Honestly Elliott

by Gillian McDunn

Sometimes finding yourself can be a little messy.

Elliott has been struggling since starting middle school, when his ADHD spiraled and his best friend moved away. He's not too sure where he fits in with his own family, either, especially since his newly remarried dad and stepmom are expecting a baby. Especially when he already feels like his dad just doesn't get him - or his passion for cooking. In the kitchen, it's actually a good thing to have a brain that goes in six different directions at once.

When he's paired with the popular and supersmart Maribel for a school-wide project, Elliott worries they won't see eye to eye. But Maribel is also looking for a way to show others her true self, and this project could be the chance they've both been waiting for.

Sometimes the least likely friends help you see a new side to things... and sometimes you have to make a few mistakes before you figure out what's right.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Disability, Fiction, Family, Divorce, Adhd

263 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2022

Reviews

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Audible audio *

This was a really enjoyable story. Elliot was relatable and everyone else was well done too. I can't speak for the adhd rep but it was done with care it seemed to me.

It was nice to see Elliot grow and branch out to tackle things he was unsure about or that scared him.

I liked how they portrayed therapy in here too.

[Nev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not crying. I just have something in my eye. Like a twig or a branch.

This book was sweet, heartwarming, and a lot of fun!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gillian McDunn, author of Caterpillar Summer, These Unlucky Stars, Queen Bee and Me, has gifted readers of middle grade lit with a heart-warming book with a memorable main character. Elliott is doing all that he can to pass 6th grade, but with his best (and only) friend moving away, his parents’ divorce, dad’s remarriage and soon to arrive half-brother, plus Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, it’s beyond difficult. An event, only referred to as The Incident, has further muddled his life and is going to cost him $600 and likely his plan to attend a culinary summer camp. Will a surprising partnership with star student Maribel on a major class project be the solution to all that is stacked against him? Or will her hyper-focus on the assignment plus her hard to deal with celiac disease complicate things even more? McDunn’s characters are highly believable and engaging and readers will connect with them on multiple levels while, hopefully, gaining some understanding and empathy towards those who face life with either of these challenges. Secondary character, Kunal, adds a little Middle Eastern diversity to a cast that is primarily Caucasian. Text is free of profanity, sexual content, and violence is limited to a little broken glass. Highly recommended for home, school, and public libraries of those in grades 4-7.

Thanks for the print arc, Bloomsbury Kids.

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elliot adjusts to life with his divorced parents. Mom remains single and lives in the city. Dad has remarried and lives in the suburbs with his wife Kate who is expecting. What if the new baby replaces him?
Elliot is also adjusting to school as he struggles to stay organized. When smart and organized Maribel asks him to be her partner for a big project, he is shocked. Could their project which involves making gluten-free pies that taste delicious lead to success at school? After all, Elliot's one superpower is cooking.

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

Honestly Elliot is a sweet, heartwarming coming-of-age story featuring a protagonist with ADHD who just loves to cook! Readers will root for Elliot and his new friend Maribel as they learn to see their challenges as strengths. This book also features divorced parents and a boy finding his place as he anticipates a new step-sibling. Like many of Dunn’s books, this one is a hug of a book and will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Read my full review on my blog.

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

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and publisher for an eARC of this book (releases March 1/22)
Gillian McDunn has a real gift for writing relationships in her character-driven stories. This contemporary realism book focuses on an unlikely friendship between two kids who feel different and need to prove themselves to the people around them. Elliott has a passion for cooking but feels like he always disappoints his dad and new step-mom with his ADHD-related impulsive tendencies. Maribel doesn’t want to work on a class project with her friends who don’t respect her celiac dietary restrictions. Together, Elliott and Maribel team up to create a business plan that positively showcases both of their differences.

I really liked watching Elliott and Maribel learn to trust each other and combine their strengths. They use creative solutions to work around challenges, and I love the support they offer each other. There’s a normalization of therapy and honest discussion about the feelings that result from their “otherness.”

I would highly recommend this book for Gr. 4-6.

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this so satisfying. It was an excellent portrayal of ADHD. I think if a kid with those struggles will feel very seen, (I know I did). The delivery of the first person narrative never felt overly-aware. The author did an excellent job showing what it is like being terminally distracted. But aside from the showcasing of the disability the school project aspect was engaging as where the family issues without feeling overly dramatized.

The one downside to this book is the cover, I thought it would be more for a 2nd to 4th grade audience than upper elementary.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big-hearted middle grade book about Elliott, a sweet, sensitive young boy with ADHD trying to deal with his neurodiversity and find acceptance from his father and stepmother who are expecting a new baby. Elliott loves to bake/cook but has trouble focusing because of his ADHD. It really broke my heart how little understanding his father seemed to have for Elliott's mishaps but their reconciliation at the end of the story was tear-inducing. Perfect for fans of Master Chef Jr and books like Ellen outside the lines or Alice Fleck's recipes for disaster.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a darling book. I love Elliott! He clambers through life trying to come to terms with his own feelings and fit in with others. The story takes us through his coming to terms with his parents' divorce, his new stepmom and forging a closer relationship with his dad who struggles to understand Elliott. It's a heartwarming story that is hopeful as Elliott and his family make great strides to come together.

