Elfie Unperfect

by Kristin Mahoney

Perfectionist Elfie Oster learns the value of "unperfection," in this funny look at middle school life from the author of Annie's Life in Lists

Elfie Oster was sure that Hampshire Academy was going to be the perfect school for her. She was sure about it right up to the minute she got expelled. On her first day.

It was all a terrible misunderstanding, but until she can find a way to fix things, Elfie has to go back to Cottonwood Elementary for fifth grade. Where she's never really fit in. Or had friends. It is not a perfect situation. And then it gets worse. Her babysitter gets really sick. Her aunt and uncle aren't speaking. She's forced to do a group project involving an egg. . . .

But sometimes when everything goes spectacularly wrong, you figure out what truly matters--and what doesn't. So really, this terrible, horrible, surprisingly hilarious year may just be the best thing that's ever happened to Elfie.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Contemporary, Fiction, School, Mental Health

256 pages, Hardcover

Published August 10, 2021

About the author

Kristin Mahoney is the author of Annie's Life in Lists, about a girl who moves from Brooklyn to a small town in the country. Kristin herself grew up in a small town in North Carolina, and eventually moved to Brooklyn. Now she lives in New Jersey with her family, where she makes lots of lists about groceries, writing ideas, and karaoke songs she'd like to sing.

Reviews

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elfie Unperfect is a realistic, poignant, and funny middle grade book about letting go of perfectionism and embracing the messiness of real life. With supportive family dynamics, musings on being an only child, and a flawed protagonist who sometimes takes herself too seriously, this book makes for an insightful and enjoyable read. This is one of those rare middle grade books that would work for both younger and somewhat older audiences.

Read my full review on my blog.

Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sloan The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.

[AllyP Reads Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't like Elfie. I just wanted to point out to her, "Um, hello. You did steal the phone." She also could have given it back at any time before being caught with it, and she also could have told the truth about what happened at any time after that. Her mom picks her up from school, and when they arrive home, her dad asks if they explained what happened. The mom answers that they didn't really have time. YES YOU DID! Elfie had time before you arrived and then after she could have said. She just choose not to for some unknown reason. Then later they give her a present where the box lid starts to rise on its own and she literally screams. Like literally screams. Because she thinks her parents got her a giant earthworm or something that's going to attack her. Seriously? Get a grip. I couldn't even really read the book after that. I just skimmed.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best middle grade novels remind us that the lives of even the most unremarkable children are full of miraculous moments. Elfie Oster is the latest in Kristin Mahoney’s roster of extraordinary young characters whose ordinary existences have more depth than we remember from our own childhoods. Elfie’s disastrous first day at Hampshire Academy and its fallout for her school year is relatable for all ages and I loved every minute of this charming book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reminder that kids are in the process of becoming themselves, cut them some slack and support them in this hard work when you can.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh. Elfie is so. relatable.

It's hard to write a character that's kind of annoying but who is still easy to follow and is sympathetic. Elfie's behavior is clearly frustrating sometimes, but, man, it's such an effective first-person perspective that we see her reasoning and truly can understand it. That's what's so magical about this book. Even when characters are behaving badly, they're relatable. Even when characters are demanding that they be treated differently, you can see and feel why they are acting and saying the things they are.

This is a shockingly complex and complicated book for a relatively-short story. I was 100% rooting for Elfie constantly -- and then when some secrets are revealed, I found myself as flustered as Elfie was that I'd judged the other characters. BUT! I still wanted Elfie to stand up for herself even if she'd jumped to conclusions about the other characters because the other characters also judged HER, and it's so satisfying the way that everything comes together. This entire story is SO effective and immersive.

I think some readers will be able to predict some of the "reveals" that happen later, but I kind of didn't! And even if people can predict the reveals, it's only because the reveals are so-well-built-up-to that it's only natural the story would go in those directions.

Every character has the chance to think about their actions and to change their ways to be more reasonable. Powerful emotions are explored here. Legitimately heartbreaking choices are shown here. Forgiveness is present, but I thought it was just beautiful how all of the forgiveness had to be EARNED, and that nothing wraps up with a big triumphant end. Everyone just has to make the choices that are best for them and do what they can to make things right and move on.

Really, really great stuff. One of my new all-time faves. Full of fantastic lessons especially for middle-grade readers but I absolutely believe this is profound stuff for any age group.

