Honestly Elliott

Highly-acclaimed author of Caterpillar Summer, Gillian McDunn explores boyhood in a funny, big-hearted story about a kid trying to find the best way to be his best self.

Schneider Family Book Award: Best Middle Grade Honor Book!

Elliott isn't sure where he fits in. Ever since his best friend moved away and his dad and stepmom announced the arrival of their new baby, he's been feeling invisible. Plus his dad just doesn't seem to understand what having ADHD really feels like, or why cooking is the one activity where Elliott's mind clicks into place.

When he’s paired with the super smart and popular Maribel for a school project, Elliott worries she'll be just another person who underestimates him. But Maribel is also looking for a new way to show others her true self and this project could be the chance they’ve both been waiting for. Sometimes the least likely friends help you see a new side to things . . . and sometimes you have to make a few mistakes before you figure out what’s right.

Gillian McDunn is the author of These Unlucky Stars, The Queen Bee and Me, and Caterpillar Summer, which received two starred reviews, and was selected for the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List, and Kirkus Reviews and Parents magazine Best Books of the Year lists. When she isn’t reading or writing, she is probably baking gluten-free treats, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and children, and a very silly dog named Friday

Honestly Elliot A Schneider Family Book Award: Best Middle Grade Honor Book!

“A refreshingly honest exploration of family and friendship.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“McDunn has a talent for creating . . . a lovable main character, a lively supporting cast, and a satisfying conclusion.” —Booklist, starred review

“An affirming and nuanced depiction of empathetic and creative Elliott’s experience of ADHD. . . . [His] relationship with his father . . . is particularly inspiring as the two work toward openness and understanding.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review