The Encyclopedia of Me

A is for "Aardvark," "Tink Aaron-Martin" and "Amazing" in this wonderful alphabetical novel! Tink Aaron-Martin has been grounded again after an adventure with her best friend Freddie Blue Anderson. To make the time pass, she decides to write an encyclopedia of her life from "Aa" (a kind of lava - okay, she cribbed that from the real encyclopedia) to "Zoo" (she's never been to one, but her brothers belong there). As the alphabet unfolds, so does the story of Tink's summer: More adventures with Freddie Blue (and more experiences in being grounded). How her family was featured in a magazine about "Living with Autism," thanks to her older brother Seb - and what happened after Seb fell apart; her growing friendship, and maybe more, with Kai, a skateboarder who made her swoon (sort of ). And her own sense that maybe she belongs not under "H" for "Hideous," or "I" for "Invisible," but "O" for "Okay." Told entirely through Tink's hilarious encyclopedia entries, The Encyclopedia of Me is both a literary trick and a reading treat for anyone who loves terrific middle-grade novels.

Karen Rivers writes rich and funny novels for middle-grade readers, young adults, and the occasional grown-up. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with her two children and a noxious-smelling dog. Visit her online at http://www.karenrivers.com and @karenrivers.