Eliza Bing is (Not) a Big, Fat Quitter by Carmella Van Vleet - ADVISABLE

Van Vleet, Carmella Eliza Bing is (Not) a Big, Fat Quitter, 165 pgs. Holiday House, 2014. $16.95. 

Language: G (0 swears);  Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Martial Arts Class)

When 11-year-old Eliza Bing grows up, she wants to have a bakery like her best friend Tony’s family and decorate cakes.   But with her dad going back to school and her mom working extra shifts because money is tight, Eliza can’t take the expensive summer community ed class “Cakes with Caroline.” Instead she takes her brother’s spot in a tae kwon do class to prove to her parents that she’s not a quitter; and she’s committed to stay focused, so she can take the cake class in the fall.  But it’s hard when you have ADHD, and when Madison, a mean girl from school, shows up in class, Eliza realizes that finishing the class might be harder than she thought.  

This debut novel is a sweet read.  Perfect for the upper elementary student ready to take on 6th grade or middle school, the message (commitment) isn’t too heavy, the lessons (friendship) don’t feel forced, and it’s nice to read about a family that has problems but isn’t falling apart.  

EL - ADVISABLE  Lisa Librarian