Kind of a Big Deal

Shannon Hale's "Kind of a Big Deal" is a witty and imaginative young adult novel perfect for teens aged 12-18. It follows Josie Pie, a former high school star whose life has taken a nosedive. Feeling lost and overwhelmed by family and friendship drama, Josie discovers an extraordinary ability: she can physically enter the books she reads. Each new story offers her a chance to be a different person, from a post-apocalyptic heroine to a rom-com lead, allowing her to escape her reality and find new ways to feel important. The book explores themes of identity, resilience, escapism, and the power of storytelling, all wrapped in a humorous and fast-paced narrative. Parents should be aware of mild themes related to a parent's implied mental health struggles and the protagonist's feelings of loneliness and failure, which are handled with sensitivity.

From bestselling author Shannon Hale comes Kind of a Big Deal: a hilarious, deliciously readable YA novel that will suck you in—literally. There's nothing worse than peaking in high school. Nobody knows that better than Josie Pie. She was kind of a big deal—she dropped out of high school to be a star! But the bigger you are, the harder you fall. And Josie fell. Hard. Ouch. Broadway dream: dead. Meanwhile, her life keeps imploding. Best friend: distant. Boyfriend: busy. Mom: not playing with a full deck? Desperate to escape, Josie gets into reading. Literally. She reads a book and suddenly she's inside it. And with each book, she’s a different character: a post-apocalyptic heroine, the lead in a YA rom-com, a 17th century wench in a corset. It’s alarming. But also . . . kind of amazing? It’s the perfect way to live out her fantasies. Book after book, Josie the failed star finds a new way to shine. But the longer she stays in a story, the harder it becomes to escape. Will Josie find a story so good that she just stays forever?