Elliott is honest and he really helps the reader understand his struggle with ADHD. I loved his friendship with Maribel and how they worked together on their project.

And the narrator, Matthew Bridges, was superb!

[Rajani LaRocca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book full of humor and heart! Gillian McDunn has done it again—she's written a contemporary middle grade with a likable yet flawed main character, a fascinating bunch of supporting characters, and a compelling plot that's all about the things middle grade readers care about...friendship, family, and learning who you are. Aspiring chef Elliott has ADHD, and that makes him "mess up" lots of things, especially according to his dad, who doesn't understand his culinary dreams. I loved the mix of school struggles and family drama, and Elliott is so full of heart and sarcastic humor! The best bonus: a pie recipe that I can't wait to try!

[Christiana Doucette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to get an ARC of this story, especially after hearing it had Celiac rep.

Elliott loves cooking. But not baking. His favorite celebrity chef says baking is for muffinheads. Cooking is one place where Elliott's ADHD doesn't make life more difficult. And after The Incident several months ago, he doesn't need anything else complicating life with his dad. His stepmom is expecting, and for once he's connecting with her over the various vegetable sizes of his new baby brother. But he's also scared of just how this is going to change his life. And dad's demanding he pay back $600 for damages from The Incident.

Then his teacher assigns a group project. Design a booth for an upcoming school festival. They can keep any profits from the event. Elliott just might pull off repaying his dad, without depleting his culinary camp savings! But Elliott's "friends" don't want him in their group. If his best friend weren't off RV-ing and homeschooling with his mom's, Elliott would definitely have a partner. But it seems this time he might be on his own.

But then he notices one of the smartest, prettiest girls in class is near tears. Her friends want to bake. But they refuse to make their project gluten-free. But since she has Celiacs, even inhaling the flour dust could make her really sick.

Elliott agrees to team up. Even though baking is for muffinheads. But a disagreement over baking pies throws the whole project in jeopardy. Elliott will need to open up about his challenges and embrace his project partner's input if he ever hopes to make it to culinary camp this summer.

I really enjoyed this story. Baking without gluten is a challenge. And I loved how realistic that felt as Elliott tried to figure out the pie crust. This is the first story I've read with a gluten-free character like this. And as someone with gluten-intolerance, I really appreciated that. The character ARC as Elliott learned to open up about the struggles he was facing was very well done.

[Heather Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught my eye because my grandson's name is Elliott and it's rare to see it spelled correctly elsewhere. The synopsis grabbed my interest further being about a boy with ADHD that loves to cook. My Elliott has some attention issues and enjoys cooking -although not as much as he used to.

This book was such a delight and way more insightful than I expected. Elliott is a great boy who just needed encouragement and coping mechanisms.

[Kasey Giard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that the story explored some of Elliott’s feelings about having a new half-brother as an older kid. When my family went through that change, it was really hard for me to find resources out there that looked at both a blended family situation and becoming a sibling for the first time as an older child.

I felt like HONESTLY ELLIOTT delved into a lot of big topics, but in a gentle way. Elliott learns a lot about himself in his role as a friend and in his role in his family. I also thought the way his views about cooking versus baking get challenged and the way that his project for school helped him connect to his community and community history.

All in all, I’m so glad I read HONESTLY ELLIOT. It’s so important to have great books out there that center on complex issues of adjusting to sibling-hood and blended families, and I’m really excited to be able to recommend this one.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

[F*** Bezos! Rachel’s gone to Fable, and so can you! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best middle grade book I’ve read since “The Last Cuentista” (last year’s Newbery winner). That’s saying A LOT because I approach books with white male protagonists with a much more critical lens and generally am altogether biased against them. But I picked this one up because it’s a Schneider Honor title, and I’m so glad I did. It managed to hit SO many important topics without trivializing any of them: bucking gender norms and racial stereotypes, middle school struggles, divorce, community diversity, mental health, friendship, new sibling, personal strengths/weaknesses and developing character through introspection and therapy, parent-child relationships, local pride/history/sustainability, disability, and even special dietary needs (and recipes included at the end). I cried (happy/satisfied/hopeful tears) through the final chapters. All around incredible book; I can’t recommend highly enough!

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite readable but I honestly found Elliott to be a bland, uninteresting character. We are told repeatedly that he has ADHD but he doesn't narrate like he does. (Maybe this would have been better if it were written in 3rd person?) I did enjoy his burgeoning friendship with Maribel (frankly she's a more interesting character than him) and with his stepmom but overall everything was pretty predictable and boilerplate-y.

