how she would retreat and withdraw when she got nervous, and I do the same most of the time. I highlighted where she said it, so I'll put it below. I could also relate to how she felt about her mom a little bit. I mean, it's obviously not the same, but my dad has cancer and I had the same feeling she did for a while. She didn't want anyone to hear about it, not even her best friend, and there was no real specific reason, maybe she didn't want the looks of pity or maybe she didn't want it to be real, but it made sense. I could also relate to a LOT of things she said and talked about. Also, I love the way she and Makayla were toward each other. Just everything they said and did reminded me of my bsfs and myself. The way they text is literally me and my besties. Y'all know who you are 🫵🫶. It felt nice to have a book character that I could relate to. [Small spoiler] I loved that she dyed her hair, but I feel like the reactions were a little overdramatic and over-the-top, you know? Like, their WAITER was teasing them... I feel like that's a bit much. Also, the little boy that called them clowns?!?! Dude, teach your kids some manners. Kids are cruel. Anyways, back on track, I feel like it was kinda extra. I get that people would stare, its cool to see someone with bright pink hair, but the school kids whispering and the teasing just seemed unrealistic to me, As someone with purple hair(Its highlights but whatever let me have my moment), I do not get teased by waiters. [Spoilers over]
Okay, that's all for the review, I would totally recommend this book!
Here are some of my favorite highlights from this book (Some are serious/relatable but some are funny):
Pg 59: "I still have that dark, scary feeling in my body, like when you're reading a book and your favorite character dies without any warning, or when something goes wrong and you can't fix it, no matter how hard you try."
Pg 75: "Watching my best friend in action makes me feel like a total failure."
Pg 81: "Parents think they're so subtle, but they're not."
Pg 86: "Some people want to be around others when they're nervous or scared, but not me. I tend to withdraw."
Pg 118: "Arthur. That seemed like a good fake boy name. My Canadian boyfriend Arthur, who liked mooses-or was it meese?-hockey, and me."
Pg 119: I stress about stuff a lot. Most people don't realize it because I'm a quiet worrier instead of a loud, showy, gasping-and-clutching-my-heart worrier. But it's the same thing inside. I just don't like to discuss it. Discussing bad stuff never helps. It just makes it worse."
Pg 122: "Sometimes overthinking is a good idea because you don't get taken by surprise. Other times, the only person I outsmart is myself."
Pg 241: "I can't believe it! Why does everyone always make such a big deal about love? It's in every book, movie, and song. How come there aren't more songs about how awesome it is to have friends?"
okay, that's all, this review was extra long😝
Okay, that's all for the review, I would totally recommend this book!
Here are some of my favorite highlights from this book (Some are serious/relatable but some are funny):
Pg 59: "I still have that dark, scary feeling in my body, like when you're reading a book and your favorite character dies without any warning, or when something goes wrong and you can't fix it, no matter how hard you try."
Pg 75: "Watching my best friend in action makes me feel like a total failure."
Pg 81: "Parents think they're so subtle, but they're not."
Pg 86: "Some people want to be around others when they're nervous or scared, but not me. I tend to withdraw."
Pg 118: "Arthur. That seemed like a good fake boy name. My Canadian boyfriend Arthur, who liked mooses-or was it meese?-hockey, and me."
Pg 119: I stress about stuff a lot. Most people don't realize it because I'm a quiet worrier instead of a loud, showy, gasping-and-clutching-my-heart worrier. But it's the same thing inside. I just don't like to discuss it. Discussing bad stuff never helps. It just makes it worse."
Pg 122: "Sometimes overthinking is a good idea because you don't get taken by surprise. Other times, the only person I outsmart is myself."
Pg 241: "I can't believe it! Why does everyone always make such a big deal about love? It's in every book, movie, and song. How come there aren't more songs about how awesome it is to have friends?"
okay, that's all, this review was extra long😝
January 8, 2019
I was surprisingly invested in this story. I'm definitely not the target group, but I clearly remember what it was like becoming a teenager! All the changes and the confusion.. Pyros does a great job portraying how teenagers get overwhelmed by so many elements in their surroundings and try to deal with it all. On top of everything, the main character, Josephine, has to manage her mother's terrible news, an impulsive twin brother and being jealous of her best friend who's life is always soooo much easier.. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to a young reader who can, no doubt, relate.
*Thank you NetGalley for providing this copy!
*Thank you NetGalley for providing this copy!
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March 3, 2019I picked this based on the cover and the title—it caught my eye at work. It’s a story about a girl’s mother getting breast cancer, and it’s light considering the subject matter. Maybe too light/young for me.
