Sticks and stones can hurt my bones, but words can never hurt me. Well, for Elyse that isn't exactly true. She has a condition called CAV. When someone calls her a name or says something mean to her, it shows up on her arm or leg. If someone compliments her or says something nice, those words show up, too. She doesn't mind the nice words, but the mean ones itch like crazy.
In elementary school her teachers would tell the class about her condition and encourage her classmates to be kind and not use mean words. It was pretty cool then because they thought Elyse's condition was interesting. Now it's middle school, and there are new students Elyse didn't know in elementary school who don't know about CAV. She's decided not to tell everyone, but that means she may have a lot of itching to do. Middle school isn't exactly known for kids being kind and understanding.
One really awesome thing about middle school is the sixth grade class trip. It is something all the kids look forward to, and Elyse is no exception. Starting in September, everyone is in competition for Explorer Leader. The winner will help plan and lead the sixth graders on the trip. Elyse has decided she wants to win. Being Explorer Leader will prove to everyone that she deserves to have amazing compliments that will fill her arms and legs with words that don't itch.
Author Abby Cooper writes about what it is like to fit in and be accepted. This book is perfect for readers who have felt left out or not cool when everyone else seems to have it altogether.
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