The Other Side of Perfect

Two kids from two different worlds form an unexpected friendship in this lens into the interworking of empathy. Told in alternating narratives, The Other Side of Perfect is infused with themes of identity, belonging, and compassion, reminding us that we are all more than our circumstances, and we are all more connected than we think.

Cody's home life is a messy, too-often terrifying story of neglect and abuse. Cody himself is a smart kid, a survivor with a great sense of humor that helps him see past his circumstances and begin to try to get himself out. Autumn is a wealthy girl from an indigenous family, who has found herself in with the popular crowd even though it's hard for her to want to keep up.

But one night, while returning home from a movie, Autumn comes across Cody, face down in the laneway behind her house. All Cody knows is that he can't take another encounter with his father like the one he just narrowly escaped. He can't go home. But he doesn't have anywhere else to go. When Autumn agrees to let him hide out in her dad's art studio, Cody's story begins to come out, and so does hers.

Author: Melanie Florence, Richard Scrimger
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published: 04/02/2024
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.79lbs
Size: 8.29h x 5.96w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9781339002859

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.9
Point Value: 7
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 551334 / Other Side of Perfect


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/22/2024
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2024
School Library Journal 04/01/2024 pg. 128
Booklist 08/09/2024

About the Author

MELANIE FLORENCE is an award-winning writer of Cree and Scottish heritage based in Toronto, Ontario. She is the author of Missing Nimâmâ, which won the 2016 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, the 2017 Forest of Reading Golden Oak Award and was a finalist for the 2017 First Nation Communities READ award. Her most recent picture book, Stolen Words, won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award and was a finalist for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. Her other books include Righting Canada's Wrongs: Residential Schools and the teen novels Just Lucky, He Who Dreams, The Missing, One Night, and Rez Runaway. Visit her at https: //www.melanieflorence.com/.

RICHARD SCRIMGER is the acclaimed author of more than twenty books for children and adults, including Zomboy and Downside Up as well as The Other Side of Perfect, written in collaboration with Melanie Florence, which received a starred review from Kirkus. Richard is also a popular presenter in schools. Richard lives in Toronto, Ontario. Visit him at http: //www.scrimger.ca/.