[Hope Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elfie is excited to start private school and leave behind the public school where she is an outsider. Eflie loves school, loves to study, and loves to learn and doesn't understand when other kids get irritated with her because they don't quite share her level of focus on schooling. Private school, while everything Eflie dreams of, takes a wrong turn when she is suspended in the first few hours of her first day due to another student's misguided accusation. Eflie is forced back to public school and has to face all the students she was so eager to leave behind. This is a turning point for Elfie, though, as she begins to understand others' feelings and gains understanding and empathy for trials they are facing in their lives.

I really loved this book. Elfie is such an unusual protagonist. She is mature for her age, and has parents who very much respect her intelligence and quirks. It is easy to see how the other kids find her irritating, but that doesn't make Elfie unlikeable. It is easy to champion her and hold out hope that someone will just give her a chance. Thankfully, her cousin (who is the same age and in the same class as she) confronts Elfie's behavior and becomes a supportive friend,

Good realistic fiction book that will appeal to fans of the late Andrew Clements. I would also recommend this book to readers who like Sara Pennypacker's "Clementine" series.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elfie is a 10-year-old perfectionist (curmudgeon) whose exacting ways alienate her from her peers and her cousin. Elfie is accepted into a prestigious school on a scholarship and believes that she has finally arrived at a place where she will find high achievers like herself and, finally, some friends. She is suspended the first day and returns to her former public school until a committee decides her fate.

As if her life can't get any worse, Elfie's babysitter is diagnosed with cancer and she is forced to spend more time with her cousin who is in her same class. On top of that, the girls are thrown together in a group project for a second time and their conflict ratchets up another notch.

Enter a new teacher whose first assignment is a "Character Study" instead of the usual questions about favorite colors and who is in your family.

There are unexpected nuggets of insight, information, and humor woven throughout the story. The author's writing was engaging and concise.

I will recommend this book to my teacher friends and local librarian as a read aloud. Most of my tutoring students start out as reluctant readers and will love this book!

Kristin Mahoney, you have a new fan.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for lending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elfie has never fit in at Cottonwood Elementary and never made any friends in all her years there, despite her cousin being in the same grade. The students there are too chaotic and break the rules and don't care enough about their grades in group projects. Which is why she's so excited to start at the local private school where everyone wears tidy uniforms and the curriculum is challenges and everything will be perfect. Then Elfie gets kicked out on her very first day. While she's waiting for the school's honor code review board to sort out this whole misunderstanding she has to go back to Cottonwood. Slowly her perfect life unravels more and more until she's left with a bigger mess than ever. But if she can learn to accept the imperfections of herself and those around her, she might just be able to turn the year around.

This book had me laughing from the first page as I recognized my own younger self. Luckily for Elfie she progresses far faster than I did and reading about her emotional journey is at turns heartwarming and hilarious. A warm and wise novel for children especially recommended for overachievers and perfectionists who will empathize with Elfie and learn some important lessons as they read and giggle their way through her story.

[Katey Howes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristin Mahoney once again delivers a story with an extremely readable (and reread-able) blend of the humor, heart, relationships and challenges characteristic of upper elementary/middle school life.
Elfie has never felt quite like she fit in, and believes her admittance to a fancy, intense private school is exactly the change she needs to be her best self - and to feel appreciated and welcomed. When a very early incident crashes her chances of fitting in and standing out - heck, even of attending - the new school, Elfie goes through a difficult time of disappointments and surprises back at that old school she was so eager to escape. Mahoney has created a intensely lovable, flawed, authentic, imperfect character in Elfie, and surrounded her with challenges big and small that will feel realistic and familiar (and often laugh-out-loud hilarious). So many parents ask me about middle grade books that will appeal to younger readers, and I absolutely recommend this one. Themes of friendship, self-acceptance and perspective in a well-paced format and contemporary setting with plenty of light hearted moments makes this a winner for readers 8-13 (and, I have to admit, 46 year olds like it a lot, too.)

[NICKY · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was OK. The main character Elfie is a perfectionist who is learning the value of being ‘unperfect.’ She wants to abandon Cottonwood Elementary for a fancy private school. However, you’ll be surprised she will get expelled on her first day. Will she ever get to return? Elfie learns a valuable lesson at the end of the book. Some shocking events happen to her. I was totally surprised when something horrendous happened to someone she loved. People reading this book will also get some valuable lessons from this. There were lots of different things going on in this book. Maybe a little too much. That’s one of two minor problems that I had with this book. The other one is that the plot was intended to be good, but it ended up being too unrealistic. The rest of the book was great. The characters all had different personalities, which I loved. And the pacing was suitable. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs some advice through a friendly book. Try it. You’ll find it is a good book.

