Brett McCarthy: Work In Progress

by Maria Padian

Brett McCarthy lives for vocabulary words, soccer, and her larger-than-life grandmother, Nonna. Unfortunately, Brett’s got a big mouth she can’t seem to tame and opinions she can’t keep to herself. And she’s obsessed with the moment she became redefined and went from good student, bestfriend-to-Diane to twice-suspended, friendless, and deadest meat in Maine. Soon her world has turned upside down, and she’s not sure where she fits, what she should do, or how to make right what she, and her big fat mouth, have made wrong. Brett’s fresh and funny voice will keep readers laughing out loud at her plights, groaning in sympathy at every misstep, and rooting for her as things go from bad to worst ever possible.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Coming Of Age, School Stories, Friendship, Book Club

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

I'm a reader and an author: not a critic or a reviewer! I believe in the power of stories. So while I definitely have my opinions about the things I read, my primary goal is to share great books and promote literature, which is one of my great, abiding passions.

That said, I'm no longer going to affix stars to the books I read. I'll offer a comment or two, and maybe if I'm deliriously in love and can't contain my excitement I color in five of those stars ... but as a creator of stories I well know what goes into writing a book, and can't possible assign a "number" to anyone's work. I'm in awe of anyone brave enough to put it out there. Carry on!

To learn more about the books I've written, visit my website at http://www.mariapadian.com

Reviews

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Normally a decent student, a star soccer player, and responsible only daughter, Brett McCarthy isn't exactly sure what is going wrong. First she is suspended, then earns unlimited lunchtime detentions with the middle school principal, and then she is suspended again. It is enough to freak anyone out.

To complicate matters, Brett learns that her long-time best friend is not only dealing with divorcing parents, but has also lost her mind and decided to try out for the cheerleading squad. With her friends deserting her, Brett turns to her grandmother, "Nonna," only to suspect something fishy is going on with her and some medical situation.

Brett is an extremely likeable teen dealing with a crazy middle school year. Typical adolescent problems are creatively mixed with Nonna's kooky schemes, a lot of chocolate brownie baking, and a plan to resurrect an old lighthouse. One adventure after another holds the readers' attention and keeps this story moving quickly.

Debut author Maria Padian has something for everyone in this book. Brett's father, an English professor, provides countless poetry references for just about any situation. Brett's own love of vocabulary shows up as she introduces a new word with each chapter. And with 45 quick-read chapters, readers are bound to increase their personal vocabulary whether they want to or not. There is no shortage of humor. I found myself chuckling plenty. Padian doesn't shy away from heart-rending emotion, either. Be sure to have a tissue or two close at hand.

[Karlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This engaging teen novel has that special spark which makes the reader really care. Brett is a delightful girl who grows and learns more about herself while losing and gaining friends.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and how the main character, Brett McCarthy, evolved throughout the story.

[Rosemarie Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this book for Literature Circles with my seventh grade. There are so many themes for junior high schoolers to relate to. The most important one is the death of a friendship and the feelings of betrayal that follow. This book deals with the pain and sadness, and ultimately, the acceptance of this loss. Growing up involves so many losses and this book provides a fine companion for the journey.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved watching Brett navigate the challenges of junior high school in mid-coast Maine and seeing her get in trouble with her big mouth. Fortunately, Brett has a big heart to go with her mouth and she redefines herself as she deals with changing friendships and family issues.

[Joana Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read more reviews at my blog, Words and Tea Bottles.

And here we have another book that takes place in Maine. I believe I mentioned on Girl Unmoored how thankful I am for books that take place in Maine; they’re rare, especially in the young-adult range. Where it counted, Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress was a pretty good book; it was paced well, the writing style wasn’t too murky or simple, and there wasn’t any one part of the book that made me just want to put it down or read one of the other books on my reading list.

It’s also pretty creative; the characters themselves are interesting, especially Brett’s grandmother, “Nonna.” My favorite parts of the book were the ones that focused on her, such as the huge garage sale she has every year, or Nonna’s birthday party, where instead of having people bring presents, she has them bring something (or a symbol of something) they want to get rid of, and Nonna’s friend Mr. Beady would blast them out of a potato bazooka. There are often extremely creative things in books that I sit back and think: I’d never think of that. It kind of makes me sad for my own creativity as a writer.

