Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry

From Goodreads,

"A girl with Tourette syndrome starts a new school and tries to hide her quirks in this debut middle-grade novel in verse.

Astronomy-loving Calliope June has Tourette syndrome, so she sometimes makes faces or noises that she doesn't mean to make. When she and her mother move yet again, she tries to hide her TS. But it isn't long before the kids at her new school realize she's different. Only Calli's neighbor, who is also the popular student body president, sees her as she truly is—an interesting person and a good friend. But is he brave enough to take their friendship public?

As Calli navigates school, she must also face her mother's new relationship and the fact that she might be moving, again, just as she starts to make friends and finally accept her differences."

Goodreads - Forget Me Not

Awards and Nominations:

• AML Award Nominee for Middle Grade Novel (2017)

This is sadly the final poetry book for the month of April.  But no worries, this is an exciting review and an excellent way to wrap up poetry month.  I have seen many of my students reading this book and I always ask if they liked it once they finish it.  Students have all said the same thing, "It was really good.  I liked it."  I finally decided to grab a copy and read it.  I now know why so many students were scrambling to get their hands on this book. 

Forget Me Not is told primarily by Calli who is a seventh-grader with Tourette's Syndrome.  Calli's mom makes them move every time she breaks up with a boyfriend.  When the move Calli always hopes it is the final move.  She finds it hard starting at a new school because it is hard to make friends with very present tics that are present with Tourette's.  After moving for the 10th time, Calli meets her neighbor Jinsong.  He quickly realizes that he likes her, but doesn't want to be seen with the "freak girl" at school.  They both must find their place in the world and decide if it is worth standing up and standing out to be friends with each other. 

I loved this book and tore through it in about an hour and a half.  This book alternates between being told by Calli and Jinsong.  All of Calli's story is told in prose, while Jinsong is told in regular paragraph style.  I love that the two styles really represented both of the characters.  Calli's was prose which really represents her life living with Tourette's and her tics.  Jinsong is very collected and poised with the writing style easily matching him.  I loved the character development with both Calli and Jinsong.  The entire book really centered around just accepting and owning who you are.  Calli finally learns that it is easier to just be honest about her Tourette's and to stop worrying about what everyone will think.  Jinsong was probably my favorite transformation.  He went from being one person around his friends and someone different around Calli.  Jinsong eventually realizes that he would rather be true to himself and with Calli than to hang out with friends who don't support him.  I think it is so good for kids to read books with characters that learn this lesson.  Kids need to know that they should just be themselves instead of being someone their not just to fit in.  

I loved the characters Calli and Jinsong, especially their friendship.  But I was very annoyed with Calli's mother.  So annoyed.  She was honestly abusive to Calli.  At the beginning of the book, we learn that Calli has long golden hair, but her mom cuts it because she keeps pulling it out.  Calli is completely heartbroken over losing her hair, but her mom continues to cut it.  I understand that she is trying to prevent her from pulling her hair, but there are better ways that cutting her hair down to an inch.  She also wasn't working to help her find a medication that helped with her tics.  She just said it wasn't working and that they couldn't afford it.  It was clear that her mom was just struggling to get by and that Calli was just along for the ride.  I just hated how much her mom didn't care about Calli or her condition.  It was honestly heartbreaking.  

I really enjoyed this book.  It was a beautiful piece with prose and paragraph style writing.  It was a good coming of age story of finding yourself.  I give this 5 stars and recommend it to everyone.  It has no inappropriate themes or language.  It is a perfect middle-grade book.