Kind of a Big Deal
Readers rate it 2.3 (6 on Hardcover)
285 pages · Released Aug 25, 2020 · Roaring Brook Press
Content report card
Kind of a Big Deal parent’s guide: what’s inside
LGBTQ+ themes
Substance use
What it offers
Educational value
A note for parents
Kind of a Big Deal is a thoughtful coming-of-age story about a girl struggling with failure and self-worth who discovers magical escapism through reading. While Josie navigates some dark emotional territory—family dysfunction, depression, desperation—the tone is ultimately hopeful and the book rewards introspection and genuine connection. There is occasional mild language and scattered references to romantic/sexual content across different fictional worlds, but nothing graphic. The primary appeal is Josie's journey toward self-acceptance and purpose beyond external validation.
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From the publisher
From Shannon Hale, bestselling author of Austenland, comes Kind of a Big Deal: a story that will suck you in—literally. “So many strange and wonderful things happen at every twist and turn, you'll be happy to wander with Josie . . . Each book she descends into seems to teach her something, and even if it's not obvious... From Shannon Hale, bestselling author of Austenland, comes Kind of a Big Deal: a story that will suck you in—literally. “So many strange and wonderful things happen at every twist and turn, you'll be happy to wander with Josie . . . Each book she descends into seems to teach her something, and even if it's not obvious where the story is going, we're in it for the long haul.” —NPR There's nothing worse than peaking in high school. Nobody knows that better than Josie Pie. She was kind of a big deal—she dropped out of high school to be a star! But the bigger you are, the harder you fall. And Josie fell. Hard. Ouch. Broadway dream: dead. Meanwhile, her life keeps imploding. Best friend: distant. Boyfriend: busy. Mom: not playing with a full deck? Desperate to escape, Josie gets into reading. Literally. She reads a book and suddenly she's inside it. And with each book, she’s a different character: a post-apocalyptic heroine, the lead in a YA rom-com, a 17th century wench in a corset. It’s alarming. But also . . . kind of amazing? It’s the perfect way to live out her fantasies. Book after book, Josie the failed star finds a new way to shine. But the longer she stays in a story, the harder it becomes to escape. Will Josie find a story so good that she just stays forever?
Shelved under
- Young Adult Fiction
- Young Adult
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ISBN 9781250206244 · Roaring Brook Press