Happy Reading! 📚

[Julia Pika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Elfie is a perfectionist and can't wait to get out of her old boring school that she never fit in. Cottonwood Academy is her Perfect Place! Until she gets practically expelled on the first day, and sent back to her old boring school. How is Elfie going to deal with this Tremendously Big Problem?

A really entertaining and heartwarming story of dealing with big issues in life. Elfie's obliviousness is pretty hilarious but it's also endearing, she doesn't always get why people (adults and kids) act a certain way.

I especially like the messages here and it's not always clear-cut how to deal with things and the book is honest about it. I especially appreciate Elfie's relatable anxiety and social awkwardness, she reminds me of me when I was in school.

A great story that many kids (and adults) can relate to!

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful middle grade book. This book effortlessly tackles a multitude of topics and sprinkles in lots of fun tidbits of knowledge and wisdom along the way. I'll be nominating this Elfie Unperfect if it hasn't already been nominated in GoodReads year end awards. My heart is just swelling with love for this book.

Things I loved:
- the use of the word unperfect
- definition of irony
- love between a close friend challenged with cancer and chemotherapy
- information jar
- scientific names used for plants, insects, animals
- learning about pavement ants
- creating friendships; telling the truth and apologizing
- learning from mistakes
- details regarding the Philippines (stories from lola/grandmother, rambutan fruit)
- egg project

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Kristin Mahoney and the publisher for the opportunity to review the advance read copy of Elfie Unperfect in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 10 Aug 2021.

[Haylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elfie has never fit in her public school. She is good at school, follows the rules, and expects everyone else to do the same, and doesn't have any friends. So when she gets into a private school nearby she is ecstatic and ready to go to school with people she expects to be just like her. She will finally have friends. But when she is suspended on the first day of school. Elfie's perfect year isn't looking so perfect anymore. But as she navigates being thrown back into her old school, she starts to realize things aren't nearly as terrible there as she thought. And she might even be able to make some new friends.
Elfie is a delightful character that is navigating a world where she doesn't seem to fit. The reader will go on a journey along with Elfie as she realizes that not everything has to be perfect and that not everyone's life is as simple as it seems. Middle grade readers will see pieces of themselves in Elfie and other characters.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Children's - Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book should be in every library and in every school across the country. This book demonstrated major life lessons that every adolescent should know. Everyone has stress about school and how their peers perceive them. As long as you stay true to yourself and own up to your personality and qualities, you will be just fine and you do not have to be perfect. This book was so wonderfully written and executed that I think I will share this book not only with our young community and schools but with my children when they are in elementary school.

We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Elfie is an interesting main character. She is completely focused on escaping from her elementary school to attend a private academy. She hopes she will find other students like her there. Disaster strikes on the first day and she ends up back at her former school. She learns some valuable lessons from her cousin, her teacher and her babysitter that other people face larger problems, and you don't know about them unless you focus on other people. Elfie is socially awkward and extremely fact focused. She doesn't pick up on social cues well and is self-focused. Readers see her change and learn to listen to others as well as relax and take risks to engage with others.
A swift read for middle graders. Some of whom will identify with her struggles.

[Cheryl]

I'm not sure how to rate this. It was interesting, with original takes on some standard tropes. I am glad that I finished it, even though at first I didn't particularly like Elfie. I think she must have Asperger's or something. But she learns a lot in this pivotal month and by the end I was rooting for her, not just for her long-suffering parents.

Do note, though, that it's really not a good idea to use cancer as plot device or to symbolize upheaval. Especially if you're going to mis-portray it. It is serious, yes. But getting a diagnosis does not necessarily mean the s* has hit the fan any more than getting in an auto accident does, or parent losing a job, or any other kind of bad thing. Not everyone loses all their hair or even gets fatigued or nauseated. And certainly not everyone dies. Authors, please be real.

[Librarylady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elfie is excited to be starting fifth grade at her dream school where she is sure everything will be perfect. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned. On the first day of school she is expelled for an honor code violation and has to return to her old school. Welcome to Elfie's unperfect life. She's back to going to school with her annoying cousin, doing hated group projects, and eating her lunch alone in the cafeteria. But Elfie soon learns that her unperfect life is actually perfect for her after all. Loved, loved, loved this book! The characters were so perfectly realistic with all their imperfections. I think kids will really relate to this story and the lesson it has for everyone.