Thank you to Bloomsbury who were kind enough to send me an advance copy of this book.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for the Charlie May Simon Award Committee. This was a very nice middle grade chapter book with a variety of topics scattered throughout: ADHD, parents divorce, dad remarrying, a new half brother on the way, friendships and lack thereof, anger, counseling, and allergies (gluten). An overall enjoyable read for both boys and girls. It's nice to see a male main character for a change (especially one that has a new friend that is a girl)!

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet book featuring a G6 boy with severe ADHD, in a divorced family with a best friend who has moved to Australia.
Some nice features including finding friends in unusual circumstances (having to work together in a project); realising that your online heroes don't necessarily have the answers, nor always the right attitudes, supportive parents who work with each other and also acknowledge their need for counselling, all in all this has a lot going for it.

[Karen Gard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly Elliott is on my granddaughter’s Sunshine Readers List, and as with my children I make effort to read what she is reading. This story had many themes to draw me in, family ADHD and celiac history, love of pie as a food group and connection with Elliott’s plant 🪴 loving mom. My Tear Tank definitely was utilized. I can understand my granddaughter’s delight in this book.

[RK Bitton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to kick off Battle of the Books season. Real characters (complicated tweens, not perfect parents) and a host of important topics that enrich the story (celiac disease, ADHD, divorce, therapy, and the benefits of sourcing locally). A book that will be on the short list of recommendations to friends and family.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not much of a middle grade reader but I'm glad I gave this one a chance. It was cute and a little quirky, but with lots of tough topics that were handled carefully and what I imagine is age-appropriate. It was a little too after school special for me, but that's probably because I'm not used to this genre. Overall, it was a good quick read.

[Sabrina MacKerell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly Elliott tells the story of 11-year old Elliott, who is going through a lot of major life changes. New school year, new baby from his dad and stepmom, and new friends. On top of this, Elliott struggles with emotion regulation and has ADHD. While it is difficult for Elliott to focus his mind on many academic subjects, especially math, and stay organized, the one place that Elliott feels confident and calm is the kitchen. He loves the creativity of cooking and has quite the knack for it. Elliott ends up being partnered with the smartest girl in the class, Maribel Martinez, on a business proposal project. When brainstorming proposal ideas, Elliott learns that Maribel has Celiac disease, and is unable to eat gluten. They decide to bake gluten free pies for the showcase. The two bond over their unique challenges and how it feels to be “othered” and made fun of, even by their so-called friends.
The plot was engaging and the characters were relatable. Elliott is an especially relatable, well-developed character who is navigating issues of identity, friendship, and self-acceptance. His journey is emotional and authentic, which makes him a strong character who many readers can connect with. Different family structures are introduced with single parents, stepfamilies, and also mentions students who have two moms. The family structures are subtle, normalizing that all families look different, without bringing too much attention to this.
Elliott’s ADHD is portrayed all throughout the book. His challenges with attention are depicted through his internal thoughts, which can feel disjointed or distracted, helping readers understand what it might be like to experience ADHD. Furthermore, Elliott sometimes feels frustrated with himself due to his ADHD. For example, he worries about how his distractibility affects his relationships with friends and family. He is especially worried about how this affects his relationship with his dad. Overall, Honestly Elliott normalizes ADHD as just one part of who Elliott is, rather than something that defines or limits him.
This book would be well-suited for middle school students. It would be a great book to start conversations about journeys towards self-acceptance, using Elliott’s journey and identity as an example. Teachers could also use Elliott’s experience with ADHD as a starting point to discuss what ADHD is, how it affects people differently, and how it can influence schoolwork, relationships, and emotions. This could create more empathy and respect for others who have ADHD, or act as a mirror for a student who has this diagnosis, as well.
I read an audiobook version on Libby. The narrator was engaging and the vivid details and imagery allowed me to picture the storyline as I was listening. I found this book from School Library Journal’s article “16 Middle Grade and YA Books Featuring Non-Apparent Disabilities for Disability Pride Month” that was included in the Wakelet. It has won a few awards including the Schneider Family Book Award: Best Middle Grade Honor Book and the Librarian Favorites Award.

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Phenomenal ADHD representation along with themes of divorce, family, and friendship. I found Elliot both endearing and authentic. He is self aware of both his flaws and his gifts and the journey and growth he goes through is believable and engaging for middle grade readers. It’s impossible not to root for him. This is an affirming and fun read that will mean a lot to kids with ADHD.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a committee member of the 2023 Schneider Family Book Award -- this is an honor book for middle grade readers!

[Ezel Kucukbas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loooove!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid middle years book from the point of view of a kid with ADHD.

[Katie Stratton · Rating 3 out of 5]

RA Took us forever to get through I think bc my kids didn’t relate to the main character. But then when he had friend drama they could relate.

[Heather Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elliott is all of us as we faced life in middle school. He faces his insecurities and overcomes by following his passion and finding a friend. Let's normalize taking care of our mental health!

[Jenn Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly loved second of it.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

ADHD and Celiac representation! Three main characters in therapy! Divorced parents coparenting! A dad apologizing to a son after going to therapy!

[o l i v e ! ! · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was amazing