I love Erin Entrada Kelly so I was extremely excited to receive this ARC! I really liked that it engaged the reader with the whole group of students in Fawn Creek and not just the main two characters/friends. I think she does a really great job of writing from different perspectives and giving the reader an idea of how the town functions as a whole and affects young people living in it. I also think it gives a really good idea of a different variety of "good" and "bad" characters and not everyone was 100% positive.

My two biggest complaints... I'm generally not a fan of the "quirky mysterious girl" moves into town trope. It reminds me a lot of Stargirl and other children's media that uses this trope. I do appreciate how she rounds it out and makes it more unique, but just right off the bat, that conflict as a set-up isn't my favorite.

Second, I wish that the main character's brother and some of the "bad" kids would have gotten some more come-uppance. I think it's important for young readers to understand that those kinds of characters and people in your life are harmful and that it is wrong to act like they do.

Overall though, I thought this was a cute, quick read and I think a lot of kids can really find themselves in this book!

Those Kids from Fawn Creek is a gorgeously written, character-driven, slice-of-life middle grade book about bullying and the power of kindness. Set in a small town and told from multiple points of view, this book is impressively immersive and engaging. Once you start to these Fawn Creek kids, you'll never want to leave -- and when you do leave, they'll stay with you forever. I'd definitely recommend this one for older middle grade readers ages 10 and up.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I have to admit that I was a bit worried about the book being told from so many different POVs, but it was done seamlessly and the story flowed from character to character. Despite many of the characters being fairly typical middle school tropes, they were well written and the story was interesting.

As an added note, this is one of those books that makes me wish there was a category between middle grade and young adult.

A great story of developing friendships and learning to stand up for oneself and others, despite the bullies who try to keep you down. Students will relate to the characters and situations in "Those Kids from Fawn Creek" as they recognize their own roles in relationships within their school lives.

I've read around half of Erin Entrada Kelly's work (and hope to continue making my way down her list) and there is not a single one of her books that I've read that I've disliked. Seriously. I've loved everything I've read by her, and THOSE KIDS FROM FAWN CREEK was no exception.

I love contemporary stories featuring a cast of characters (very reminiscent of Rob Buyea's works) and I loved the kids from Fawn Creek--especially Greyson and Didi (and Orchid, of course!). And I surprisingly became quite invested in Janie's story as well (Renni sucks, but Janie definitely stood out to me). I ended up growing fond of all the kids in the class (and wouldn't mind reading more about them) but those particular kids stuck out to me.

And the message about wanting to be someone else, be somewhere else was beautifully done and brought me right back to being in seventh grade all over again.

One of my favorite 2022 reads so far :)

Perfect for fans of Jerry Spinelli's STARGIRL and Rob Buyea's BECAUSE OF MR. TERUPT

I loved this realistic fiction story set in a small town in Louisiana and told from multiple perspectives. The 12 seventh graders in Fawn (Yawn) Creek are so used to seeing the same faces every day that when a new kid - Orchid Mason - arrives, everyone is excited. Especially when she shares her experiences living in exotic places like NYC, Paris, and Iceland! Orchid's presence has an impact on everyone - especially Greyson, a sensitive kid with a passion for fashion and his best friend, Dorothy, a shy, introvert who is often fearful to express her true self. There are several plot twists that I won't give away but if you like stories that delve into themes like identity, friendship, mean girls, and the balance of appreciating your roots and dreaming big, this is the story for you! This might be my favorite book from Newbery award-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly.

Those Kids From Fawn Creek will keep the attention of readers from the very first page until the very last. The way they treat one another is incredibly realistic for a small class in a small town, where most people have been together their whole lives. Erin Entrada Kelly describes her characters with clever wording and makes you understand what makes them unique and the circumstances that they are going through. I also love the way Zucchini’s name came to be.

I have enjoyed Erin Entrada Kelly’s books. This might be my favorite. I loved that it is exploring the conflicting emotions kids face when trying to find their place. The format of multiple perspectives shared by the cast of characters will lead to wonderful discussions of friendship, family, and being true to your dreams.