May 12, 2019
I love the cover of this book! (I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this book is as fresh and beautiful as it’s artwork on the cover)
I really liked Josephine’s character. She was pretty relatable, especially since I’m as anxious a person as she is. Only I wouldn’t worry about dying my hair, because I absolutely love dyed hair.
I really liked Chance, Jo’s twin brother. I thought his relationship with his twin sister was really cool, and I liked how he always took care of her no matter how angry she got at him in their arguments. I liked Josephine’s mom, too, and how she comforted her kids even though she had cancer.
All in all, a great, short summer read! I would recommend it to anyone. Ages 10+
I really liked Josephine’s character. She was pretty relatable, especially since I’m as anxious a person as she is. Only I wouldn’t worry about dying my hair, because I absolutely love dyed hair.
I really liked Chance, Jo’s twin brother. I thought his relationship with his twin sister was really cool, and I liked how he always took care of her no matter how angry she got at him in their arguments. I liked Josephine’s mom, too, and how she comforted her kids even though she had cancer.
All in all, a great, short summer read! I would recommend it to anyone. Ages 10+
Want to read
January 7, 2019This is a touching young adult story about serious issues. It's a relatable story with loveable characters. A lot of teens will find this story engaging.
October 3, 2021
2.5 stars
February 20, 2019
This book really spoke to the constantly changing emotions that plague the tween years. Thinking about my kids and reliving my own life at that age, it feels so right for Josephine to waffle between maturity and immaturity as every chapter unfolds. I really related to Josephine's attempt to hold all her fears and emotions inside. At the same age, I had the same tendency and my world often felt too large to manage. As an adult, how to handle life's little and bigger obstacles seems so obvious, but in my heart, I know that growing up while dealing with any challenge often felt very confusing and daunting.
Andrea Pyros won me over with MY YEAR OF EPIC ROCK and now her books are on my auto-buy list. You're going to love this touching look at the art of growing up, especially when it feels like the earth is shifting beneath your feet. The truth is, it's hard to know what you stand for when you're not even really sure who you are. Reading PINK HAIR reminds us all that we can reinvent ourselves every day--and that's okay. In fact, it's kind of cool.
Andrea Pyros won me over with MY YEAR OF EPIC ROCK and now her books are on my auto-buy list. You're going to love this touching look at the art of growing up, especially when it feels like the earth is shifting beneath your feet. The truth is, it's hard to know what you stand for when you're not even really sure who you are. Reading PINK HAIR reminds us all that we can reinvent ourselves every day--and that's okay. In fact, it's kind of cool.
April 4, 2019
In this book we meet twelve year old Josephine a teen having to face a sudden issue, her mum having breast cancer.
While her brother embraces it and eyes his hair pink in support, Josephine has to come to terms with the sudden news from prioritising her mum over the party of the year Josephine has to grow up fast in this book.
It was a realistic view on the life of a teen struggling to come to terms with her life as it seems surreal her mum could be facing a hard long battle ahead. Instead of focusing on the teen matters like most books they do side line for the bulk of the novel allowing a serious tone to lay the base for the whole novel. Moving, caring and true to life.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
While her brother embraces it and eyes his hair pink in support, Josephine has to come to terms with the sudden news from prioritising her mum over the party of the year Josephine has to grow up fast in this book.
It was a realistic view on the life of a teen struggling to come to terms with her life as it seems surreal her mum could be facing a hard long battle ahead. Instead of focusing on the teen matters like most books they do side line for the bulk of the novel allowing a serious tone to lay the base for the whole novel. Moving, caring and true to life.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
September 20, 2019
A heart-warming story! A girl and her twin brother are forced to go on through their daily life knowing their mom has...breast cancer. This book is FULL of emotion and everyday problems we all have experienced. Of course, there is drama for everything in this book: her parents' divorce, best friend problems, first crush issues, partying plans, and her brother, Chance's pink hair. This story was a little bit irritating the way Josephine kept just saying the same things over and over again. And there wasn't much excitement. But, again, it is just my opinion. A solid three.
February 8, 2024
I thought it was a slightly funny book and enjoyed it. But I don't think I would read again. Chance is to me personally, an idiot, and Josephine is a - I don't even KNOW! She is kinda like a slight jerk, but also nice, and overthinks things too much. I think she underestimates herself a lot more than necessary.
Sadly though, I would not read again but would be willing to read a book 2 if Andrea Pyros wrote one!
Sadly though, I would not read again but would be willing to read a book 2 if Andrea Pyros wrote one!
