This was a beautiful story and all of the topics were handled so well! I loved reading about Stevie's journey into debate club and just generally finding herself.

Slouch introduces us to 7th grader Stevie Crumb. Stevie doesn't want to stand out, but her five foot ten inch height makes her easily noticed and easily mistaken for someone far older. Even though Stevie's parents and older brother play basketball, Stevie could care less about the sport. Stevie also has to deal with adults making comments about her body and creepy weirdos who ride the subway. Stevie gets so tired of these situations, and she overthinks her height whenever she is around her classmates. All of this leads to Stevie resorting to slouching so that maybe she won't appear to be as tall as she really is.
Wyman does a great job of creating believable middle school characters, and readers will applaud Stevie for finally standing up for herself.

What a wonderful middle grade novel! This is a must read for those middle school girls that don't really feel like they fit in physically.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to preview.

Slouch follows Stevie Crumb as she finds her own place in the world. Stevie is tall, the tallest in nearly any room she's in. While it's not a huge issue for Stevie, it seems to be a huge issue for everyone else. What is a huge issue for Stevie is the way grown-ups, especially men, treat her because of her height. Also an issue is how her parents always seem to have money for everything her brother wants or needs but not Stevie, not even when it's to buy new clothes. When Stevie stumbles into the debate team meeting after school, she has no intentions of joining. But what if, Stevie DOES have something to say? This is an incredibly relatable story for any kid going through the awkwardness of growing up, being in between, and finding their own voice.

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Stevie is tall. The tallest girl in 7th grade. Her clothes don't fit. People keep making comments about her body, and whether it's creepy guys on the subway or her best friend saying boys don't like tall girls, it hurts, Her parents are focused on her brother's basketball career and his chance at a college scholarship. When she discovers the debate team, she might actually have a chance to stand out, not just stand up....maybe.

Every kid who has had the experience of not fitting in will find Stevie relatable and connect to this book. It's also nice to see debate get love and attention. And, finally, this is a good introduction to internet safety for kids, without being too preachy about it. Overall, this is an excellent book that would be a great fit for school libraries and classrooms.

I loved this book! I read "Jawbreaker" in a day, so I was very excited for Christina Wyman's newest, and it did not disappoint. It was funny and thought-provoking without being overly didactic. The scenes with creeps on the subways were (unfortunately) realistic and not something I've seen represented in a middle-grade book before. Stevie's character development was well-paced, and I appreciated how the grownups were shown as flawed but also trying their best. I will definitely recommend this to readers at my library!

Christina Wyman once again masterfully explores themes of self-awareness and self-esteem, focusing on the influence of school and family dynamics. I absolutely devoured this book and I cannot wait to see what is next for Wyman! Stevie faces teasing about her height, unwanted attention from adults on the train, and feeling overshadowed by her athletic brother. This story resonates with children, offering them comfort and courage to speak up about their own issues. For adults, it provides a nostalgic glimpse into past feelings and experiences, reassuring them that they weren’t alone. Overall, an engaging and insightful book for readers of all ages.

Once again, following Jawbreaker, Wyman delivers a fantastic telling of self consciousness and self worth and how school and family dynamics play a strong roll in each.

Stevie faces being poked and prodded about her height along with unwanted attention from adults on the train, while also feeling invisible to her family as her athletic brother’s needs gets prioritized over hers.

It’s stories like these that have that real world feel that a kid needs every once in a while to let them know, hey, this is kind of what I’m going through too. Books like these might give a kid the confidence they need to speak up about similar experiences be it at school or at home.

It helps kids step into the real world as they approach their teenage years, years full of changes in more ways than one.

And for adults, it gives us that throwback to times where we possibly felt these ways or had these experiences and maybe didn’t get to express ourselves or find the courage, help, or outlet needed at the time, but shows us we weren’t as alone as we thought.

All in all, another great read for all ages, and I throughly enjoyed it.

My one peeve was honestly with Arianna calling her parents by their first names to Stevie. It felt odd.

This was a book that I didn’t know I needed as a kid, but I absolutely needed this book growing up. I connected so much with Stevie—being taller than everyone, clothing that doesn’t fit, unwanted attention, and the urge to take up less space. I loved this book, and I cannot help but realize how much it would have helped me love myself when I was Stevie’s age. The topics discussed in this book are important and can lead to good conversations between parents/teachers and kids.

