Stuck in the Middle is a strong novel, delivering just as much humour and heart as Anton Clifford-Motopi’s debut To and Fro. This book follows Leon, who is dealing with being the middle child of seven kids. To make matters worse, his best friend just moved to Alaska and none of his family supports him looking after his cat. When a new kid, Victor, arrives at his school, Leon manages to make a new friend, but things take a turn for the worse when Victor starts spending more time with Leon’s family and Leon starts to feel like all his siblings like Victor more than they like him.

Leon’s struggle to find time alone to recharge in a full house is a painful situation all introverts can relate to. This story felt very true to life and deals with a lot of tricky emotions common for kids, such as jealousy, loneliness and frustration. Ultimately though, this is a book about having compassion and kindness for others, while also learning to assert your own boundaries – both in terms of friendship and with family. It’s perfect for kids aged 8+ who enjoy contemporary fiction.