5 Star Book Review: “Millicent Marie Is Not My Name” by Indie Author – Karen Pokras Toz

I gave 5 Stars to this Contemporary Young Adult Novel – Not just for girls or “Tweens”

I loved this story for so many reasons.  To begin with , the author must be a master observer to have been able to capture the voices of good dialogue between twelve year old girls.  The story’s structure was perfectly suited to present some real world issues important to the target age group.

Bullying in schools has always been an issue for students of all age groups, but presently, with the wide spread use of social media, cyber bullying is now a reality.  Although bullying is one of the themes Toz presents, it doesn’t over power the other messages the story hits on.  “Millicent Marie is Not My Name” addresses issues important to young people facing that awkward period of pre-adolescence.

The main character, Millicent Marie, uses the alias Amanda on her blog because she doesn’t like her name.  She thinks her parents are weird and her younger brother is a nuisance.  She just  wants to fit in and be noticed by other students in her 6th grade class.  She wants to go to a dance with a boy she likes but is too shy to talk to and she also wants the meanest girl in her class to quit bothering her.  The tables turn when she discovers that by using her blog, she actually has influence.  In the end, she feels bad when she discovers that she too has participated in bullying to some degree.  The story is also about self discovery and forgiveness.

Toz’s writing is perfectly suited to the target age group.  She gave her main character a sense of humor that every young person could relate to.  I would recommend this young adult novel to teachers, parents and pre-high school aged youth.  It is a fun read and packed with wholesome themes.