by Mum of a 9-year-old

This one had both of us laughing out loud, which doesn’t happen with every book we pick up together. Stuck in the Middle follows Leon, one of seven kids in a big, chaotic family, as he tries to carve out his own identity while feeling constantly overlooked between his siblings. Anton Clifford-Motopi has such a knack for writing big-family chaos with real warmth and heart underneath all the humour. The sibling rivalries and strict family rules felt so true to life that my daughter (who has her own sibling dramas!) kept nudging me to say “that is SO us.” It’s funny, relatable and genuinely touching in places, and it sparked some lovely chats between us about feeling seen in a busy family. Highly recommend for any household with more than one kid vying for attention (so, basically everyone).

My 9-year-old daughter’s mini review: Leon is so funny and I felt so bad for him sometimes because his family is CRAZY (in a good way). I liked that it wasn’t just jokes, some parts were actually kind of sweet. I’d give it 9/10 because I wanted a bit more at the end!

Heroes: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 5 by Richard Pritchard and Jordan Gould  is available now from Allen & Unwin and major retailers for $17.99