Mustaches for Maddie by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown -- Book Tour Review

About the Book

Maddie is a normal twelve-year-old girl. Well, except for the fake mustaches she carries in her pocket. She likes to make people laugh and slapping on a mustache, especially a fuzzy pink or neon green one, always gets a smile. Maddie hopes that the class queen, Cassie, will find her mustaches as funny as she does and want to play with her at recess. She's been self-conscious lately because her right arm only feels normal when it's curled against her chest and she's constantly tripping over her feet. But that's probably just part of growing up and not something weird, right?

When Maddie's arm continues to bother her, her parents take her to a doctor who gives them a shocking diagnosis: the cause of the abnormal behavior of her limbs is a brain tumor and she must have surgery to remove it. She's understandably afraid as he describes the procedure, but knows she must find a way to be brave and must face her fears--all of them--at the hospital, at home and at school.

She will need all of her courage not only to face her illness, but also to face Cassie at school. Both Cassie and Maddie are auditioning for the same role in the school play, but when Cassie accuses Maddie of lying about her tumor in order to get attention, Cassie's bossiness turns into bullying.

And as Maddie's surgery approaches, she begins to worry more and more about the outcome. What if something goes wrong? What if the doctors don't get all the tumor out of her brain? What will happen to her family? What will happen to her?

It will take all of Maddie's vibrant imagination, a lot of kindness-both given and received-and of course, the perfect mustache to overcome the tough stuff ahead of her.

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About the Authors

Chad Morris

Chad Morris grew up wanting to become a professional basketball player or a rock star. (Inspired by Animal from the Muppets, he’s been banging on drums since he was eight years old.) After high school, he wrote and performed sketch comedy while going to college, and eventually he became a teacher and a curriculum writer. He lives in Utah with his wife and five kids. Chad would love to teach at Cragbridge Hall

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Shelly Brown

Unlike Tiffany and Justin in this story, Shelly Brown hasn’t seen any ghosts. But she has seen lots of movies, traveled to different countries, read hundreds of books, acted in oodles of plays, and made thousands of friends. She has worked as a comedian, a tour guide, and a shake-maker, but is currently a substitute teacher for some of the coolest kids ever. In her spare time she helps her husband, author Chad Morris, write awesome children’s books.

Shelly also loves a little spooky in her life. When she was twelve-years-old, she kept her Friday nights open to watch the newest X-Files episode. Every Friday. With the lights off to make it extra creepy.

Now she’s married and has five kids and three chickens. And occasionally, she jumps out and scares them. Well, not the chickens.    ​

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Review

Authors Chad Morris and Shelly Brown have come together and written a beautiful realistic fiction story for kids.  It is about the hardships of fitting in at school, including trying to make friends.  It is also about the struggle a family’s struggle of dealing with a daughter’s unexpected brain tumor.  This novel not only shows the pain and the struggles, but also finding joy in the hard times.  A fun family friendly novel, this story is beautifully written and inspirational; readers will absolutely not want to put it down.  It is one that not only young readers, but adults will love and learn from page one.
 
Genre: children’s, middle grade, young adult, contemporary, realistic fiction
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Publication date: October 3, 2017
Number of pages: 256

​A review copy of this novel was provided by Shadow Mountain Publishing.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.