April 7, 2022
Authentic tween emotions make this novel shine! Covers some heavier topics in an authentic, everyday middle grade way -- not focusing solely on the mother's illness or the parents' relationship or the sibling conflict or the friend/crush awkwardness, but on how the MC and those around her deal with problems and challenges in completely different ways -- and that's okay.
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August 23, 2024WAIT BC THIS BOOK WAS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD
IM NOT GONNA GIVE A RATING BC I DONT REMEMBER IT BUT STILL
IM NOT GONNA GIVE A RATING BC I DONT REMEMBER IT BUT STILL
January 27, 2025
I liked this book a lot. It did not end the way I thought it would but it was still good.
March 29, 2020
I want to start reading more juvenile young fiction and middle grade fiction, so I picked this one up last week. I just couldn’t relate to the characters in and felt myself rolling my eyes at their middle school drama. However, all that being said, I do like how it tackled the complex emotions of grief and anxiety in tweens.
January 19, 2019
When Josephine’s mum announces that she has breast cancer, it turns Josephine’s life upside down. Instead of worrying about getting invited to the hottest party in school, she’s now counting down the days until her mum has to have life-saving surgery.
Josephine doesn’t want anyone to know, but her twin brother, Chance, has other ideas. He gets his hair dyed pink to raise awareness of breast cancer, and soon enough the entire school are planning to get their hair dyed in solidarity.
Well, the entire school except Josephine, who would never want to be the centre of attention.
My main issue with Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas is that the ages of the characters don’t ring true. Josephine reads as though she’s either seven or eight, while Chance seems more like an older brother than a twin. It feels as though they were aged up to allow for the hair dying aspect of the plot (although most hair dyes don’t recommend use on under 16s, so take precautions if you’re inspired by the characters in this novel!).
The other issue I had was that Josephine’s mum’s breast cancer was treated as a subplot. I think Andrea Pyros was intending to show that teenagers have lots of different things going on in their lives, so if a family member gets cancer it’s just one of many difficulties for them to face, but Josephine came across as shallow. She’s more interested in Autumn’s party and maintaining her social status than her mum – she even admits to herself that she completely forgets about her mum at times!
As someone who lost a close family member to cancer at the same age as Josephine, I was expecting to be heartbroken yet inspired by Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas. Instead, I was rather infuriated: Josephine is self-entitled – outraged when her best friend is upset that she didn’t share her mum’s diagnosis – and self-obsessed, genuinely believing that Chance getting his hair dyed will put her at the centre of attention. In reality, Chance gets applauded and people forget Josephine’s even his sister, and she’s not happy with that either! It’s so contradictory and hypocritical, and if I’d rolled my eyes any harder I think they would have stayed in my skull.
This book wasn’t a terrible idea, but I wouldn’t recommend it to any teenagers who find themselves in Josephine’s position, because I don’t think it’ll come across as comforting or anything that they can relate to.
This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.
Josephine doesn’t want anyone to know, but her twin brother, Chance, has other ideas. He gets his hair dyed pink to raise awareness of breast cancer, and soon enough the entire school are planning to get their hair dyed in solidarity.
Well, the entire school except Josephine, who would never want to be the centre of attention.
My main issue with Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas is that the ages of the characters don’t ring true. Josephine reads as though she’s either seven or eight, while Chance seems more like an older brother than a twin. It feels as though they were aged up to allow for the hair dying aspect of the plot (although most hair dyes don’t recommend use on under 16s, so take precautions if you’re inspired by the characters in this novel!).
The other issue I had was that Josephine’s mum’s breast cancer was treated as a subplot. I think Andrea Pyros was intending to show that teenagers have lots of different things going on in their lives, so if a family member gets cancer it’s just one of many difficulties for them to face, but Josephine came across as shallow. She’s more interested in Autumn’s party and maintaining her social status than her mum – she even admits to herself that she completely forgets about her mum at times!
As someone who lost a close family member to cancer at the same age as Josephine, I was expecting to be heartbroken yet inspired by Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas. Instead, I was rather infuriated: Josephine is self-entitled – outraged when her best friend is upset that she didn’t share her mum’s diagnosis – and self-obsessed, genuinely believing that Chance getting his hair dyed will put her at the centre of attention. In reality, Chance gets applauded and people forget Josephine’s even his sister, and she’s not happy with that either! It’s so contradictory and hypocritical, and if I’d rolled my eyes any harder I think they would have stayed in my skull.
This book wasn’t a terrible idea, but I wouldn’t recommend it to any teenagers who find themselves in Josephine’s position, because I don’t think it’ll come across as comforting or anything that they can relate to.