It did, of course, have its faults. There were little things, such as Diane’s little brother having a “ring of orange” around his mouth from eating what isn’t named but is obviously Goldfish crackers; I’m a veteran of the snack and would like to assure Ms. Padian that they are nowhere near as messy as cheese puffs. It also shares a fault with Girl Unmoored, in that it mentions the fact that the characters live in Maine every chance it gets. I’m thankful for Maine-based books, but do authors who write them really have to slap it in your face so much?

The biggest fault in my eyes would probably be the stereotypes. It uses a LOT of stereotypes of people who live in Maine, and I have to say it was annoying. Thinking back on it, it’s not really clear if it was unintentional or if Ms. Padian did it on purpose to show how naïve Brett is, but it still worked against the book. The “stereotypical Maine accent” is extremely uncommon unless you’re old or live in the northern part of the state, for instance (Brett’s town is a short drive from Portland). No one I know describes someone from out of state as “from away,” either, and you’re no more likely to find a girl who can take apart a chainsaw than any other heavily woods-covered state (I certainly can’t, and I don’t remember a single female friend over the years with that particular talent). Of course there was also the mention of how “everyone can drive a snowmobile” especially “in the northern part of the state, where you need it to get groceries in the dead of winter” to paraphrase the book.

Come on, Ms. Padian. Northern Maine is no worse than Canada. Do you think Canadians are speeding through their rural towns with bags of groceries on the back of their ATVs because there are so few roads that can be cleared? My stepfather spends hours every winter plowing people out of their driveways. It’s a simple and common, if time-consuming, task.

But I digress. Despite the stereotypes, which probably seem more offensive to me considering I live in this state, it is a book worth reading, in my opinion. So happy reading.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress by Maria Padian. I rated this book 4 stars. I really liked it, but the beginning of it was really slow and boring. This book is about Brett McCarthy, an only child, only granddaughter, vocabulary ace, best 8th grade corner kicker in Maine, and Dianne's best friend. Until one day that all changes to Brett McCarthy, deadest meat in Maine and possibly the planet, practically friendless, violent, and suspended, all because a prank. Brett and dianne prank called one of the more popular guys named bob and then Jeanne told bob it was Brett. This got Brett suspended, and when she got back the school was different. She then got in a fight with Jeanne, getting her suspended once again. When she got back Brett got lunch detention with the principle for a while. Then there was a class where they created projects and things and she got invited to join that class. When she joined it her friend Michael was part of it and she made some new friends. The project; the lighthouse on Brett's grandmothers island being replaced. Nona who was Brett's grandmother had cancer; her goal was living long enough for the lighthouse to start working again. They finished everything except the actual light, Nona, very sick now, and Beady her best friend both disappeared, and the only people who had a clue what Nona and Beady were doing was Michael and Brett. They told Brett's parents and they didn't believe them, then they went onto Michael's parents who also didn't believe them, they were going to have to solve the problem on their own. Brett and Michael started out to the island, and just in time to see the lighthouse start working, that confirmed to them that Nona and Beady were out in a cottage. Once they reached the island Brett and Michael set out for the cottages. Reaching the cottages which were empty only one with Nona and Beady's things confirmed that Nona and Beady were at the lighthouse. By the time they found the lighthouse, got Nona back into the cottage and asleep, it was almost daybreak. Once the morning officially came it was time to get Nona back to the mainland. They all got her back to the mainland, but only s couple hours later she died. Brett realized how much Michael actually cared...he drove them to the docks as an 8th grade, almost getting pulled over once. I recommend this book to anyone who likes books that are fast moving and interesting