[Ashley Dang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a perfectionist isn’t always the best...especially when it lands you in trouble. Elfie Oster is getting a fresh start at the Hampshire Academy, a start to make new friends and to have the perfect school experience, but immediately on the first day she finds that she is getting expelled. Now Elfie has to go back to her old school where she doesn’t have friends and feels like no one likes her. This is the start of Elfie finding herself and understanding that imperfection is also an okay thing. It’s a cute story about understanding how things aren’t always as they seem and sometimes we just have to take a closer look and open ourselves up.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and funny middle grade book about a more than slightly selfish perfectionist student who struggles to make friends due to her exacting standards. Elfie Oster is convinced the problem is everyone else, not her, and believes she will find more people like her at the prestigious Hampshire Academy. However Elfie's first day is marred by a slightly untrue accusation that results in her suspension, and possible expulsion, from the academy and she is forced to return to her old school. While there she learns to focus less on being right all the time and care more for other people, including her first ever friend and long estranged cousin.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful middle school story about, well middle school.

Elfie is finally going to leave Cottonwood public school and be in a private school, where people love science, and she can feel at home.

Unfortunately, she pisses off the one boy who can get her kicked out of school, which he does, and she is back at her old public school, with all the people she doesn't like.

And while her parents try to fight to get her back in the school, she has to muddled through Cottonwood.

Well written fish out of water story where you feel for the fish, no matter how annoying she is.a

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was well-written, with great characters and character development, great plot, and it's both funny and touching. We have a lot of things going on at once in this book, including a school suspension, new friends, a cancer diagnosis, and a divorce. However, everything intertwines well without seeming too overwhelming. The ending was great. Not every problem had a happy ending but that's ok because it was a realistic and satisfying ending. This is a great character-driven middle grade novel. (read a digital ARC via Netgalley.)

[Emma Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elfie feels out of place in her public school, so she applies to the local elite private school, and gets in! But something horrible happens on the first day of school that sends all her plans up in smoke. Will she be able to get over the humiliation--and fit in in public school after all? Kristin Mahoney has gotten us used to high standards with her impeccable writing, and this book holds up! Eminently readable, full of feeling and heart, inspiring empathy and tolerance. Don't hesitate to buy this for your middle grade reader!

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book isn't my (as an adult) cup of tea, I would recommend to my elementary students. Elfie is a "normal" girl dealing with "normal" kid pressures - she hates group projects, doesn't get along with her cousin, has just been kicked out of her fancy school, and her babysitter is now battling cancer. Elfie's struggles are relatable, something a lot of middle grade novels are missing lately.

[Cheryl Mizerny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Elfie is a girl who's a perfectionist and anxious, which often makes her misunderstood by others. She does have some people in her corner, but she has to deal with the illness of one closest to her. Upper elementary and early middle grade readers may be able to see themselves in her struggles.

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elfie is a character that grows on you. She is very serious about her education and following rules. Readers will be able to watch how Elfie grows and changes as she tries to clear her name after a big misunderstanding, and navigates a group project with her cousin (with whom she does not get along) and her academic rival.
I would recommend Elfie Unperfect for grades 4-6.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristin Mahoney once again captures the voice of a middle grade student with humor, compassion, and vivid originality. Elfie Oster has never fit in, which will surely change once she attends a new private school. When that falls through in a spectacular misunderstanding, Elfie must deal with all the sudden change in her life to realize she can make a place for herself wherever she ends up.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistic fiction middle grade novel about learning that life is messy and perfectionism isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (you’ll thank me later, Linda McMuffin).

Middle grade themes explored: trouble making friends; school/classroom/student dynamics; divorce; and loved ones with illness.

Would make a good read aloud in grades 3 and 4.

[Tina Athaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elfie Unperfect is PERFECT for anyone who's ever worried about what their peers think about them and how to fit in. Mahoney's book is engaging and written with heart and humor. Great for young teens, as a read aloud, and reluctant readers.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the e-arc.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were so many things about this book that made zero sense in the world of plot development. But it was a nice story, with a decent ending and some real life situations (even though some of them felt ridiculous). Recommend, but it’s not my favorite middle grade