Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I think about this book quite a lot, it really had an impact on me and is such an important read. This is a book that will resonate with many children whose family are in active recovery or struggling. This isn't a topic that is covered much in middle grade, and I am glad to see more real life topics being discussed. Kyra's mom was on the wagon and seemingly things were on the up and up, I can see why Kyra didn't want to admit that something was wrong even when she knew what was truly happening. Reality is hard to face.

Wow, I hated Kyra's mom. I think the way Kyra was feeling was very authentic. She loves her mom but is frustrated with her choices. As a kid, she doesn't have so many options. Excellent read!

I love when an author gives us a new story about a secondary character from another book! Kyra was a good friend to Lu in A SONG CALLED HOME, and now this book takes us forward a couple of years to a really difficult time in Kyra's life. Kyra is proud of her mom's sobriety, proud of her own cooking and cleaning skills, and confident in her friendship with Lu. But middle school is taking a toll on her friendship, as Lu makes some other friends that are not as welcoming to Kyra. At home, she is spending a lot more time by herself as her mom works more and more hours, and becomes less reliable, causing Kyra to worry that maybe her mom is drinking again.
I love how realistic this book is, showing the ups and downs of friendships, the importance of Kyra's support group, of what family really means. When Kyra's mom pushes back on the concept of "best" (especially in the context of a "best" friend), I cheered - this is such an important idea for kids to understand, and is not talked about enough! I also loved how Kyra questioned and pondered the recovery beliefs, working out their truths for herself and learning to stand up for herself.
This book made me cry, but it's not too sad for kids - this is a book that many readers need for themselves and also to understand how to help friends who might be experiencing hard situations.

Kyra’s mother wavers between being sober and falling off the wagon. Thanks to her support group, she is able to cope and help her mother get the support she needs. Kyra has typical teenage things going on, but the additional stress of hiding her secret and facing her worst fears is a lot. This is honest and emotional. It might be just the right book for someone experiencing a similar situation.

Kyra, Just for today by Sara Zarr is a middle grade contemporary novel with characters that feel real. Each character felt multi-dimensional, and I could feel for each of them as I was reading. The problems of alcoholism were presented in a complex manner that is still accessible to middle grade readers, whether or not they have someone in their families who is an alcoholic or drug user. The presentation of multiple points of view from different children in families with alcoholics was well done.

There are some books out there about kids dealing with the realization that their parent has a problem with addiction. This may be the first I've read where the parent is an acknowledged addict in recovery. It takes the standard narrative of a single mother and child struggling to get by on their own, the tight budget and extra responsibility on the child, and adds a new element. Kyra is a strong character and a realistic one. She's a middle grade kid. She takes on responsibilities and craves independence but remains desperate for approval and love. She has fears that she doesn't know how to articulate. This all comes together in a narrative that is at times uncomfortable but ultimately affirming.

About ten years ago when I realized it was not only okay to read YA fiction (it’s just for kids! I’d heard) but that I enjoyed doing so, I discovered Sara Zarr. I binged on everything my library had: The Story of a Girl, The Lucy Variations, all of it. Each depicted a young woman struggling with or in a situation beyond her control, as most situations are when you’re a teenager. Enter thirteen year old Kyra of Zarr’s Kyra, Just for Today.

Kyra attends meetings for children of alcoholics. She’s been proud of her mother’s many years of sobriety, especially when she remembers how it was and witnesses the issues the other kids in group have with their parents who are not sober. Her best friend, Lu, is part of the group and this has been one major thing that they’ve shared, a parent who is an alcoholic. However, as Kyra enters seventh grade suddenly things change. Lu befriends an eighth grader and becomes part of that friend group, leaving Kyra untethered friend-wise. And, worse, Kyra’s mother becomes irritable, misses work, comes home late, sleeps in late, is unreliable, which points to something Kyra doesn’t want to believe is true.

Kyra, Just for Today is a middle grade novel that reads like a middle grade novel, which is perfect. I mention that in case some of you all might want to read it and then realize that it’s not written for adults.

As I read, my heart broke for Kyra as this huge sense of aloneness and loneliness encompass her. She feels unable to deal with her mother’s situation, in part, because once you tell someone, it becomes true. I understood her need to smooth ruffled feathers, turn into herself, try to make the best of a bad situation.

On a larger scale, I feel that this is an important novel for kids who have a parent suffering from addiction. It shows all of the tumult they experience, how they blame themselves even when there is nothing they could do to control the situation, and, most importantly, that there are groups out there that can help them navigate all of their feelings so they don’t feel like they are facing a situation alone. While it’s bad enough being an adult feeling like you’re facing a situation alone, it’s much worse when you’re a kid and don’t know who you can reach out to. Or whether you even should.

What Kyra, Just for Today gives its readers is hope and that is so much.

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.

I wish there were words to describe how much I absolutely ADORED this book. I could see myself in Kyra as a young girl and I definitely think the young patrons at my library can relate to this as well. I highly recommend this to any and every girl ever!

I haven’t read everything by Sara Zarr, but I’ve really enjoyed the books I have read. She has this incredible ability to bring complex family situations and complex emotions or relationships to the table in a way that feels vulnerable and authentic and never preachy.

This book also nails that transition from childhood to adolescence, where so many of our friendships change. Sometimes the connections we treasured morph or stretch into new shapes. Having those changes on top of Kyra’s worries about her mom made for a story with a ton of emotional depth.