[Ann Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett McCarthy is a must-read and the kind of book that you should give a second chance to.
But it is a middle grade novel that deals with drug use, grief, and violence. In the book, kids smoke cigarettes at school and discuss the pros and cons of doing drugs for medicinal purposes. It isn't made clear how the main character feels about underage smoking, but she compliments people on not smoking and doesn't do so herself. Teens also fight and do dangerous/illegal things, albeit with fair consequences. The main character is able to reflect on her actions and see the positives and negatives of what she was doing, though it does take a while.
Brett McCarthy has it all: good grades, lots of friends, and an amazing sports team. More than that, she has her kind, funny, and thoughtful grandmother, Nona. But after a prank call goes terribly wrong, Brett has been suspended twice, has no friends, and can't seem to get her life together. Then she finds out that her Nona — her amazing Nona — has cancer. Overcome by grief, anger, and confusion, Brett realizes that things aren't going back to how they used to be. Now she has two choices: stay where she is or find a way to go on.
Though it did take a while, this book picked up and become an interesting, engaging, and relatable read. That being said, there were some parts that I really didn't like, specifically the stereotypical portrayal of people in GATE. Yes, I know that you probably don't care about that, but I do! Trust me, people in GATE aren't geniuses who are cut off from the rest of the world! They aren't ALL amazing at math and science! Sure, some are, but not everyone. There are people who are tech-y and great at math, but there are also those who couldn't make an interesting slide deck or come up with the tax on an item to save their lives!
Despite that, Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress is a relatable tale about grief and belonging that is a must-read for tweens.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gr 6-9-Brett thinks she knows herself pretty well: star soccer player, vocabulary ace, and best friend to Diane. But in eighth grade, Diane is more interested in the cheerleading crowd and everything is changing. A telephone prank backfires and Jeanne Anne, a new girl, manages to shift the blame to Brett, even though four girls were involved. Feeling victimized and angry, she loses her temper at school and punches Jeanne Anne, resulting in suspension. Within a few days, her social status has changed drastically, and the upheaval is mirrored at home when Brett discovers that her fun-loving grandmother is battling cancer. Over the course of the story, she moves from anger and obstinacy to a tentative exploration of the characteristics that really define Brett McCarthy. Although her path to self-discovery has its bumps, she ultimately realizes that the way she has thought of herself in the past has been more limiting than liberating. Padian's portrayal of the relationship between Brett and her Nonna is poignant and honest, especially as the cancer progresses and the girl must begin to let go. Chapter titles consisting of vocabulary words that Brett uses to describe her various emotional states ("apoplectic," "foreboding," "unprecedented," "surreal") give hints of things to come, but it is Padian's fully developed characters and ear for teenage voices that make this a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt isolated in the middle of a crowd.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
Brett is an 8th grade girl who is dealing with liking boys, hating some girls, being a star athlete, and then... and then her world comes crashing down around her. She loses friends, destroys her own reputation, sees the ugly side of social groups up close, and that's just the easy part of her life. Brett is a thoughtful girl, but she cannot see past her own flaws. Each chapter is a vocabulary word, and as she slowly comes to terms (pun intended) with the way her world has changed, we see a girl mature into a young lady.

BUT...

Brett, her friends, her mom, her grandmother, her dad -- they're all cut from the same cloth. Everyone is clever with words in some way -- that means there are a lot of neat things to read out loud to other people sitting around you -- but sometimes I couldn't tell who was who.

Somehow, this story needed to be tightened and tweaked. It was a mix of 70s, 80s, and 90s teen girls, and that didn't work well.

The timing didn't work for me, either. The story begins with Brett telling us how things were going a few months earlier. Brett is supposed to bring us up to speed, but that never completely happens. The story feels like it ended in the past and Brett leaving us with her thoughts about the future.

Yes, the title says Brett is a work in progress. Yes, the story came to a close appropriately enough. But still... something didn't quite work overall.

I hope Maria Padian writes a few more books. I like what she has done here.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may be growing up - the trials and angst of 8th graders no longer is a comfort zone, and can be just exhausting. That being said, the book is well-written, describes well the horrible social environment of middle school, introduces school administrators with redeeming qualities and provides an interesting resolution for best friends who simply grow apart.

Her grandmother's comment about illness was perhaps the moment I realized there was more inside the book than teen angst. "I have cancer," she said, "it's not who I am."

Once I saw this paragraph, I realized that 8th grade is a perfect vehicle for describing redefinition because that's one of the most intense, painful times for redefining.

"A new defining characteristic, a surprise, one I have never considered myself. But then, that's how definitions work. They come and go, shift and change, and even when they surprise you, you realize they haven't arrived overnight. They come upon you slowly. Like the tides and the seasons. Like new friends. Like maybe old friends, reconstituted with laughter and tears and redefining everything."

Brett's friends had been part of her life since pre-school and now they were discovering that the differences that hadn't mattered when they were little, did now that they were older. They had provided definition for her - external, but still valid and important.

