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Stuck
A coming-of-age story about a boy who is used to flying under the radar, and the classroom of kids determined to help him stand out. This touching friendship tale is the perfect read for fans of Fish in a Tree and Song for a Whale."Austin’s narration is conversational and observant." -Publishers Weekly, Starred Review If Austin picked a color to describe his life, it would be tumbleweed brown. Austin doesn't like standing out. He’s always the new kid, and there's no hiding his size. Plus, Austin has a he struggles to read. Then Austin meets Bertie, who is razzmatazz. Everything about Bertie is bursting! But the best part of his newest school is the Safety Squad, with their laser lemon vests. Their easy confidence and leadership stand out in the coolest way. Even when things are not so vibrant and life at home makes Austin feel pacific blue, for the first time, he wants to leave a mark. And the more Austin speaks up, the more he finds he may not be that different after all.
139 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2021
36 people are currently reading
414 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Swender
24 books20 followersJennifer taught elementary school students for over a decade before turning to writing full time. She is the author of several picture books and early chapter books and develops curriculum materials for students and teachers. She lives in Massachusetts with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
May 26, 2023
Stuck would have been 3 stars if not for the abandoned plot points. Even then, a criticism that many plot points were abandoned does not necessarily warrant a star reduction. If it's 3 stars that's typically baked in and though something I find inexplicable (how hard is it to finish what you started?) I don't get up in arms enough to tip a book, particularly a kids' book, into the negatives over it.
The exception is when the plot point that is abandoned is essential enough that it becomes more than odd that the author disregarded it, it becomes a deterrent; a reason I'd actively warn people off the book not just a questionable decision I'd mention in passing.
It's immediately established that Austin's mother moves the two around on a whim often. Per Austin, she gets stressed out and starts to think things might be better somewhere else. Next thing he knows they're on the road.
There absolutely has to be a deeper reason to this. Barring extenuating circumstances, people don't just move several times a year when they have children. Children need and deserve stability. Austin is miserable, believing that he's incapable of making friends, and barely able to read. This just goes completely 100% unaddressed between the two of them.
Austin never tells his mom how he feels moving around all the time. His mom never gives an explanation as to why she does it.
Did Austin's dad die and she's avoiding her feelings by fleeing? Are they too poor to stay in one place consistently? Is she a free spirit type that simply hasn't realized the impact this lifestyle has on her son? It's anyone's guess.
Without this key aspect the whole book falls apart in the end. As I said before Austin barely can read. What kind of parent can't tell that their son can't read? Or rather, what kind of parent who apparently has no worries about financial security can't tell that their son can't read? If she's working all the time, that's one thing. Sometimes things slip through the cracks when you're going it alone. But, again while Austin certainly tells us she's busy a lot of what is actually shown on the page doesn't indicate a frazzled single mom too exhausted from trying to make ends meet to pay attention. Instead, she just seems largely apathetic and casually inconsiderate.
For example, Austin really wants to be a part of the Safety Squad (think hall monitors) next year. To do so he needs his mom to sign a form okaying it.
When he gets the form he tries to figure out the best way to give it to her so that she won't get overwhelmed by the idea of paperwork. In the past when schools have gotten 'pushy' - ie asking for basic forms that they require from everyone - she has imploded from the 'stress' and moved them. He leaves the form on the counter for her, afraid to ask her directly at the moment because she's working on the sink that doesn't work and he's scared that he'll be adding too much to her plate to ask right then.
Despite this form being bright orange and in plain sight, she ignores it for days. It's clearly a permission slip, clearly eye catching and clearly important to Austin. To our knowledge, she doesn't even glance at it.
Days later when Austin invites Bertie over Bertie - not knowing of Austin's issues navigating his relationship to his mom - excitedly brings it up and tells her that Austin will need to have it signed ASAP in order to be a Safety which now even if she did somehow ignore it before is an explicit invitation to look at this piece of paper. And yet she still ignores it. She doesn't even comment on what Bertie says - she chooses to pretend Bertie didn't say anything at all. Austin says he's unsure if she heard Bertie, but come on, they're right in front of each other in the same room. How could she not? Fiddling with the food she brought or whatever she was doing (I don't remember exactly, but trust me, it wasn't that serious) could not be /that/ consuming.