This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.
January 14, 2019
Kids have so much going on in their lives today with school, grades, friends, and family, it’s hard to get through it all, especially for kids who keep their struggles to themselves. What I love about books is that they are friends, the kind who show kids they’re not alone. Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas, by Andrea Pyros, does that by tackling issues such as sibling disagreements, a less than attentive father, friends, crushes, and a devastating cancer diagnosis.
As adults, the great majority of us have dealt with friends and/or family with health issues, some of them quite serious. It’s difficult, heartbreaking, and confusing. I can’t imagine a child being in the middle of that. In Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas,Pyros shows us how two people, siblings, deal with their mother’s breast cancer diagnosis.
What I loved about this book was that Pyros showed us how people can have completely different thoughts, fears, and methods of coping with difficult situations. Every reaction is not only possible, but also appropriate, and no one should feel ashamed or embarrassed at how they choose to deal.
The author also did a great job keeping the twins’ lives moving. When a diagnosis such as cancer occurs in someone’s life, unfortunately, the world around the family keeps moving. School and work responsibilities are still there, school activities are still held, and friend’s lives move on.
As adults, the great majority of us have dealt with friends and/or family with health issues, some of them quite serious. It’s difficult, heartbreaking, and confusing. I can’t imagine a child being in the middle of that. In Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas,Pyros shows us how two people, siblings, deal with their mother’s breast cancer diagnosis.
What I loved about this book was that Pyros showed us how people can have completely different thoughts, fears, and methods of coping with difficult situations. Every reaction is not only possible, but also appropriate, and no one should feel ashamed or embarrassed at how they choose to deal.
The author also did a great job keeping the twins’ lives moving. When a diagnosis such as cancer occurs in someone’s life, unfortunately, the world around the family keeps moving. School and work responsibilities are still there, school activities are still held, and friend’s lives move on.
September 27, 2021
This book was an important one because it taught the reader than in the hardest times of your life, those are the ones where you need to be the strongest. Also, another important message was that you don't need to worry about what other people think about you. As long as for you it's okay, it's fine and it stays like that. The main character, Josephine, was very shy and extremely worried about everything, but at the end, after dyeing her hair pink like her brother, she felt stronger and more confident than anyone else, thanks to her friends and family.
March 30, 2024
I loved how Josephine delt with her moms cancer. I liked how she was this awkward kid in the beginning of the book but as she realized that it was OK to be a little different she came out of her shell.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2023
This book is amazing! I just finished reading it on my kindle, and I could not put it down! I definitely recommend reading it!😍😍😍
October 20, 2024
I loved this book it was really good and I love how there are doing all of this for there mom
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
OMG?!? Why is this book so good? This book was relatable in so many ways I don't even know where to start. So, many books struggle with making characters- especially middle-schoolers- realistic, but this book did that extremely well. Josephine felt real to me. She reminded me of myself. That's how you know a book has portrayed a middle-schooler well because I don't feel that way about almost any other middle-school character. I related to Josephine's feelings a lot. She mentioned how she would retreat and withdraw when she got nervous, and I do the same most of the time. I highlighted where she said it, so I'll put it below. I could also relate to how she felt about her mom a little bit. I mean, it's obviously not the same, but my dad has cancer and I had the same feeling she did for a while. She didn't want anyone to hear about it, not even her best friend, and there was no real specific reason, maybe she didn't want the looks of pity or maybe she didn't want it to be real, but it made sense. I could also relate to a LOT of things she said and talked about. Also, I love the way she and Makayla were toward each other. Just everything they said and did reminded me of my bsfs and myself. The way they text is literally me and my besties. Y'all know who you are 🫵🫶. It felt nice to have a book character that I could relate to. [Small spoiler] I loved that she dyed her hair, but I feel like the reactions were a little overdramatic and over-the-top, you know? Like, their WAITER was teasing them... I feel like that's a bit much. Also, the little boy that called them clowns?!?! Dude, teach your kids some manners. Kids are cruel. Anyways, back on track, I feel like it was kinda extra. I get that people would stare, its cool to see someone with bright pink hair, but the school kids whispering and the teasing just seemed unrealistic to me, As someone with purple hair(Its highlights but whatever let me have my moment), I do not get teased by waiters. [Spoilers over]
Okay, that's all for the review, I would totally recommend this book!
Here are some of my favorite highlights from this book (Some are serious/relatable but some are funny):
Pg 59: "I still have that dark, scary feeling in my body, like when you're reading a book and your favorite character dies without any warning, or when something goes wrong and you can't fix it, no matter how hard you try."
