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Squashed in the Middle
Illustrated by Pat Commings
Henry Holt, 2005
ISBN: 0805064974
Ages 5-9

Daisy's father was chopping carrots. Her mother was talking on the phone. Her big sister was chasing her little brother around and around the kitchen. Being a middle child is not easy. Nobody EVER listens to Daisy, even when she tells them she's going across the hall to spend the night with her best friend, Rosa.

With humorous text and bold, colorful illustrations, the book captures the frustrations of one child trying to be heard over the noise of a boisterous, well-meaning family.


Praise for Squashed in the Middle :

"Beginning with the up-close, downcast face on the jacket, this direct picture book personalizes the frustration of a middle child wanting to be heard. Daisy's courage surprises her family into finally understanding how she feels. Cummings' recognizable robust style and intense palette give Daisy and her African American family a modern,familiar look."
-Booklist, Starred Review

"The emotional vividness and ultra-contemporary vibe of Cummings's mixed-media paintings make this an especially sympathetic treatment of middle-child angst. ...brings readers nose to nose with richly rendered characters. The plot resolution feels piquant and may strike a chord with many readers--regardless of their birth order."
-Publishers Weekly

"Cummings's bold, comical illustrations of the bustling African-American family match the warm breezy tone of Winthrop's text."
-Horn Book

"Bright, sassy illustrations in a mixed media of watercolor, gouache, colored pencils and pastels successfully showcase Daisy's frustration, irritation and eventual triumph. Sure to hit the mark with the middle child in everyone."
-Kirkus Reviews