The U-Nique Lou Fox by Jodi Carmichael

Elizabeth Louise (she prefers to be called Lou) is having trouble staying positive. She usually focuses on her art and screenwriting skills, her friends and family, but between her ADHD and dyslexia and a new, very strict teacher, she's struggling in school. It doesn't help that her mom is having a difficult pregnancy. She tries to prove her worth by putting on the perfect school play and making wishes, which seem to be coming true - but not in the way she imagined! Not only that, she manages to alienate all her friends. As her grandmother has warned her, "be careful what you wish for." However, with the support of friends and family, and a teacher who turns out to be not so mean after all, Lou recovers, fixes her mistakes, and learns that it's ok to be her own unique self.

This would be a typical school story, where the main character learns a lesson about friendship and self-identity, but what makes the story stand out is the portrayal of a character with ADHD and dyslexia, especially a girl since girls are under-diagnosed in these areas. It would make a good school book club choice as well, with the encouragement to relate to a character who is resilient in the face of difficulty, deals with universal friendship troubles, and also gently introduces the adult perspective of a teacher who cares about her students even if she needs to make changes in how she's teaching.

Verdict: Even if you have plenty of school stories, this is worth purchasing for the representation and should appeal to most readers who enjoy this type of story. It's written in a dyslexic font and the author identifies as ADHD.

ISBN: 9781772782585; Published August 2022 by Pajama Press; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library