When I read Moonflower Moon's mom absolutely made some mistakes. It was painful for Moon, and it doesn’t take away the pain that she inflicted, but their mom also was trying her best. She didn’t know how to handle the depth of Moon’s despair because she’s only human. Still it was abundantly obvious that their mom did loved them and that part of the problem between the two was that Moon's depression was twisting their cognitive reasoning to view even the good things through an uncharitable lens.
Stuck doesn’t even have that going on. Austin isn’t projecting his feelings onto his mom or in any way presented as an unreliable narrator. His mom just is a bad mom, point blank. And I’m given no reason to empathize or give her the benefit of the doubt. The author treats it like his mother is a meat eater and Austin is newly vegan and his mom isn’t being supportive; as if her inability to stay in one place is an insignificant character attribute that can be chalked up to growing pains in their parent-child dynamic.
It ruins the ending because where Austin sees his mother bringing the safety permission sheet to school for him as a sign that she’s going to put down roots, there is no evidence on-page to suggest she has the fortitude to make such a decision at this juncture. Particularly when none of the things that Austin has said are triggers for her have happened yet - it’s easy to say you’ll stay when things are going well. On top of that, we don’t even know how long they normally stay in one place. Is it really that big a deal to stay three months - in the summer - if they normally stay three months anyways? She literally ripped him out of his previous school to put him in his new one when there were like three weeks left. I don’t think that kind of person will care about taking him out a week into the new school year the following September.
She never even learns he can’t read that well. His teacher takes notice and gets him into a special program at school all without her needing to lift a finger. He never shares how hard reading has been for him for so long. She’s a placeholder to say Austin has a mom. It doesn’t feel at all like Swender ever considered the fact that by virtue of the premise she’s chosen his mother has to be a developed part of it; Austin’s emotional issues, fear of forming intimate bonds, and functional illiteracy are going to be a direct result of everything she does because he’s only 10 years old.
It totally misses the mark at its core because how am I expected to believe that Austin’s life is on the uptick now when nothing has changed for him. His mother has made no promises. He has not learned to speak up for himself. He doesn’t stop walking on eggshells to avoid upsetting his mom. Worse yet, his mother still doesn't even realize the harm she's causing by making him so beholden to her moods.
There’s a plot point about a kid that is some brand of neurodivergent - never confirmed what is going on specifically, he just has a lot of overlap for a variety of things - named Dee that is not sufficiently resolved. Austin thinks he’s trying to bully him and Bertie, but he finds out that Dee is only trying to connect. The book ends without him explaining the miscommunication to Dee or Bertie or the three of them coming to some kind of accord. It was simply left hanging.
The best way to describe Stuck is unfinished. It feels like halfway through the page count was cut by 50 pages. It's an otherwise sweet read about letting people in that is grievously marred by its chopped storylines.
The exception is when the plot point that is abandoned is essential enough that it becomes more than odd that the author disregarded it, it becomes a deterrent; a reason I'd actively warn people off the book not just a questionable decision I'd mention in passing.
It's immediately established that Austin's mother moves the two around on a whim often. Per Austin, she gets stressed out and starts to think things might be better somewhere else. Next thing he knows they're on the road.
There absolutely has to be a deeper reason to this. Barring extenuating circumstances, people don't just move several times a year when they have children. Children need and deserve stability. Austin is miserable, believing that he's incapable of making friends, and barely able to read. This just goes completely 100% unaddressed between the two of them.
Austin never tells his mom how he feels moving around all the time. His mom never gives an explanation as to why she does it.
Did Austin's dad die and she's avoiding her feelings by fleeing? Are they too poor to stay in one place consistently? Is she a free spirit type that simply hasn't realized the impact this lifestyle has on her son? It's anyone's guess.
Without this key aspect the whole book falls apart in the end. As I said before Austin barely can read. What kind of parent can't tell that their son can't read? Or rather, what kind of parent who apparently has no worries about financial security can't tell that their son can't read? If she's working all the time, that's one thing. Sometimes things slip through the cracks when you're going it alone. But, again while Austin certainly tells us she's busy a lot of what is actually shown on the page doesn't indicate a frazzled single mom too exhausted from trying to make ends meet to pay attention. Instead, she just seems largely apathetic and casually inconsiderate.
For example, Austin really wants to be a part of the Safety Squad (think hall monitors) next year. To do so he needs his mom to sign a form okaying it.
