For the child navigating the complex social landscape of middle school, this book offers a funny, relatable look at friendship, fitting in, and being true to yourself.
A parent should reach for this book when their middle schooler feels invisible, overshadowed by others, or is grappling with the pressure to present a perfect image online. The Real Us follows Cal, a quiet girl with two popular older sisters, who starts an anonymous blog to expose the fake social lives of her classmates. The blog goes viral, forcing Cal to navigate the consequences of her secret, the ethics of online life, and the true meaning of friendship. Written with humor and heart, this story is perfect for kids 9 to 13 who are learning to balance their online and offline identities. It’s a great tool for starting conversations about self-acceptance, honesty, and the courage it takes to be your authentic self in a world full of filters.
The book deals directly with social anxiety, the pressure to conform, online ethics, and cyberbullying (though mild). The approach is secular and grounded in realistic, contemporary middle school life. The resolution is hopeful, as the protagonist learns to value her own voice and repair relationships through honesty, promoting a message of self-acceptance and responsible digital citizenship.
Ideal Reader
A 10 to 12-year-old who feels like they are on the outside looking in, perhaps one who is navigating their first real experiences with social media or feels overshadowed by siblings or friends. It is especially suited for a child who enjoys humorous, diary-style narration but is ready for themes with more emotional depth.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold, as it's very accessible. However, a parent might want to be prepared to discuss the ethics of anonymity online. A good conversation starter would be: "When does observing and writing about people become gossip?" The book provides a great, low-stakes entry point to this complex topic. A parent hears their child say something like, "Everyone's life on Instagram is so much better than mine," or notices their child is anxious about what to post or how others will perceive them online. The trigger is a child struggling to distinguish between curated online personas and real life.
Age Experience
A younger reader (9-10) will latch onto the humor, the secret identity plot, and the relatable friendship drama. An older reader (11-13) will more deeply appreciate the commentary on social media's impact on self-esteem, the nuances of Cal's ethical dilemma, and the challenge of crafting an authentic identity both on and offline.
What Makes It Special
While many books cover middle school friendships, this one's unique strength is its direct focus on the tension between a curated online persona and a person's authentic self. The anonymous blog is a modern, highly relevant plot device that sets it apart from more general stories about fitting in, making it a perfect mirror for the specific social pressures kids face today.
Read plot summary
Cal feels overshadowed by her two older, popular sisters. To process her feelings of invisibility, she starts an anonymous blog called "The Real Us," where she writes honest, and sometimes snarky, observations about the social hierarchy and fake personas at her middle school. The blog becomes an unexpected sensation, but its popularity creates real-world consequences, straining Cal's friendships and forcing her to confront the ethics of her secret and the challenge of embracing her own identity.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Cal started her blog to feel seen. Do you think writing 'The Real Us' ultimately helped her find her voice, or did being anonymous make it harder for her to be herself in real life?
2
When new student Hannah arrives, she doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks. How did her attitude and friendship influence Cal's decisions and her feelings about the blog?
3
Cal’s posts were observations, but they sometimes felt like gossip and hurt people's feelings. Where do you think the line is between sharing your thoughts and hurting others, especially online?
4
The book is called 'The Real Us.' What do you think Cal learned about her own 'real me' by the end of the story? What does being 'real' mean to you?
5
If you could start an anonymous blog about something you felt passionate about, what would it be? What would be the good things and the risky things about writing it?
