Absolutely, Positively Natty [9780063062726]

Overview

Natty deals with moving after her mom’s departure by pulling a “Ted Lasso” and starting a pep squad in this standalone middle-grade novel about friendship and toxic positivity by the author of TBH and the Friendship List series.

When Natty’s mom kind of takes a break from her dad and sort of the whole family, Natty and her dad move to his childhood hometown of Miller Creek. Now she’s starting middle school for the second time, this time in Miller Creek—without her mom—or her BFF. But Natty’s doing great! Really. Anything is possible. And what’s the point of dwelling on the stuff that stinks when there’s so much good stuff to think about?

Natty is absolutely, positively sure that she can turn it all around. Like 1,000 percent sure. As long as she stays absolutely positive! She’ll get her dad off the couch, make her tons of new friends, and even convince her mom to come live with them in Miller Creek. First step? Starting a pep squad to spread the good vibes.

But what happens when the leader of the pep squad has no more cheer to give?

From Lisa Greenwald comes a heartfelt and reassuring novel about the pros and cons of always looking on the bright side, the ups and downs of making a fresh start, and the power of friendship.

• Coping with Divorce: Natty is absolutely, positively sure that her mom isn’t gone for good—she’s just on a break. A peppy new town and a winning attitude are all she needs to bring her home.
• The Grumpy Sunshine Trope: She just moved to Miller Creek, but Natty has already met her cynical match in Mack, a new friend who is not impressed by her “good vibes only” attitude.
• Found Family: To fix everything, Natty starts a pep squad with a group of misfits who might just become the friends she needs—if they don’t bail first.
• Toxic Positivity: A heartfelt and funny look at what happens when relentless optimism isn’t enough, exploring the idea that it’s okay to not be okay.