When he gets the form he tries to figure out the best way to give it to her so that she won't get overwhelmed by the idea of paperwork. In the past when schools have gotten 'pushy' - ie asking for basic forms that they require from everyone - she has imploded from the 'stress' and moved them. He leaves the form on the counter for her, afraid to ask her directly at the moment because she's working on the sink that doesn't work and he's scared that he'll be adding too much to her plate to ask right then.
Despite this form being bright orange and in plain sight, she ignores it for days. It's clearly a permission slip, clearly eye catching and clearly important to Austin. To our knowledge, she doesn't even glance at it.
Days later when Austin invites Bertie over Bertie - not knowing of Austin's issues navigating his relationship to his mom - excitedly brings it up and tells her that Austin will need to have it signed ASAP in order to be a Safety which now even if she did somehow ignore it before is an explicit invitation to look at this piece of paper. And yet she still ignores it. She doesn't even comment on what Bertie says - she chooses to pretend Bertie didn't say anything at all. Austin says he's unsure if she heard Bertie, but come on, they're right in front of each other in the same room. How could she not? Fiddling with the food she brought or whatever she was doing (I don't remember exactly, but trust me, it wasn't that serious) could not be /that/ consuming.
When I read Moonflower Moon's mom absolutely made some mistakes. It was painful for Moon, and it doesn’t take away the pain that she inflicted, but their mom also was trying her best. She didn’t know how to handle the depth of Moon’s despair because she’s only human. Still it was abundantly obvious that their mom did loved them and that part of the problem between the two was that Moon's depression was twisting their cognitive reasoning to view even the good things through an uncharitable lens.
Stuck doesn’t even have that going on. Austin isn’t projecting his feelings onto his mom or in any way presented as an unreliable narrator. His mom just is a bad mom, point blank. And I’m given no reason to empathize or give her the benefit of the doubt. The author treats it like his mother is a meat eater and Austin is newly vegan and his mom isn’t being supportive; as if her inability to stay in one place is an insignificant character attribute that can be chalked up to growing pains in their parent-child dynamic.
It ruins the ending because where Austin sees his mother bringing the safety permission sheet to school for him as a sign that she’s going to put down roots, there is no evidence on-page to suggest she has the fortitude to make such a decision at this juncture. Particularly when none of the things that Austin has said are triggers for her have happened yet - it’s easy to say you’ll stay when things are going well. On top of that, we don’t even know how long they normally stay in one place. Is it really that big a deal to stay three months - in the summer - if they normally stay three months anyways? She literally ripped him out of his previous school to put him in his new one when there were like three weeks left. I don’t think that kind of person will care about taking him out a week into the new school year the following September.
She never even learns he can’t read that well. His teacher takes notice and gets him into a special program at school all without her needing to lift a finger. He never shares how hard reading has been for him for so long. She’s a placeholder to say Austin has a mom. It doesn’t feel at all like Swender ever considered the fact that by virtue of the premise she’s chosen his mother has to be a developed part of it; Austin’s emotional issues, fear of forming intimate bonds, and functional illiteracy are going to be a direct result of everything she does because he’s only 10 years old.
It totally misses the mark at its core because how am I expected to believe that Austin’s life is on the uptick now when nothing has changed for him. His mother has made no promises. He has not learned to speak up for himself. He doesn’t stop walking on eggshells to avoid upsetting his mom. Worse yet, his mother still doesn't even realize the harm she's causing by making him so beholden to her moods.
There’s a plot point about a kid that is some brand of neurodivergent - never confirmed what is going on specifically, he just has a lot of overlap for a variety of things - named Dee that is not sufficiently resolved. Austin thinks he’s trying to bully him and Bertie, but he finds out that Dee is only trying to connect. The book ends without him explaining the miscommunication to Dee or Bertie or the three of them coming to some kind of accord. It was simply left hanging.
The best way to describe Stuck is unfinished. It feels like halfway through the page count was cut by 50 pages. It's an otherwise sweet read about letting people in that is grievously marred by its chopped storylines.
December 29, 2021
When my mother was young, her family had to move every six months, because she grew up in the Depression, and the family would make money and move back to the home they owned, and not make enough money and have to rent out their home, and move to the beach, which was cheaper.
This went on for most of her elementary school time.
