children's/teen middlegrade (grieving loss of absent mom)
Heartfelt, though forgettable story of a band geek and her friends uncovering the mystery that was her late mother in a smallish town. The Catholic school she attends is a normal school with a likeable and non-stereotypical nun/headmistress. ( )

Literary merit: Great
Characterization: Great
Recommend: Yes
Level: Middle School or High School

Confusion is nothing new by Paul Acampora

This was a delightful story about self-worth. Ellie Margari just found out that her estranged mother has passed away. The news comes with a box of items from her mother. Ellie has never been in contact with her mother. Instead of raising Ellie, her mother toured the world in a Cyndi Lauper cover band. Of course, Ellie wants to find out more information about her mother. As this quest plays out, she discovers that her friends are awesome. Her friends help her find information about her mom. (They even go to their public library to do research, YAY!) Ellie decides that it was her mother’s loss that she never had the pleasure of knowing her. ( )

Please see my review on Amazon.com under C. Wong. Thank you. ( )

Ellie Magari just learned that her mother is dead. Perhaps that would be sad if Ellie had ever met the woman. Exactly who was Ellie's mom? Does it even matter that she's gone? Perhaps a dead mom can still help Ellie figure out what it means to be a girl in the world today. Either way, Ellie wouldn't mind a role model beyond her master chef Dad. Fueled by the bighearted sounds of '80s rock and roll, plus large doses of Cyndi Lauper's girl-power joy, *Confusion Is Nothing New* is about friendship, family mysteries, and the perfect pizza. It's also about fathers and daughters and girls who understand that it's good to make things, but breaking things is okay too. In fact, sometimes breaking things is required. ** ### Review ** Praise for *Confusion is Nothing New*:** "The dry wit of Acampora's characters... and the love of '80s music permeating every scene give this story its rhythm and soul." -- *Publishers Weekly* "The idiosyncratic characters bring the story to life and the irrepressible humor… is laugh-aloud funny. A satisfying novel of loss, change, and renewal." -- *Booklist* "A multilayered and thought-provoking read that doesn't take itself too seriously." -- *Horn Book Review* **Praise for *How to Avoid Extinction*:** "Acampora tucks laughter, tears, light doses of life wisdom, impressive fossils, and any number of appealing characters into this amiable odyssey." -- *Booklist* "The transformative power of the American road trip is taken to new heights." -- *School Library Journal* "Some of the chapter headings are funny enough to convince people to read the book all by themselves. " -- *Kirkus Reviews* "Love plus laughter is pretty much an extinction-proof formula for a middle-grade book, and jokesters, dinosaur fans, and those looking for a satisfyingly hopeful family drama will find plenty to dig up and enjoy here." -- *Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books* ### About the Author














Paul Acampora has written three novels and people have said nice things about each of them. Kids, parents, and critics praise his work for its laugh-out-loud humor, rollicking dialogue, and heartfelt characters. He is the author of *Defining Dulcie*, which *School Library Journal* called "an inextricable mix of sadness and humor, sorrow and hope"; and *Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face*, which *Kirkus Reviews* described as "an outstanding, humane coming-of-age tale of loss, yearning and forgiveness," and *I Kill the Mockingbird* which, according to Booklist, is "[a] well-written, resolutely cheerful offering [which] celebrates books, reading, and life." You can find Paul online at paulacampora.com. ( )