#MMGM: Bright by Brigit Young
ABOUT THE BOOK
Marianne Blume has always known she’s not smart.
After years of trying and trying at school, she’s mastered the art of getting by on a combination of luck, deflection, and her winning personality―that is, until she lands in the classroom of Mr. Garcia. Suddenly she’s at risk of flunking his class, repeating the eighth grade, and getting left behind by her best friend, Skyla. To receive much-needed extra credit and get into high school, Marianne makes the desperate decision to join her school’s Quiz Quest team, only to find out that her teammates have problems of their own―and that they need to win for her to get the credit.
Now Marianne will need to try―like, actually try―for the first time in her life, while also helping her teammates pull it together. Can Marianne learn to be smart? What does it mean to be “bright,” anyway? And will she be left in eighth grade forever?
Brigit Young ( The Prettiest ) has written an empowering story about bucking labels, overcoming preconceptions, and learning to hold your head―and hand―up high.
REVIEW
With a sympathetic protagonist and lots of interesting bits of trivia, Bright presents readers with a school story with lots of heart. For middle grade readers who enjoy stories with relatable characters and situations, Bright is a good choice. Like all too many students, Marianne struggles in school and has since 3rd grade. After multiple humiliating experiences, she has learned to cope by convincing herself that she's not smart enough and avoiding participating as much as she can. She covers her uncertainty with giggles and self-deprecation and up until the 8th grade she's gotten away with it. Unfortunately, as the story begins, she learns that unless something changes and she really ups her grades, she's going to have to repeat 8th grade. She doesn't want to be left behind, especially as her best friend Skyla moves on, but old habits are hard to break. In an effort to earn some extra credit, she joins the schools Quiz Quest team. She quickly discovers though that her plan to cruise through by giving wrong answers isn't only wrong, but isn't going to work. As she grows to care for her teammates, she discovers her people skills are really needed and it is possible for her to learn. But are her efforts going to be enough to save her from having to repeat a grade? And what's going on with her best friend, Skyla? After all they've been through together is their relationship finished?
The best part of the book, in my opinion, are the relationships. They felt real, with all the ups and downs. Skyla and Marianne come across as very real as does their relationship. The Quiz Quest team struggles with overcoming their weaknesses and becoming a team. The trivia scattered throughout the book was fun and well-integrated. The ending felt both satisfying and realistic without being overly sappy. There is some profanity and LGBTQ+ relationships are included in the story. Recommended.
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