The Unique Lou Fox

School is seldom a happy place for Louisa Elizabeth Fitzhenry-O’Shaughnessy. First, she would like to be just Lou, but she has never been able to get that across. Second, reading and math are really, really hard for her. She has dyslexia and other learning issues. What she’s great at is art and using her imagination. But she has two best friends, Lexie and Nakeesa, and they make her days better. Lou is busy writing a play for the three of them, and she decides they should invite the whole class to be in the play for the talent show. Also, she has some big news—her mom is pregnant with twins! But not everything is good, and the not-good things are Lou’s fault.

Jodi Carmichael has written a solid middle-grade novel that gives a good picture of what kids with learning disabilities have to deal with and how hard it can be and how it can affect those around them. But Lou is a character who may be a little too flawed to make readers cheer for her. She has a real mean streak and is incredibly selfish. Still, the writing is great and the story is compelling.