The reason I bring this up, is because, like Austin, you get to know what different schools are like, as you go to each new one. You have eiether learned it, or will learn what is being taught, and either be ahead or behind. As she used to say, she would learn up to the Romans, and then find herself back at the caveman.
Austin has an unnamed issue with reading. It is never clear exactly what the issue is, because he knows that letters are, and he can sound out words, but he has trouble reading, and often sees things in colors or as ants. He has been able to hide this disability for most of his school life, by not standing out. Suddenly, he is at a school where he is having trouble not standing out.
The whole story is sweet, and good. He makes a friend, with Bertie, and even when she is angry at him, she doesn't stop being his friend. It is all a reassuring story, of it being ok to have a learning disability, because there are ways around that.
Sort of wish there had been books like this when I was growing up. Perhaps even when my mom was as well.
The author used to be a teacher, so I think she gets it. And her voice for Austin is great.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This went on for most of her elementary school time.
The reason I bring this up, is because, like Austin, you get to know what different schools are like, as you go to each new one. You have eiether learned it, or will learn what is being taught, and either be ahead or behind. As she used to say, she would learn up to the Romans, and then find herself back at the caveman.
Austin has an unnamed issue with reading. It is never clear exactly what the issue is, because he knows that letters are, and he can sound out words, but he has trouble reading, and often sees things in colors or as ants. He has been able to hide this disability for most of his school life, by not standing out. Suddenly, he is at a school where he is having trouble not standing out.
The whole story is sweet, and good. He makes a friend, with Bertie, and even when she is angry at him, she doesn't stop being his friend. It is all a reassuring story, of it being ok to have a learning disability, because there are ways around that.
Sort of wish there had been books like this when I was growing up. Perhaps even when my mom was as well.
The author used to be a teacher, so I think she gets it. And her voice for Austin is great.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
December 8, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Even though he is big for his age, Austin tries to fly under the radar. He’s used to being the new kid, and always has a made-up story ready about why his family moved instead of the truth. He also struggles to read. But when he starts at his new school just before the year ends, an unexpected friendship leads him to open up and try new things. Good for fans of Fish in a Tree and Out Of My Mind, but with a main character in fourth grade it will be a hard sell in middle school. Best for grades 3-6, in my opinion.
June 15, 2022
Loved the friendship between Austin and Bertie and how the storytelling really felt like it was from the perspective of a 4th grader. Austin’s learning difference is never made clear, but I liked that the character was never “officially” diagnosed.
July 18, 2023
This book! I listened to it as an audiobook and it was fabulous but how dare it make me cry at the end. It was an easy to listen to story, it was well paced, and the ending was perfect. I love how the chapter titles were a bunch of colors.
It is clear that Austin, the main character, has some type of learning disability from the start, but they never really clarify what it is or what his fate is in the classroom in dealing with that.
The characters grew over the course of the novel and were fun and dynamic. A good book over all that I would absolutely recommend.
It is clear that Austin, the main character, has some type of learning disability from the start, but they never really clarify what it is or what his fate is in the classroom in dealing with that.
The characters grew over the course of the novel and were fun and dynamic. A good book over all that I would absolutely recommend.
May 3, 2023
This book felt really genuine and I loved it. I can imagine my students really seeing themselves and their experiences in this book.
July 29, 2022
If you’re a kid or a teacher, this is a must read! 🥰
March 18, 2023
This book was a spontaneous read for me at first. I found it on the shelves and was curious about why the main character moved so much, but then I couldn't stop reading it. The way Swender writes as if she is porously writing with people with learning disabilities in mind is heartwarming. The depth of the main character is so intriguing for such a short book. With only 133 pages (hardcover), you learn so much about the school system and the effect a good teacher has. You see how parenting roles matter firsthand. You witness the importance of acceptance not only of yourself but of others. This book was refreshing to read from start to finish. The book has the perfect length and description, with an amazing format. Overall, the book is great for kids who are still trying to find their place!
May 28, 2025
2025-26 Elementary School Battle of the Books selection
Not awful but also left me with a lot of questions. It only takes place over a few days near the end of a school year, so I guess I'm not supposed to know/understand everything? It's clear that Austin has some sort of issue with reading but I didn't know if he was dyslexic or if it was something else. He's clearly fixated on colors, but it also almost read like he saw certain words IN those colors...like synesthesia, maybe?
