Queenie Jean is in Trouble Again
Queenie Jean is in Trouble Again
It’s Friday morning and I’m late.
Again.
I should tell Miss Smart and Mrs. Payne that since my older brother snores super loudly, I’m awake late most nights and just can’t get up before 8:00 am. Or I should tell them that my ADHD stops me from falling asleep quickly, so I can’t wake up early. Both of these are actually true.
But then I have to talk about it: my Horrible, Awful ADHD. How I hate those four letters and what they stand for: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The thing that makes me different from everybody else.
The main reason I’m late today is because, all night, I kept thinking about my playdate with Chloe. Maybe she was scared of Coco. Maybe she didn’t like Mom’s healthy snacks. She also thought my bedroom sucked, so maybe I need nicer things. I definitely have to get my room painted electric orange right away.
Okay, but first I need to figure out some way to earn extra money so I can buy the good snacks that Mom and Dad won’t.
I slip through the classroom door at 8:36, but luckily Miss Smart is talking to a grown-up at the back of the class and doesn’t seem to notice me. I sneak into my seat. It’s kind of a good thing my desk is right beside the door, even if it means I’m not sitting with one of the girls.
“You’re late, Queenie,” says Kenny.
“Shhh, Kenny. I made it past Mrs. Payne.” I look over at Chloe, but she’s chatting quietly with her deskmate. “I have trouble falling asleep at night, and I’m just not used to having to get to school this early. I think it’s crazy, I mean, it’s totally evil!”
Kenny shrugs. “Those are the rules, Queenie.”
Queenie Jean is in Trouble Again introduces readers to Queenie, a 10-year-old girl with ADHD whose family has just moved from Ontario to West Vancouver, British Columbia. She has to navigate a new school and make new friends at the start of grade 5 at Western Canada Prep. As she struggles to make friends (and get ready for the mandatory all-school speech contest), readers get to know her and how her mind works. She jumps around and daydreams, and sometimes just blurts something out when it’s not quite the time. Of course, these things make it hard for her to fit in at her new, ultra-fancy private school where all she wants is to fit in with the “popular girls”. Her attempts to fit in and make new friends don’t always go as planned, sometimes because of her impulsivity, but mostly because the girls she wants to befriend are part of a tight-knit rich girl clique that isn’t interested in expanding. As Queenie finds her way through school, she also finds some friends along the way and conquers her fears of public speaking.
The short chapters, interspersed with cartoon sketches of characters from Queenie’s perspective, the moments of comedy throughout the book, and Queenie’s fast-paced first-person narration make for a solid middle-grade read. Some of the side plots may be less appealing to some readers (Queenie at one point is very focused on increasing the interest rate on her bank account), but these digressions are also just a part of who Queenie is. Young readers with niche interests, social anxiety, or who can relate to the struggles of moving and changing schools are likely to relate to Queenie’s life.
As someone without ADHD, I don’t want to comment on whether or not Queenie is an authentic representation of ADHD – that’s something best left to that community. From what I have seen, Queenie is seen as a relatable protagonist, but I encourage seeking additional reviews from members of the ADHD community. The additional information about ADHD at the end of the book is mostly aimed at educators and how they can best support students with ADHD in their classrooms. This information is helpful but is not aimed at the target audience of the book itself; including age-appropriate information for readers, such as how to talk about ADHD with your peers, would have felt like a better fit.
All in all, Queenie Jean is in Trouble Again is a traditional new-kid trying to fit in tale with a twist. Queenie’s upbeat approach to her struggles will pull readers along through the short, engaging chapters. Queenie’s age and the straightforward plotline make this an appropriate book for younger middle-grade readers.
Susie Wilson is the Data Services Librarian at the University of Northern British Columbia, where she supports all aspects of data use in the academic setting. She currently resides in Prince George, British Columbia.