Pg 75: "Watching my best friend in action makes me feel like a total failure."
Pg 81: "Parents think they're so subtle, but they're not."
Pg 86: "Some people want to be around others when they're nervous or scared, but not me. I tend to withdraw."
Pg 118: "Arthur. That seemed like a good fake boy name. My Canadian boyfriend Arthur, who liked mooses-or was it meese?-hockey, and me."
Pg 119: I stress about stuff a lot. Most people don't realize it because I'm a quiet worrier instead of a loud, showy, gasping-and-clutching-my-heart worrier. But it's the same thing inside. I just don't like to discuss it. Discussing bad stuff never helps. It just makes it worse."
Pg 122: "Sometimes overthinking is a good idea because you don't get taken by surprise. Other times, the only person I outsmart is myself."
Pg 241: "I can't believe it! Why does everyone always make such a big deal about love? It's in every book, movie, and song. How come there aren't more songs about how awesome it is to have friends?"
Yes, this review is the same as the one from my other acc. Shush.
Okay, that's all for the review, I would totally recommend this book!
Here are some of my favorite highlights from this book (Some are serious/relatable but some are funny):
Pg 59: "I still have that dark, scary feeling in my body, like when you're reading a book and your favorite character dies without any warning, or when something goes wrong and you can't fix it, no matter how hard you try."
Pg 75: "Watching my best friend in action makes me feel like a total failure."
Pg 81: "Parents think they're so subtle, but they're not."
Pg 86: "Some people want to be around others when they're nervous or scared, but not me. I tend to withdraw."
Pg 118: "Arthur. That seemed like a good fake boy name. My Canadian boyfriend Arthur, who liked mooses-or was it meese?-hockey, and me."
Pg 119: I stress about stuff a lot. Most people don't realize it because I'm a quiet worrier instead of a loud, showy, gasping-and-clutching-my-heart worrier. But it's the same thing inside. I just don't like to discuss it. Discussing bad stuff never helps. It just makes it worse."
Pg 122: "Sometimes overthinking is a good idea because you don't get taken by surprise. Other times, the only person I outsmart is myself."
Pg 241: "I can't believe it! Why does everyone always make such a big deal about love? It's in every book, movie, and song. How come there aren't more songs about how awesome it is to have friends?"
Yes, this review is the same as the one from my other acc. Shush.
January 18, 2019
Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas
Andrea Pysos
What's it about?
Josephine has typical pre-teen worries around best friends, first crushes, and family problems, when she gets the news that her mother has breast cancer.
Unsure if she really wants to share the news without anyone, the choice is taken away from her when her twin brother, Chance, dyes his hair pink to support their mum. Suddenly Josephine is forced to rethink her priorities, and face tough questions about what really matters - and if other worries make her a monster in the face of her mother's diagnosis.
Tackling the usual array of pre-teen angst - jealousy, sibling clashes, typical family troubles, and first love - alongside big, potentially life-changing issues, Pysos's novel is filled with relatable characters and a flawed by a largely lovable cast.
Josephine's reaction to her mother's diagnosis, her underlying anger, guilt and fear, alongside her outward need for control and normalcy ring true, creating a well-rounded protagonist who worries just a tad too much about what others think but comes across as an authentic pre-teen voice.
Worried that she is a bad person for thinking of things outside of her mother's cancer. Josephine seems fairly in tune with her emotions. A little mature for her age in places but still having distinct, believable worries and concerns for her age, Pysosdoes a great job of not only explaining issues around mental health and fear, but normalising them.
While the adults in Pink Hair and Other Bad Ideas primarily play a background role, Josephine and Chance's mother's reaction to her diagnosis, as well as how she seems to try and juggle that with reassuring her kids comes across so well.
Tackling the issue around how different people deal with the diagnosis of a loved one in different ways, we see both the selflessness and selfishness that can follow, as well as interesting points raised around how we cope with big news, and how considerate we should be of those around us.
If you know a tween reader who is struggling with anxiety, peer pressure, or is experiencing emotional upheaval, Pink Hair and Other Bad Ideas is a great book to show how they can work through and recognise their issues.
If you're more of a general fan of middle-grade or YA fiction, there are a few plot strands that feel unresolved and rushed in places, but overall it still feels like a satisfying read.
Andrea Pysos
What's it about?
Josephine has typical pre-teen worries around best friends, first crushes, and family problems, when she gets the news that her mother has breast cancer.