The scenes in which Kyra attends a support group for kids who have loved ones who are alcoholics were incredible, too. I think I sobbed through a couple of those right along with the characters in the scene. They were so moving.

All this makes the book sound like it’s packed with big emotions and tears, and there are some heavy scenes, for sure. I also enjoyed the scenes that showed how friendships can surprise us and how watching a beautiful snowfall can make everything else fade away for a little while. I cracked up during one scene in the cafeteria.

I think kids navigating transitions in friendships will enjoy the peer relationships in this book. I was around this age when it became openly discussed in our family that one family member was an alcoholic. I really didn’t understand what that meant beyond the excessive drinking behaviors, so a book like this may have really helped me put things into context. It may have given me a view of what recovery could look like and the ways in which supportive friendships or groups could look.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book! Kyra is the daughter of a recovering alcoholic mother. Like many kids of trauma, she was forced to become the adult in the house and feel like she had to be the one to take care of everything and everyone. The Ala-Teen group was a place she could express her fears and frustrations. Besides taking care of her mom, she also had some issues with her best friend. Those were very authentic to the way many early teen friendships go.

Another one I needed tissues for, but well worth the mascara running down my face. I absolutely loved this book. While I’ve never had a parent who was an alcoholic, it was still so easy to connect with Kyra and her story. I really enjoyed the scenes with the children of alcoholics group Kyra went to. For such a tough topic, it was handled with so much grace, but it didn’t shy away from the tough reality that so many families have to deal with. I loved how the book also highlighted the frustrations and anxieties of middle school, especially with female friendships. Kyra’s journey from a cautious people pleaser to standing up for herself and being vocal about her needs was certainly relatable for me. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this book and think everyone should read it. It was a beautiful story.
CW: alcoholism, anxiety, injury

Thank you to NetGalley and Balzar + Bray for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this knowing I would get emotional, and I'm still surprised by how much I was. I kept wishing I could reach through the story and just give Kyra a hug and all the support.

That being said, this can be very difficult to read if you or someone you know has ever had a problem with alcohol, or any substance use really. Be mindful of your limits / triggers.

Regardless, I think this is such an important story because it shows from a child's perspective one way alcoholism can affect them, too. That can help so much when trying to connect with them or understand what they're going through.

A little pre-teen / teenage angst of "finding ones self" and inevitable changes also showed how everything can intertwine and build up until something finally happens and breaks.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kyra is a 7th grade girl who lives with her mom, who is a recovery alcoholic. Kyra carries an enormous amount of responsibility for her and her mom, even though she is just in middle school. She cooks the majority of the meals, helps out her mom with her cleaning business and constantly worries that her mom will start drinking again. A stark reminder that not all kids just ‘get to be kids.’ I LOVED this YA novel and will be reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. #booksbyashleynicole

This was such a powerful and sweet middle grade novel and one that will stick with me for a long time. I can’t wait.

This book was so eye-opening regarding alcoholism coming from the view of a middle schooler. I really loved how the author brought us through the multitude of thoughts and feelings of an alcoholic's behavior and how it affected those around them.
I also appreciated how the author used tools from Al-Anon and Alcoholics Anonymous to move the story forward giving the reader an understanding of this disease and how recovery and day to day functioning work.
It also showed how friendships grow, change, develop, and sometimes end.
The story flowed so well and kept me intrigued to keep reading.
Enjoy!

Sara Zarr's books -- from her YA to her middle grade -- are so important. Kyra tries so hard to keep things together when her mom relapses from her alcoholism. Kyra's story is not unique; many preteens struggle with trying to fit in at school and dealing with things at home. I so appreciated the Group scenes; I think those will be a lifeline for so many readers.

Kyra and her alcoholic mom have a close bond, especially since it's just the two of them. Things aren't always easy--they don't really have enough money, there's no close family to help out, and Mom sometimes gets overwhelmed by the demands of running her own business. Kyra cooks, cleans, manages school work and friendship ups-and-downs on her own, and avoids complaining--doing her best to support her mom's sobriety. But the one thing Kyra can't do for Mom is stay sober for her. When Kyra starts suspecting that her mom has relapsed back into the drinking life, their relationship comes under a different kind of pressure--the kind of pressure that might transform it forever. With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC.

This was a great YA novel involving a young girl, Kyra, whose mother is an alcoholic. Both her and her mother attend meetings due to her mothers alcoholism. Kyra's mother has been sober for sometime. Kyra's mother works for a cleaning business. Kyra helps her mom out sometimes as money is short.

The book was well written and did a great job touching on sensitive topics while not demonizing those with alcoholism.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Trigger warnings for addiction.

Kyra is such a great character, she is dealing with middle school and changes there and with her mom being a recovering alcoholic.
I liked the friends that were more like family in this book and how they helped Kyra get through things.
I liked that we see her have all these feelings and be okay with having them.
There is some bullying in here too, and we see different ways to handle it.
There are new friendships and figuring out that sometimes friends change. But that doesn't mean they don't still have your back.
There were also some really great teacher representations in this book and showing how they can be very helpful and supportive for students.
Some of this was hard to get through, but it is so real and raw and that makes it such a great book for middle graders.
I can't wait to put this out in our library for middle graders and teens to read.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!