Overall, it was just super short. I'm wondering what kind of questions the BOB teams will be asked about this one.
Not awful but also left me with a lot of questions. It only takes place over a few days near the end of a school year, so I guess I'm not supposed to know/understand everything? It's clear that Austin has some sort of issue with reading but I didn't know if he was dyslexic or if it was something else. He's clearly fixated on colors, but it also almost read like he saw certain words IN those colors...like synesthesia, maybe?
Overall, it was just super short. I'm wondering what kind of questions the BOB teams will be asked about this one.
April 16, 2023
2023-2024 Florida Sunshine State Book Grades 3-5
A story about a new student with a reading disability trying to fly under the radar. Being in the school system myself, the school setting seemed fake. The most realistic part of the story was Austin's reaction to that event in Bridge to Terabithia.
A story about a new student with a reading disability trying to fly under the radar. Being in the school system myself, the school setting seemed fake. The most realistic part of the story was Austin's reaction to that event in Bridge to Terabithia.
January 16, 2022
I loved this little coming of age middle grade book! Austin takes a while to figure out who he is in relation to his new classmates, but I love that he figures it out in the end with the help of a very supportive school staff.
February 18, 2022
I appreciate the frank way Austin talks about his challenges and has developed ways to cope. It is refreshing to see a school alert to guiding students through their difficulties, helping them to prosper.
November 26, 2021
EArc provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review
Austin and his mom have moved, again. It's toward end of the school year and he has to be the new kid all over again. He just wants to fit in and not really be noticed. However Bertie, an overly-excited classmate, takes him under her wing. We also have some students who go to the resource room for extra help, and one of those students is extremely disruptive.
I loved that the teachers were supportive and strong. They were experienced teachers who knew how to help struggling students without making them feel bad or less than. That was a breath of fresh air!
I get what the author was trying to do. But it all seemed very forced and very rushed. There were so many things that never got answered or explained. We get bits and bites, but never a full meal.
Austin and his mom have moved, again. It's toward end of the school year and he has to be the new kid all over again. He just wants to fit in and not really be noticed. However Bertie, an overly-excited classmate, takes him under her wing. We also have some students who go to the resource room for extra help, and one of those students is extremely disruptive.
I loved that the teachers were supportive and strong. They were experienced teachers who knew how to help struggling students without making them feel bad or less than. That was a breath of fresh air!
I get what the author was trying to do. But it all seemed very forced and very rushed. There were so many things that never got answered or explained. We get bits and bites, but never a full meal.
February 26, 2022
Any book that mentions THE BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, and other “gold medal books” is going to be on my highly recommended list. The story depicts the realistic struggle of the new kid at school, the kid with some learning differences, a mom with struggles, and the desire for friends. And who didn’t want to be a crossing guard when they were in fifth grade? From the beginning I saw parallels to “BRIDGE” and was anticipating some type of horrible, emotional disaster. But that parallel seemed to stop abruptly after Austin read through chapter 10 of BRIDGE. I was disappointed by that. I also don’t really understand the title. A solid choice for 3-4th grade readers.
July 11, 2022
Austin and his mom move around a lot, and at the start of this book he's starting at a new school...again. He struggles to read and is nervous about a new start with this issue. Luckily, a classmate of his, Bertie, is very personable and outgoing, and she easily becomes Austin's friend. Through the book Austin uses different strategies to hide his reading struggles and is also hopeful he'll pass the test to join the Safety Squad the following year.
I enjoyed Austin's attention to color detail and the use of vocabulary words within the story. I also loves Bertie and Austin's relationship. But, I left this novel with some unanswered questions.
I enjoyed Austin's attention to color detail and the use of vocabulary words within the story. I also loves Bertie and Austin's relationship. But, I left this novel with some unanswered questions.
August 26, 2022
An empathetic ride inside the head of a young boy struggling to survive difficult circumstances. He is clearly bright, but focused on living a somewhat nomadic life with his mom that has them always on the move; he knows all the best strategies for being the new kid at school and hiding the undefined learning disability that has kept him from learning to read. It's an isolated, lonely existence where his main goal is to stay anonymous and unnoticed. This time, though, this school, these teachers, these classmates might be different. Maybe. It's a brief novel, but packed with layered nuance and subtle emotion.
