Review by Kirkus Book Review
A middle school girl struggles under pressure from her father in this follow-up toEllie Engle Saves Herself (2023). Thirteen-year-old Breonna "Bree" Boyd is stuck trying to live up to her dad's expectations of Boyd Black Excellence. That's her only option, considering her sister Christian is in law school, her sister Lex is the state debate champion, and her professor father is running for Senate. In the Boyd household, overachieving is the norm, whether you like it or not. Instead of spending most afternoons hanging with her closest friends, Sammy, Ellie, and Abby, Bree studies for spelling bees with her tutor. But when the power goes out at home and Bree flips a switch on the breaker, she gets a shock that gives her telekinetic powers. Using her new ability, Bree helps her friends out. She's finally having fun, but with the district spelling bee around the corner, her dad is putting even more pressure on her to be perfect and win. Stuck between loyalty to her dad and her friends, Bree has to decide whether to follow the family plan or chart her own path. Johnson accurately displays the inner turmoil of young people who are burdened by adult expectations. The gut-twisting anxiety and dread of disappointing others is balanced with the exhilarating freedom of choosing personal happiness and figuring out what "being the best" really entails, making the story wholly relatable. A charming tale of personal growth.(Fiction. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.