#MMGM: Figure it Out, Henri Weldon by Tanita S. Davis
REVIEW
Henri Weldon's efforts to balance home life, school work, and soccer make up the heart of this relatable middle grade novel. Henrietta, called Henri, struggles to adapt to a public middle school after attending a private school to help with her learning disability. She befriends a group of foster siblings much to her sister's dismay and tries out for the soccer team despite her family's doubts of her ability to handle it on top of her school work. Increasing conflict with her sister and feeling a lack of support from her family leads Henri to attempt to juggle everything on her own which naturally leads to her making mistakes. The ups and downs of her relationships felt realistic and empathy-inducing. The relationships Henri develops with her science lab group provide an interesting side story. The connections Henri makes with the Morgans makes for the most interesting aspects of the story as she learns about Lily Morgan's bullying of her sister but care for her family. Her growing friendship with Vinnie as he tutors her in math and their common interest in animals was especially enjoyable as was her growing friendship with Ana which leads her to try out for soccer. I found the story quite compelling as I become invested in Henri's life and activities. The secondary characters added a great deal to the story with their various relationships with Henri and the ups and downs of those relationships. Henri's family feels very much like a realistic family with their conflicts and misunderstandings but willingness to support each other despite their disagreements. I thoroughly enjoyed this realistic tale of a middle schooler trying hard to 'figure it out'.
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