[Renn · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, this description of middle school is sooo inaccurate. For one thing, the people good at math and science are NOT necessarily social outcasts. Why does everyone assume that smart people get bullied and ridiculed? We are treated like any other person.
Another thing, how many prodigies in a school building does the author think there are? So far in my highschool I can think of 2 prodigies, and that's 4 grades, not just one. Certainly not enough to fill a class.
Warning: If you haven't already figured it out, this book is majorly stereotypical.
Why do so many authors do this? Has it been so long since they were in middle school that they forgot what it was like? My middle school experience wasn't anything like this dramatic crap.
Maybe this book would have been slightly better if it had a decent main character. But it didn't. Brett is sooo annoying. That one time in the book when Michael put his arm around her I was like, why would anyone want to do that, Brett is so whiney. And Michael is another issue. Maybe I'm just being stereotypical but most eigth graders taking college classes aren't exactly good with giving out social advice. For some reason Michael was given the role of Social Expert.
The only characters I really liked, the reason I kept reading, were Nona and Mr. Beady. But look what happened to them.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett seems to have it all: good friends, good grades, a supporting family, and a starting place on her school's soccer and basketball teams. But in one day, she manages to lose it all (or most of it), when she and her friends play a crank-calling prank on a boy from school. The joke turns sour and she gets the blame, but it doesn't end there. The other girls start to distance themselves from her, and when one of them makes a joke about Brett's eccentric grandmother, Brett lets her fists fly. It doesn't even end with her getting suspended from school. Brett can't seem to stop the words and actions that are causing her downward spiral and digging her into an ever-deeper hole. Her home life takes a dive too when her grandmother becomes ill.

I love the character of Brett because she is so authentic. Like her, we've all had days when we couldn't seem to get anything right. Or when a single bad decision sets off a chain of events that you can't seem to control. Padian's book reminds me of another favorite author, Jordan Sonnenblick (Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, among others) because both are able to seamlessly blend humor and drama. They can create warm, funny, troubled characters who you can't help but like and identify with.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighth Grader Brett likes vocabulary, loves soccer, and is best friends with Diane, even though they are pretty different. Best friends, that is, until annoying Jeanne makes Brett play a phone prank that backfires, alienating Brett from Diane and landing her in trouble at school. Brett is forced to examine the changes taking place not just with her friendships at school, but what seems like everywhere in her life. Though the book’s early prank feels slightly contrived, Padian has constructed a very enjoyable coming-of-age story within the interesting setting of small town Maine. Her characters, particularly Brett, are strong and well developed, and she successfully weaves plot lines involving several generations and topics from sports and friendships to family and death. A wordier Dairy Queen (Murdoch, Houghton Mifflin 2006) for the younger crowd, recommend Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress to middle school girls who prefer their characters on the sporty, thoughtful side.

[Sharon Hughson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures the voice of an eighth grade girl precisely. I could imagine her in all her snarky glory. I thought for a few moments I had actually had her in my classroom before.
This is a coming of age type story that will appeal to 6-8th grade girls. The main character is a "jock" whose world falls apart after she makes a few bad decisions. The author depicts the middle school hierarchy and the interrelationships of younger teenage girls perfectly.
The story moves quickly with several unexpected twists. Poor Brett can't seem to make a right choice for a good chunk of the book. We feel sympathy for her, though, and I won't say why because I don't want to give too much away.
Read the book. It's a quick read. If you work with girls of this age, read this book so you can encourage them to do the same and then have an informed discussion about it. Most girls will want to process some of the events with someone they trust.

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett McCarthy is a good soccer player, and she is smart, with a great vocabulary. She is a good student, and has a amazing best friend; Diane. Everything's going well, but then when Jean Ann comes along and ruins everything, by insisting that Brett McCarthy and Diane should do one more prank call for good old times, but then they were caught and Brett McCarthy is blamed for the whole thing, and that’s when she opens her big mouth and can’t keep her opinions inside. That’s where everything starts to go downhill. She gets suspended not just once but twice. Diane isn’t her friend anymore, and now Diane is apart of the popular group. Brett McCarthy goes from being a good student to spending most of her time with the principle. To make matters even worse her grandmother, Nonna starts going for lots of medical tests and no one will tell her why. Will it ever go up hill again?

[Athen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing book about a girl named Brett McCarthy. Her definition goes from Brett McCarthy- Only Child; Only Granddaughter; Vocab Ace; Soccer Star; Diane's Best Friend to Brett McCarthy- Deadest Meat in Maine; Practically Friendless; Violent; Suspended in a matter of days! Brett struggles throughout the book to redefine herself and find her way through juinor high. The major theme in this story was friendship and growing apart from it. I really like the author because she is amazing at describing characters and developing them throughout the story. I would reccomend this book to people who like realistic fiction.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett McCarthy is having the time of her life. She has the best soccer team, the best friends, and her Nonna. All until Jean Anne comes along. She seems to be taking away Brett's best friend and when she seems like she can't get any more annoying she comes up with the prank. Brett and her friends used to prank call people just for fun when they were younger but Jean Anne insists they should do it one last time. But they get caught. Brett gets blamed for it and she seems to to have nothing. Brett has nothing to do with her life until she meets the challenged group of kids who teach her that losing just one friend might not be the end of the world.