Unsure if she really wants to share the news without anyone, the choice is taken away from her when her twin brother, Chance, dyes his hair pink to support their mum. Suddenly Josephine is forced to rethink her priorities, and face tough questions about what really matters - and if other worries make her a monster in the face of her mother's diagnosis.
Tackling the usual array of pre-teen angst - jealousy, sibling clashes, typical family troubles, and first love - alongside big, potentially life-changing issues, Pysos's novel is filled with relatable characters and a flawed by a largely lovable cast.
Josephine's reaction to her mother's diagnosis, her underlying anger, guilt and fear, alongside her outward need for control and normalcy ring true, creating a well-rounded protagonist who worries just a tad too much about what others think but comes across as an authentic pre-teen voice.
Worried that she is a bad person for thinking of things outside of her mother's cancer. Josephine seems fairly in tune with her emotions. A little mature for her age in places but still having distinct, believable worries and concerns for her age, Pysosdoes a great job of not only explaining issues around mental health and fear, but normalising them.
While the adults in Pink Hair and Other Bad Ideas primarily play a background role, Josephine and Chance's mother's reaction to her diagnosis, as well as how she seems to try and juggle that with reassuring her kids comes across so well.
Tackling the issue around how different people deal with the diagnosis of a loved one in different ways, we see both the selflessness and selfishness that can follow, as well as interesting points raised around how we cope with big news, and how considerate we should be of those around us.
If you know a tween reader who is struggling with anxiety, peer pressure, or is experiencing emotional upheaval, Pink Hair and Other Bad Ideas is a great book to show how they can work through and recognise their issues.
If you're more of a general fan of middle-grade or YA fiction, there are a few plot strands that feel unresolved and rushed in places, but overall it still feels like a satisfying read.
September 11, 2018
Pyros, Andrea. Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas. Capstone, 2019.
Josephine is the less popular of the twins, and she's already reeling from her parents' divorce and trying to navigate the halls of middle school when her mom tells her that she's been diagnosed with breast cancer. Josephine doesn't want to stand out at school, so she tries not to tell anyone, but then her brother, in a show of support, dyes his hair bright pink, and Josephine finds she cannot hide any longer.
This was a great idea for a book, but it ended super abruptly. There were lots of threads of the story that were picked up and then dropped. It reads more like a book for middle grade students (3rd-4th grade), but the main characters are twelve and have crushes and go to boy/girl parties, etc. etc, which makes it hard to place this book in the library.
I wasn't sure why the idea of the principal complaining about Josephine's brother's pink hair was placed in the story when it wasn't fleshed out more later on. The whole football team could have gotten their hair dyed, or Josephine's friends could have done it, or many people from the school or something. It seemed like a major plot point, but then it disappeared, along with most of the details of the mom's cancer and treatments, recovery, etc. The dad wasn't very well rounded, either; readers are told that he is fairly irresponsible and childish, but that's all we get.
I think this book would have benefited with more length to tie up the loose ends of the story or with editing to take away the unnecessary subplots (the dad being a giant child, the boy/girl party not actually involving any risque activity, the outlawing pink hair at the school thing, etc. etc.). I like the idea of this book, but it failed on the execution.
Recommended for: middle grade and tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.
Josephine is the less popular of the twins, and she's already reeling from her parents' divorce and trying to navigate the halls of middle school when her mom tells her that she's been diagnosed with breast cancer. Josephine doesn't want to stand out at school, so she tries not to tell anyone, but then her brother, in a show of support, dyes his hair bright pink, and Josephine finds she cannot hide any longer.
This was a great idea for a book, but it ended super abruptly. There were lots of threads of the story that were picked up and then dropped. It reads more like a book for middle grade students (3rd-4th grade), but the main characters are twelve and have crushes and go to boy/girl parties, etc. etc, which makes it hard to place this book in the library.
I wasn't sure why the idea of the principal complaining about Josephine's brother's pink hair was placed in the story when it wasn't fleshed out more later on. The whole football team could have gotten their hair dyed, or Josephine's friends could have done it, or many people from the school or something. It seemed like a major plot point, but then it disappeared, along with most of the details of the mom's cancer and treatments, recovery, etc. The dad wasn't very well rounded, either; readers are told that he is fairly irresponsible and childish, but that's all we get.
I think this book would have benefited with more length to tie up the loose ends of the story or with editing to take away the unnecessary subplots (the dad being a giant child, the boy/girl party not actually involving any risque activity, the outlawing pink hair at the school thing, etc. etc.). I like the idea of this book, but it failed on the execution.
Recommended for: middle grade and tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.
