I really liked this book. Great story line. Calli feels the pressure of fitting in with her own family - everyone has their "thing" except her. The reader quickly figured out that Calli is a thinker - she notices things that others are too busy to see and she thinks about everything! But her family doesn't recognize this and they're always pushing her into things she doesn't want to do. This book is going to resonate with many young readers. Great book for middle grade readers. What's it like to be the quiet child in a loud family? The average child in the midst of over-scheduled overachievers? Eleven-year-old Calli Gold knows and she's happy to tell you all about it in this delightful testimony to the power of being ordinary. You will laugh and nod knowingly as she spins her story from the view of the backseat of the family van, as her mom careens around town with color-coded PostIt Notes attached to the steering wheel, and at the dinner table, as her father interrogates his children on their significant events of the day. Unlike her older brother and sister, Calli is convinced she has no special talent - and she's okay with that. Until the day she meets the strange little Noah, hiding under a foosball table at the skating rink. That's when the words "special" and "talent" take on a whole new meaning in her life.
What do You think about Calli Be Gold (2011)?
A heart-warming story about the value of quiet observation and compassion.
—samanthacwhite
Great middle grade read showcasing family and friend dynamics.
—rhen2714
