Middle Grade Review: The Quirks: Welcome to Normal by Erin Soderberg

The Quirks: Welcome to Normal by Erin Soderberg

Hardcover, 240 pages
Age: 8 +
Grades: 3-6

Published: June 4th, 2013 by Bloomsbury

Source: ALAMW

Molly and her family have moved around for years. Every time they think they've found a home, one of the Quirks slips up and sends them packing - because the Quirk family is a bit, well, quirky. Each family member has a magical power that makes them unique, and highly unusual. Mom can control minds; Grandpa twists time; Molly's twin sister Penelope has an all-too-real imagination; and Finn is the pesky kid brother -- who happens to be invisible. Then there's Molly, the most unusual Quirk of all. Molly is completely, utterly normal. Molly's greatest desire is to fit in, and she's found the perfect spot: Normal, Michigan. With its cookie cutter houses, welcoming committees, and all-town competitions, it seems like just the place for an ordinary new life. But the Quirks aren't known for fitting in -- especially in a place like Normal...

This was a cute and fun read.  I read it aloud to my kids and it was a fun one for that.  It had short chapters as well, which was actually a bonus for me.  There were a few scattered illustrations through out and while I read an advance copy that wasn't yet complete, the ones I saw were adorable.  They were in the style of the cover, which I actually adore.

The characters were a lot of fun.  The book is a lot about fitting in and having troubles accepting who you are (they are) because they are different and they just want to be normal.  It's about embracing who you are and accepting your own quirks.  And for Molly, who doesn't have a quirk, it's about her accepting who she is without a quirk and finding that she does have something special about herself.  I really enjoyed the underlying message and it was a good discussion for the kids. 

Overall this was a fun read and we all enjoyed it quite a lot!

Disclosure: I received this book at ALAMW 2013 from Bloomsbury.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.