This book is set in a really small town in Louisiana with just 12 kids in 7th grade. When a new girl arrives, she causes quite a stir. The premise of the book is good but I got bored pretty quickly and wondered how many kids would actually be drawn into this book. Perhaps if it was read by a teacher kids would get into it. I think I'm ready for something different from Kelly - misfits and bullying seem to be major parts of all of her books.

For the kids in Fawn Creek, Louisiana there is nothing to look forward to. They have been in school with the same 12 kids forever, day in and day out everything remains the same. That is until Orchard Mason moves to town. Beautiful, exotic, worldly and mysterious Orchard is about the shake things up in Fawn Creek more than anyone could ever imagine.
Erin Entrada Kelly has done it again. This is a fantastic book about small town relationships and how everyone has room to change and grow if they will allow it. I highly recommend this book for all ages.

When I started this book, I was worried it was just going to be just a middle grade take on Star Girl. It exceeded my expectations, though, and I found myself wanting to know what happened next. When a new girl, Orchid, moves to town, she shakes up the lives of the seventh graders of Fawn Creek. A great middle grade book about trying to find the balance of fitting in and being true to yourself.

Another winner from Erin Entrada Kelly! She is masterful in narrating from multiple viewpoints which keeps the story moving. Love how the curiosity around Orchid builds until the truth is discovered, which in turn helps the kids of Fawn Creek discover new strength in themselves.

Fawn Creek, Louisiana is a the smallest of small towns. The factory is the only thing that holds the community together, and everyone knows everyone else like they are immediate family. One day Orchid Mason shows up in Greyson's and Dorothy's class with no forewarning - usually everyone knows about a new kid or a new family and is prepared. Not only was there no expectation of Orchid's arrival, she is different. The other twelve kids in the class don't quite know what to make of her, but the impact she has on each of their lives is undeniable.

Beautifully written story about figuring out who you want to be and having the courage to be that person and being kind to others before it is too late. This book reminded me of Jacqueline Woodson's "Each Kindness." Highly recommend this book for upper elementary school libraries and middle grade sections in every other library!

I really enjoyed this new one from Erin Entrada Kelly. I loved the wide variety of characters/personalities, and Fawn Creek really came alive in the story. I'm not from a small town, but got a great sense of what living in one would be like while reading this book! I especially loved Orchid (who reminded me a LOT of Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter), Didi (whose story and emotional/character journey rang so true!), and Greyson (who I am SO rooting for as he grows up and moves on to big things!).

It is sometimes tough to find solid middle grade books for my middle school students (and even some of my fifth graders). Books often are too mature, too young, or honestly just don't ring true. This book is a great fit for many of my middle school students, especially those who have attended multiple schools already in their young lives, and is a compelling read.

The novel opens with a Dear Reader letter from the author, and some of her words even here speak to my own former middle school soul: "Have you ever felt like the world was at your fingertips, if only you could reach out far enough to touch it? Have you ever wished you were less of one thing and more of another?"

Two of the main characters, Greyson and Dorothy, are two of only twelve seventh graders in their school in the tiny town of Fawn Creek, Louisiana. Nothing ever changes in Fawn Creek, including the students who have been together for as long as they can remember. Sometimes a classmate lucks out, and they move out of "Yawn Creek" to the nearby, only slightly less tiny town of Grand Saintlodge (where the students look down their noses at anyone from Fawn Creek). Otherwise, they are all stuck with each other just as they have always been. Until the day that Orchid Mason, who smells of citrus, flashes an easy smile and changes the way that Greyson and Dorothy feel about themselves and maybe about the world. And the changes don't stop with just Greyson and Dorothy.

The author, Erin Entrada Kelly, seems to understand the ways of middle schoolers, and the depictions of their relationships, the big dance, experiences with parents, mean girls and girls who maybe don't want to continue being mean girls, and the like are believable. There is gentle humor, but the book also makes the reader reflect on the roles kids play at home, at school, and even in their own minds. It also makes us wonder if those roles are set in stone or if they can be changed. Can we create our own stories and own identities?

This is the first book I have read by this author. I will recommend it to my students, and I will look for other books by the author as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Those Kids From Fawn Creek is a perfect glimpse into, not just small town dynamics, but TINY town dynamics. The chapters are short but full of the kinds of details that give you empathetic and interesting insight into the people who populate this town.. This is the classic story of the new kid in a group that has known each other since practically before they were born. She is different: mysterious and exotic simply because she is not from Fawn Creek—but who is she? And will she give the Fawn Creek kids a new way to see themselves?