March 5, 2025
Stuck: three stars. Nice to see a portrayal of a kid with a learning disability (possibly dyslexia, but it's never labeled on-page). Austin is an easy character to root for, and the elementary school setting is believable. However, the subplots with Austin's mom and with Dee are left oddly unresolved.
Note there is an unexpected school-lockdown-drill scene. It doesn't seem to really contribute to the plot, and there's just the wrong level of explanation/detail provided--enough to show young readers there's something to panic about, but not enough to explain why the characters have to do what they're doing. I wish this had been left out.
Note there is an unexpected school-lockdown-drill scene. It doesn't seem to really contribute to the plot, and there's just the wrong level of explanation/detail provided--enough to show young readers there's something to panic about, but not enough to explain why the characters have to do what they're doing. I wish this had been left out.
July 25, 2024
Appreciated the premise and the chance for discussion about being in a bigger body, having learning disabilities, and several other topics in this book. I was disappointed at how repetitive and slow this story was, with no real climax or resolution, and an ending that didn’t feel like it wrapped things up completely. It would have been great if Austin had addressed the problems he continually faces, especially ones caused by his mother, with his mom instead of bottling them up. I think it would have been a good opportunity to show kids how to bring those things up with their parents.
August 5, 2021
*4.5 stars*
The feel-good, eye-opener of a story you didn’t know you needed. Fourth grader Austin’s constantly on the move to hide his learning difficulties, but finds unexpected friendship and belonging in his new school. I love the way Austin highlights colors throughout his day. Pick this one up! You won’t regret it!
The feel-good, eye-opener of a story you didn’t know you needed. Fourth grader Austin’s constantly on the move to hide his learning difficulties, but finds unexpected friendship and belonging in his new school. I love the way Austin highlights colors throughout his day. Pick this one up! You won’t regret it!
July 9, 2022
This was a great story about a boy named Austin who tries not to stick out to much. That’s hard when you move a lot, and when you’re trying hard not to draw attention to yourself. When Austin moves to Ms. G’s room and finds a friend, he feels like his secrets are too big to keep to himself, and he’s scared to really be himself. A great, fast read. So glad I bought it for my school library!
January 12, 2022
Oh this was very cute. I was going to give it 3 stars because most of the beginning was a bit slow. But by the end I was really enjoying it. Poor Austin, he has a problem. It isn't said but I think he is dyslexic. And his mom, I think she is depressed. A good book for older juveniles to read.
August 30, 2022
I loved this little coming of age middle grade book! Austin takes a while to figure out who he is in relation to his new classmates, but I love that he figures it out in the end with the help of a very supportive school staff.
September 23, 2023
Liked it well enough, but certain plot points weren't really furthered and/or addressed and I feel like that is a disservice to this story, so in the spirit of total honesty, this is a 2.5-rounded-up for me.
April 29, 2025
This was good, but confusing at times. I didn’t fully understand the colors he was mentioning. I also don’t know if this story connected all of the plot points. I liked Austin and Bertie quite a lot. I would love to read a story focused more about Bertie in the future.
December 17, 2021
3.5 stars
January 24, 2022
Very cute. Maybe needed a bit more developing, because there are a lot of plot questions that are never answered, but the idea of the story is strong!
February 17, 2026
Would be great for 3rd grade to work on inference.
April 15, 2026
Ts is so interesting
April 7, 2026
A boy is new at his school and makes a friend. As he guides himself through the new school and trying to fit in, he reveals that he has a secret; he can't read. Protagonist is a 4th grader but the story is good.
March 14, 2022
Austin is 4th grade protagonist who has unspecified reading difficulties, and spends all his time devising ways to hide his struggles. The way Austin dealt with Dee, who is initially shown as an antagonist but ends up being a misunderstood child who was trying to befriend him with different social skills, is another nuance that shows the book's primary focus on humanizing and validating kids who may not be neurotypical in their learning. The downside is it leaves a lot of other plots left undefined, including Bertie's feeling bullied by Dee (that misunderstanding is never addressed on page) and whatever mood issues Austin's mom has that creates the need for them to frequently move.
The book is very short, so it seems designed to be read for kids who aren't excited about longer stories. Best for early middle grade or advanced and empathetic 3rd grade readers.
The book is very short, so it seems designed to be read for kids who aren't excited about longer stories. Best for early middle grade or advanced and empathetic 3rd grade readers.
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