Sometimes

I think that I am far too old to connect with someone far younger than I.  The main character of Red Polka Dot in a World Full of Plaid just seems SO young to me that I didn't enjoy this book as much as I might have.  I can't say if this is a fair reading of the book, though.  I expected Maxine to have more understanding, a greater sense of the people around her and herself, but then I think, what do I know about being 18 anymore?  And could it be that other, more mature 18 year old book characters are simply TOO old.  I have criticized books before for having teen characters who have all of the right answers and can spout poetry, so why did Maxine's innocence bother me so much?
I like RPDIAWFOP's look at faith, though.  That was well done.  So I could recommend this, but I would like to see what real 18 year olds think about it.
I loved Varian Johnson's The Parker Inheritance, it was one of the best books I read last year and and will keep reading him.  I am just curios as to what others thought about the thoughts and feelings and actions of Maxine and how "real" they were.

Slump is BROKEN!

Maybe it was my attitude, or maybe it was the books, but I have to tell you, if it was my attitude, The Parker Inheritance is a book I would have loved anyway!  What a wonderfully written, fantastic book.  Just the perfect example of a book that is more than one thing and also another great example of excellent middle-grade fiction.  Varian Johnson has written an excellent mystery book, an excellent "guy" book, an excellent "girl" book, an excellent LBGTQ book, an excellent book about race, an excellent book about friendship, an excellent book about history, an excellent book about divorce.  He has written a wonderful stand-alone book.  He has written a wonderful first book to a series.  He has written my pick for the Newbery, if the Newbery picks a good book this year.