Erin Entrada Kelly's ensemble of characters is beautifully whole, complex, and compelling.

Fawn Creek, Louisiana is a twon of so few people that there are only 12 children in the 7th grade... until Orchid Mason shows up. The other students know their roles; Dorothy is the shy, quiet girl who only talks to her friend Greyson, who is also sensitive and doesn't live up to his father's expectations of a son who likes to hunt. Cousins Janie and Abby are from families who are wealthier and run the local restaurant, and who fashion themselves as the popular girls, even after their friend Rennie moves to a nearby, larger town, Saintlodge. They often hang out with Barn and Slowly, who has the nickname because he struggles in school. Daelyn is very active in her church, and Max (whom Janie likes) is sort of popular as well. Orchid, who is pretty, kind, and well traveled, makes quite a splash in the classroom. Greyson and Dorothy want to befriend her, but are afraid that she will gravitate toward Janie and Abby. Orchid is pleased to hang out with them, however, and even encourages them to eat outside, which isn't against the rules, but isn't something people do, either. Greyson struggles at home, and is very interested in his mother's sewing projects, but is definitely not encouraged to engage in such "unmanly" activities, especially since his older brother is quite mean to him about things like that. As a community dance in Saintlodge approaches, there is a lot of drama about who is asking whom, and about Orchid's past, which isn't as glamorous as she would have people believe. Will the dance go off without any major hitches, or will it redefine many of the classmates' relationships to each other?
Strengths: There are certainly a lot of small towns like Fawn Creek in the US; a good friend of mine from Iowa had 43 people in his graduating class, and the school districts in that area are all consolidating, but most middle grade fiction is set in larger urban or suburban schools. I can't imagine having so few classmates, or what the interactions must be like. Certainly, children who feel different or somehow uncomfortable with themselves, like Greyson and Dorothy, must find such an environment difficult. Orchid is a fascinating character, and her back story about being in New York City and Paris is a cover for a much less exciting reality. This was a lyrical character study set against a vibrant, small town background.
Weaknesses: Books set in the South (and in New York City) are somewhat of a tough sell with my students, and it was tough to read about Greyson's brother being such a jerk. I was glad that his mother and father were more understanding.
What I really think: This was a bit like Shovan's The Last Fifth Grade of Emerrson Elementary, Standiford's The Only Girl in School or Buyea's Because of Mr. Terupt in the way it investigated the personalities and motivations of individuals and showed how these all worked together. It was definitely a bit older than both of those books, so the added intrigue of possible romances made this more upper middle grade. I liked Kelly's note at the beginning about her own tall tales about being a princess-- don't all middle school students have a secret back story that gets them through the day?

The author has brought us some truly memorable middle grade books and we can add this one to the list. It would also be good for discussion.
Fawn Creek is such a small Louisiana town that the middle school has 12 students or did have until a new girl arrives. Orchid Mason has had such an amazing life, living in exciting places – way more exciting than “Yawn” Creek. Although small, the class contains the usual jocks, mean girls, best friends, and the ones everyone just considers dumb.
But Orchid can make nearly everyone think about themselves and others in a different light.

Exactly what I expect from Erin Entrada Kelly - she understands the awkward pain of being in middle school and makes you remember how it felt. She tells this story from a variety of perspectives, but some of them felt like tropes that have been done before - the mean girl, the manic pixie dream girl, the sensitive and creative boy bullied for not being "manly" enough. But it all works.

Wow! What a tale that Kelly creates. In Those Kids from Fawn Creek, Kelly develops such a realistic depiction of a small class in a small town. Told mostly from the perspective of Greyson, this tells the story of how their social dynamics are shifted when Orchid, the new girl arrives. Readers will be hooked into the story, wondering who Orchid is, will Greyson feel more comfortable with his family, how will Dorothy change. Kelly deftly explores the notion of identity, and how it can become fixed within our social circles. But she does this in a way that the reader is hooked into the story and not realizing that they are thinking about all of these issues. This compelling book and its characters will stick with readers long after they finish it. An instant classic.