[Carol Chatfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really bad cover probably dooms this book, which is a very light read following eighth grader Brett through several ups and downs over the course of a few months.
The interesting part is the vocabulary introduced as Brett's moods change and she defines herself by the word of the moment (provoked, pensive, agitated - 45 different words)and gives a dictionary definition.
The story feels like a more mature Ramona (Beverly Cleary) novel with all the angst of the moment, but it's not enough to give it lasting qualities.

[Miste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another tween book on the school booklist. Good story about changing friendships and how it feels to be "out". Middle school seems to be a time for alot of changes for kids in more ways than one and this book captures that quite well. Brett is a spunky, loud mouthed "jock" who gets herself into a little trouble at school and has some tough times going at home. She comes through it okay and I guess that is the message to kids that read it...you can make it through whatever it is. Not the best book from the list this year, but still good.

[Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett McCarthy is the best 8th grade corner kicker in Maine, until she makes a prank phone call to one of her friends parents. Brett didn't know that the prank would ruin her and her best friends relationship. Brett's grandmother, Nonna, gets sick with cancer later on in the story but tries to hide it from Brett. And "April" is considered to be the worst moth of all. I really liked this book it was written really well, and I liked the dictionary style headings. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading a realistic fiction.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, I was convinced that it took place in the 40's because of the cover. I love period pieces, so I was sort of disappointed that is wasn't. But I kept on thinking that it was a book set in the past the whole time I was reading it, and when they would IM and text, that was sort of jarring to me. But the theme of lost friendship and aging relatives was universal. Very sad at times, but enjoyable.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book - I read it with my middle school daughter! A book for girls struggling with the BFF changes that occur in middle school. The changes between Brett and Diane explain things better than I've been able to - how we grow apart as we grow older. Please read this with your daugher when she begins to struggle with the friend changes that are the bane of every 7th or 8th grade girl's existance. Thank you Maria Padian!

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently purchased this novel for three dollars at my school book fair. I simply thought it to be an old book to read when bored during class, etc. instead I became engrossed in it and I stayed up late the night after I purchased it so that I could finish it. No, it wasn't my best read by far, but I did thoroughly enjoy it. It's a good, fairly-easy read that is a good time filler. I will probably reread it once or twice.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about friendship and trust. Towards the beginning she is set up and a girl who hates her turns all her friends against her. Throughout the story she is bullied and she constantly try's to show her friends the truth about this girl. I find the ending a good outcome, but throughout the story I was frustrated that no one believed her and everything she tried made her look worse. I love her Grandma who is constantly giving her advice and believes her.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very good. The ending was sad but it was good at the same time. It was about a girl, her name was Brett McCarthy. She was a soccer player, she had a best friend named Diane. The book surrounds a dumb mistake that Brett made at Diane's house. A prank phone call to the most popular guy in school. After that she becomes a mess, gets into a fight, gets suspended multiple times. Read the book to find out what else happens in her life.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite having a horrible cover which will surely never entice teens to even give this book a second glance, the story is absolutely wonderful. It has all the great elements of sadness and humor and is a well written story about maturing, losing friends, and dealing with the imminent death of a loved one.

[Daria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book got off to a bit of a slow start for me, but once it got going I really liked it. Brett is a spunky character who struggles with making the right choices and navigating all of the changes and challenges of junior high. And, her relationship with her Nonna reminded me of my relationship with my g-ma, which made me both smile and cry.

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett is a good kid at heart, but her big mouth gets her in a lot of bad places. An eighth grader, she encounters a problem that many junior high kids face--she and her best friend are growing apart. I liked this book but it didn't feel unique, and I wonder if I will remember the plot in a month. I did enjoy how Padian included great vocabulary words.

[Anita Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett McCarthy is well-liked and the star player on her soccer team. Then she makes a huge mistake: she prank calls Bob Levesque's - the hottest, most popular boy in Mescataqua Junior High - house. Now she's the "Deadest Meat in Maine." She spends eighth grade redefining herself: learning about who she really is and about the people who are really important in her life.