September 25, 2023
When her mom gets sick, all Josephine wants to do just wants to keep her head down. Her twin brother however, has other plans. When Chance's big plan to support their mom gets bigger than either of them could have planned, Josephine finds herself facing some tough truths.
Our heroine is pretty spiky through much of the story but in a way that's almost refreshingly real. We have so many stories of middle graders and teens putting in brave faces or trying to be the perfect kid so as not to stress out their ailing parent. Though it can be hard to read, we don't get the other sides of this as much. The anger and the fear that often go hand in hand , the worry when you're in middle school of being made a spectacle of in any way. Though it's aggravating you can get why Josephine is making the choices she does even though you know they're the wrong moves. I would have liked to see a little more of who J really is, but in a way that part of the point. She's a girl who has always been defined by her relationship to other people. Her twin brother. Her more popular friends, the kid whose parents divorced...she doesn't know who she is either.
I think Perez will probably hit home with the B Plot as well, in its depiction of that vulnerable cusp between being a kid and being a teen where puberty starts complicating your friendships.
All in all pretty solid.
Our heroine is pretty spiky through much of the story but in a way that's almost refreshingly real. We have so many stories of middle graders and teens putting in brave faces or trying to be the perfect kid so as not to stress out their ailing parent. Though it can be hard to read, we don't get the other sides of this as much. The anger and the fear that often go hand in hand , the worry when you're in middle school of being made a spectacle of in any way. Though it's aggravating you can get why Josephine is making the choices she does even though you know they're the wrong moves. I would have liked to see a little more of who J really is, but in a way that part of the point. She's a girl who has always been defined by her relationship to other people. Her twin brother. Her more popular friends, the kid whose parents divorced...she doesn't know who she is either.
I think Perez will probably hit home with the B Plot as well, in its depiction of that vulnerable cusp between being a kid and being a teen where puberty starts complicating your friendships.
All in all pretty solid.
December 20, 2018
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
When twelve-year-old Josephine finds out her mom has breast cancer, she doesn't want to talk about because talking about it will make it real, and she doesn't want to be known as the girl whose mom has cancer. However, Josephine's twin brother Chance dyes his hair pink, so now the whole school knows. Josephine also feels guilty that she thinks about her crush on Diego and the upcoming boy-girl party at Autumn's house instead of focusing all her thoughts on her mom. Does that make her a horrible person for thinking about these things that are surely not as important as her mom's health?
Andrea Pyros does an excellent job of writing from the viewpoint of a twelve-year-old girl. This is an endearing story suitable for late elementary and middle school students. I think a lot of girls will be able to relate to Josephine. My only complaint about the book would be that the ending seemed a little abrupt.
When twelve-year-old Josephine finds out her mom has breast cancer, she doesn't want to talk about because talking about it will make it real, and she doesn't want to be known as the girl whose mom has cancer. However, Josephine's twin brother Chance dyes his hair pink, so now the whole school knows. Josephine also feels guilty that she thinks about her crush on Diego and the upcoming boy-girl party at Autumn's house instead of focusing all her thoughts on her mom. Does that make her a horrible person for thinking about these things that are surely not as important as her mom's health?
Andrea Pyros does an excellent job of writing from the viewpoint of a twelve-year-old girl. This is an endearing story suitable for late elementary and middle school students. I think a lot of girls will be able to relate to Josephine. My only complaint about the book would be that the ending seemed a little abrupt.
November 21, 2018
*I received this ebook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas by Andrea Pyros is about twelve-year-old Josephine and her brother, Chance. Though they're twins, they are extremely different people; Josephine is shy and likes to stay in the background, while Chance is popular and confident. Josephine is already having to deal with crushes, friend drama, and the fallout of her parents' divorce when their mom announces that she has breast cancer, and will be having surgery right before the party that Josephine has been looking forward to. Josephine would prefer to stay out of the spotlight and not tell anyone - even her friends - about this, but then Chance dyes his hair pink to support his mom and soon the whole school knows.
All I can really say is that this book was okay. I enjoyed the fact that this story exists, as I think it's important to have books that deal with things that real people have to as well, and there are definitely kids out there who can relate to this book. I related to Josephine's desire for privacy - I'm sure that if I had received news like that, I would pretty much have the same reaction, as it isn't anyone's business what is going on in her family's personal life, and though I think Chance had good intentions, his actions were extremely inconsiderate to Josephine's feelings, especially when he knew her opinion. No one in the book seemed to understand Josephine's feelings on privacy, showing just how hard it can be to be an introvert and private individual in today's world of sharing everything. However, I don't think that's the message of the book, because in the end, Chance ends up convincing Josephine to change her mind, which I did not appreciate, though it did have some cool effects on the end of the plot.
