Today on Reading in the Middle, I’m joined by USA Today–bestselling author Christina Wyman to celebrate the release of her latest middle-grade novel, *Breakout*. In this touching and funny story, we meet Ellis Starr — an eighth grader who loves studying active volcanoes but dislikes that her acne looks like one. As Ellis handles breakouts, changing friendships, complex family issues, and a big school project, she starts to question what it really means to feel confident in her own skin. During our chat, Christina discusses:
• Why she focused on acne in a middle-grade novel
• How humor and vulnerability work hand in hand on the page
• Crafting nuanced parent-child relationships
• The emotional reality of middle school
• How *Breakout* connects to her previous books, Jawbreaker and Slouch
This episode is perfect for teachers, librarians, caregivers, and anyone who remembers the feelings of being thirteen, erupting inside and out.
✨ Breakout is available now wherever books are sold.
🌐 Learn more about Christina and her works at: christinawymanbooks.com
If you love middle-grade stories that explore the full emotional lives of young readers, you’re in the right place.
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