Stevie Crumb is struggling to find her voice at home, at school and with her best friend. Her parents are very focused on her brother and she gets bullied for being tall. This book touches on unwanted attention from strangers as well family friends. Wyman treats this very sensitive topic with grace and humor.

This was a cute read for middle grades that focused on teen insecurities and standing up for yourself, even when it’s hard. I thought the author did a good job in making it relatable and keeping reader interest for the age group it’s aimed at -tweens/early teens. Tackling major issues like confidence, parents, friendship, I would absolutely recommend this to girls looking for a good relatable story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the digital ARC of this book.

Stevie Crumb is the tallest girl in 7th grade, but she still feels invisible. When she joins the debate team things start to look up.

I love how Wyman tackles topics of growing up, friendship, bullying, and issues of safety for women in a way that is relatable to children and in no way cringy. I loved the complex friendship that Stevie and Arianna have because it showed the true ups and downs of friendship. I think a lot of kids will relate to this book and I can’t wait to purchase a copy for my library!

Seventh grader, Stevie, wants to be seen by her parents and brother, Ryan. All her parents time, attention, and limited resources go to Ryan's basketball playing, in unrealistic hopes that he secures a college scholarship. Also, Stevie is 5'10" tall and she wears a size 10 shoe. Everyone thinks she should play basketball and comments on her height and her maturing body. Add to that a best friend, Arianna, that strives to become a social media influencer with a predictable situation that unfolds, a crush on Cedric, and a newly formed debate team at her school and you have the setting for the book. Unfortunately, this has too many didactic moments. All the issues dealt with in this book are important ones. Educators, counselors, and parents will find ample opportunities to find discussion starters while reading this. Stevie is a very likable character and young readers will be cheering for her all the way through the book. The ending was hopeful but not as satisfying as it could have been. Not sure what young readers will think. 2.5 stars

For all my tall girls, this one needs a graphic novel too! As a 6’1” woman by my early teens, I developed the tendency to cross my arms because shorts had to be finger length for dress code and everybody else could roll their Sofee shorts but mine were too short… Slouch is written for that awful time when girls start growing before the boys and it’s so hard to be confident BUT throw in being too tall for your clothes and feeling like everyone only comments on your body (you’re so tall- do you play basketball- you’re so lucky to have long legs) and you have such a great story! Commenting on bodies shouldn’t be the norm and I feel like this book addressed it through Stevie in such a relatable way!

Slouch is a novel about a tall 12 year old girl navigating friends, family, self-esteem, and boundaries most teens face as minors. 

Stevie Crumb, like most adolescents, doesn’t want to stand out. Problem is, she’s nearly 5’10” in seventh grade, so she towers over her peers and much of the school staff as well. To Stevie, it seems, all anyone wants to talk about is her height. Her parents want her be an athlete like her basketball-star older brother, Ryan. She cares not one thing for basketball and any other sport, frankly. But Stevie has a keen desire to be good at something, just not something that draws even more attention to her lanky frame.

Then, quite by accident, Stevie learns her middle school has a debate team. She, out of curiosity, joins in on a meeting and thinks this may be her niche. After all there is a a cute fellow debater named Cedric. But alas, he’s shorter than she is, a fact her best friend is so kind to point out!

Then you have are Stevie’s clothes which she is out growing super fast. Even her brother calls her Flood Watch due to her pants stopping well above her ankles. Yes, another reason to stand out. It seems there is always money for Ryan’s basketball attire and expensive shoes but Stevie is asked to make do because the parents, after living expensive in the city have no money left for her. This fact infuriated me with the parents. I understand being on a-tight budget, but funds could have been shifted around to buy their daughter proper clothing.

Another plot in the Stevie saga is her subway rides to school and debates. Looking more like a high schooler than a twelve year old, men on the subway start making comments about her body. This is of course annoying, but also scary and unsafe.

Then her best friend lands herself in a stranger danger situation and when Stevie’s parents happen to find out, they tell best friend Arianna’s parents and now shes list her best friend.

Lots going on in Steve’s life and you reader will want to be there for every second of it!

Slouch, by Christina Wyman is a new must-read story about growing up and growing into yourself,

There’s a lot of heart in this story that tackles big topics and universal coming-of-age issues in a very tactful manner for middle grade readers