However, most of the characters were annoying - are all middle schoolers this obnoxious and self-obsessed? - and the writing stye was just average, with nothing special to define it, It was kind of fun to read but it didn't have a gripping plot or characters.
Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas by Andrea Pyros is about twelve-year-old Josephine and her brother, Chance. Though they're twins, they are extremely different people; Josephine is shy and likes to stay in the background, while Chance is popular and confident. Josephine is already having to deal with crushes, friend drama, and the fallout of her parents' divorce when their mom announces that she has breast cancer, and will be having surgery right before the party that Josephine has been looking forward to. Josephine would prefer to stay out of the spotlight and not tell anyone - even her friends - about this, but then Chance dyes his hair pink to support his mom and soon the whole school knows.
All I can really say is that this book was okay. I enjoyed the fact that this story exists, as I think it's important to have books that deal with things that real people have to as well, and there are definitely kids out there who can relate to this book. I related to Josephine's desire for privacy - I'm sure that if I had received news like that, I would pretty much have the same reaction, as it isn't anyone's business what is going on in her family's personal life, and though I think Chance had good intentions, his actions were extremely inconsiderate to Josephine's feelings, especially when he knew her opinion. No one in the book seemed to understand Josephine's feelings on privacy, showing just how hard it can be to be an introvert and private individual in today's world of sharing everything. However, I don't think that's the message of the book, because in the end, Chance ends up convincing Josephine to change her mind, which I did not appreciate, though it did have some cool effects on the end of the plot.
However, most of the characters were annoying - are all middle schoolers this obnoxious and self-obsessed? - and the writing stye was just average, with nothing special to define it, It was kind of fun to read but it didn't have a gripping plot or characters.
December 3, 2018
NOTE: I received an ARC from a book sharing group in exchange for my honest review.
Josephine is a quiet, private tween, unlike her bold and confident twin brother, Chance. When their mother tells them of her breast cancer diagnosis, they have very different ways of handling this news. Meanwhile their pre-teen lives careen on with friend drama, budding relationship drama, and school drama.
Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas will resonate with many young readers dealing with a number of major life events, including a sick parent. Despite a heavy topic, the book is still overall light and accessible for young readers.
I recommend Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas for classroom and school libraries serving grades 5-7.
3.5/5 stars
Josephine is a quiet, private tween, unlike her bold and confident twin brother, Chance. When their mother tells them of her breast cancer diagnosis, they have very different ways of handling this news. Meanwhile their pre-teen lives careen on with friend drama, budding relationship drama, and school drama.
Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas will resonate with many young readers dealing with a number of major life events, including a sick parent. Despite a heavy topic, the book is still overall light and accessible for young readers.
I recommend Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas for classroom and school libraries serving grades 5-7.
3.5/5 stars
November 9, 2025
SUCH a SWEET and RELATABLE novel!!💖
12 year old Josephine is going through a lot. Her parents are split up and then one afternoon her mum spills the news that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is a big moment for Josephine and her twin brother chance to process and they have certainly different ways of doing that!
Josephine doesn't want to draw attention to herself, however Chance, her outgoing, troublesome brother dyes his hair pink in support which is the complete opposite of what Josephine wanted to happen.
Not all, like for Josephine is filled with parties (or the party of the year as her bff Makayla thinks of it) and boys and the last thing she wants is for her mum to think she doesn't care...
12 year old Josephine is going through a lot. Her parents are split up and then one afternoon her mum spills the news that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is a big moment for Josephine and her twin brother chance to process and they have certainly different ways of doing that!
Josephine doesn't want to draw attention to herself, however Chance, her outgoing, troublesome brother dyes his hair pink in support which is the complete opposite of what Josephine wanted to happen.
Not all, like for Josephine is filled with parties (or the party of the year as her bff Makayla thinks of it) and boys and the last thing she wants is for her mum to think she doesn't care...
October 8, 2018
A sweet, nice story about a young girl dealing with her mother's cancer diagnosis. I'm a little confused about the ages; they read young to me, but the characters are stated to be twelve and their first boy/girl party is a major theme. I couldn't shelve this in the twelves section, though, it's too easy. Not a big deal, though.
It dealt well with two common reactions to this kind of news; talking it out with others, or hiding for fear of making it real, which makes it a good story to help children deal with things. A good read and a useful read.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It dealt well with two common reactions to this kind of news; talking it out with others, or hiding for fear of making it real, which makes it a good story to help children deal with things. A good read and a useful read.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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