Charlie & Mouse meets Ramona the Pest in this book about the wonderfully challenging daily realities of being a middle kid in a family.

When you’re the middle kid, you’re never the first nor the last to do anything. You’re not the tallest or the smallest; you’re babysitting one sibling but teased by the other. Stuck between a bossy older brother and a naive younger sister, Middle Kid feels left out of two worlds. But even if-and maybe especially because-it’s always overlooked, this kid’s own world is just as big and important as his siblings’. Gently funny and richly detailed, The Middle Kid takes readers through a day in the life of a middle kid, and all the challenges and advantages of a life in-between.

* A KID OTHER KIDS WILL RELATE TO: Middle Kid, who is never named, is cranky and sweet, creative and strong-willed-the kind of everykid every kid will relate to.

* A FAMILIAR FAMILY SITUATION: Middle children have classically been sandwiched between the achievements of the older sibling and the needs of the younger one. This book gives them a time to shine!

* A DAY IN THE LIFE: The book starts in the morning and ends at night, and each chapter is at a different time during one entire day. Kid readers will feel like they really do live a day in the life of a Middle Kid.

* HELPS KIDS PUT THEMSELVES IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES: Many books about siblings tend to emphasize conflict, but this book creates empathy for different family members’ experiences.

* PERFECT FOR BEGINNING READERS GETTING USED TO LONGER BOOKS: Simple language, short and easy words, large and readable text, and pictures that help explain the story as well as engaging characters make this an excellent choice for learning to read.

* ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY: The main character, our Middle Kid, is doodling during the whole book, constantly drawing what he observes in the real world, and kids reading the book will be inspired to do the same.

Perfect for:

* Fans of comical books about family * Fans of Jon Scieszka * Fans of Mo Willems’s Elephant & Piggie series * Fans of Judy Moody * Parents looking for an empathetic gift for that lets their own middle kids know they are seen * Siblings looking for a gift for their sibling * Teachers, librarians, and booksellers looking to include many different identities on their shelves