Publishers Weekly
06/13/2022
Adeptly examining potential culpability around a mysterious tragedy’s aftermath, Conklin’s compassionate (Every Missing Piece) contemporary whodunit centers a kid managing his recent ADHD diagnosis. At the start of sixth grade in a New Jersey suburb, Max is struggling on several fronts: he’s learning how to navigate his “inattentive type” ADHD; his close “Three Broskateers” bond with friends Joey and Will is disintegrating; and he finds being a nearly-six-foot-tall 11-year-old frustrating when adults suddenly expect him to act grown. The weekend prior to this book’s start, he and Max pressure Will to sneak out at night and visit a graffitied railway roundhouse hangout deep in the woods. The next morning, Max doesn’t remember the details of the night, but he recalls enough to feel extreme guilt, which is further heightened when he learns that Will is in a medically induced coma. Together with classmate and aspiring journalist Samantha, the narrator resolves to discover what happened—including his own part in the accident. Lightly touching on social complexities that range from interpersonal assumptions to the uncertainty and pain of changing relationships, Conklin’s emotionally grounded mystery imbues Max’s quest for truth with a perceptive portrait of a kid learning to understand his ADHD. All characters read as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (July)
From the Publisher
"Conklin expertly portrays Max’s challenges, diving deeply into what it means to be accountable and not to carry guilt that isn’t yours to own. Middle-grade realistic fiction and mystery lovers will gobble this one up."—Booklist
“[G]ripping. Mystery and just a little peril make an absorbing vehicle for an exploration of ADHD.”—Kirkus Reviews
"A Perfect Mistake is a compelling novel of friendship, responsibility, and standing up for what's right, even when it's hard. I love all of Melanie Conklin's books. They just get better and better. This is my favorite so far."—Erin Entrada Kelly, Newbery Medal winner of Hello, Universe and Newbery Honor author of We Dream of Space
"A fast-paced, powerful novel with spot-on representation of ADHD...Max’s journey navigating the gauntlet of shifting friendship dynamics and self-acceptance is both realistic and moving. A must-have book, particularly for schools and libraries."—Debbie Reed Fischer, ADHD advocate and award-winning author of This Is Not the Abby Show
“A creepy and dark setting, misleading clues, threats against the investigator—what more do you want in a mystery? But as it turns out, Max faces even deeper mysteries in discovering himself and his place in the world, and in the end, those are the poignant discoveries we're cheering about. A powerful novel that affirms difference and openness as we watch a boy hold onto friendship with a grip that will not let go.”—Two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt
“Accurately reflecting the experiences of adolescents with ADHD, Conklin crafts a must-read mystery filled with heart.”—Adrianna Cuevas, Pura Belpré honor author of The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez and Cuba in My Pocket
"I came for the ADHD representation and stayed for the mystery, the voice, the deeply nuanced emotion of this masterful book."—Caroline Gertler, author of Many Points of Me and Where You’ve Got to Be
"Once you start reading you won't want to stop!"—Lisa Fipps, author of Michael L. Printz Honor Book Starfish
“Conklin’s emotionally grounded mystery imbues Max’s quest for truth with a perceptive portrait of a kid learning to understand his ADHD.”
—Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
08/01/2022
Gr 3–7—Eleven-year-old Max was looking forward to starting middle school as one third of the "Three Broskateers" along with Joey and Will. On the first day of school, Max has to write a letter to his future self; but he's stuck, acutely aware of the stares of the rest of his classmates as they wonder about his height. He had always been tall for his age, but he's now 5'10 thanks to a recent growth spurt, leading to hurtful assumptions. He's also hurt by Joey's sudden distance. He's not answering phone calls or texts ever since a night Max doesn't like to think about. Will is in a medically induced coma and all the adults want to know what happened when the boys snuck out. Max has no answers, but carries tremendous guilt. He also has ADHD. Sometimes the new strategies he learned with his therapist work—though sometimes his coping mechanisms are misunderstood, like when his new classmate Sam assumes he is staring at her instead of just spacing out. Max is immediately endearing with his careful, open, and thoughtful manner; readers will instantly relate to his pain. School and family dynamics are authentically portrayed. The suspense over what occurred slowly ratchets up as Max flashes back and gradually reveals events. His investigations with Sam, a budding journalist, are also believable. The adults surrounding Max are supportive and positive. VERDICT Readers will enjoy a first-rate mystery which as an added benefit subtly reinforces the practice of empathy. Highly recommended.—Brenda Kahn
Kirkus Reviews
2022-04-27
If only Max could remember the night that left his best friend in a coma.
Max, an 11-year-old who’s almost 6 feet tall, doesn’t know how Will, one of his best friends, ended up unconscious by the side of the road—but it’s probably his own fault. If only he hadn’t encouraged Will to go into the nature preserve with Max and Joey! If only Max hadn’t run away! It must be his fault, because Joey won’t even speak to him now. Even before Will’s injury, Max had been having a rough time coping with his newly diagnosed ADHD and the recent growth spurt that left adults unfairly treating him like an aggressor. Now he has a detective asking him questions, Joey’s older brother making veiled threats, and his mom fighting with his weird-but-awesome Uncle Cal. With the help of budding student journalist Samantha, Max tries to solve the mystery of Will’s injury. Luckily, he has an assist from the ADHD–management techniques he’s learning from his insightful therapist: anger management, apologizing, emoting, exercise, and not procrastinating. While the novel, whose main characters are White, sometimes wobbles between “whodunit starring a neurodiverse detective” and “therapeutic book about ADHD against the backdrop of an ostensible mystery,” the rising danger to Max keeps the story gripping.
Mystery and just a little peril make an absorbing vehicle for an exploration of ADHD. (Mystery. 9-12)
