You may already be a winner by Ann Dee Ellis

I am really struggling at the moment with suggested ages for many of the Middle Grade books I have been reading. The back cover of this book You may already be a winner suggests ages 10 and up but I feel it would better suit an older audience. Adding to my dilemma Kirkus suggest 8-12. I simply cannot imagine child in Grade 3 or 4 having any understanding or interest in this book. I was pleased to see Lamont books list this as a Secondary school title.

Having said all of that I did enjoy You may already be a winner and in fact I read the whole book in one sitting. Olivia is a day dreamer and her interspersed dreams make this a complex book to read because the lines between reality and her dreaming are often quite blurred. The Breakpoint review said "because of both the form and the content, some middle-schoolers may find it tough going."

In the opening scene Olivia imagines she has sunk to the bottom of the swimming pool, she has died and Troy, the lifeguard, rescues and revives her.  Troy, in her day dream, kisses Olivia. "Though I'd never been kissed, my soft mouth molded to his as he tried to breathe life back into my body."  This sentence alone gives me rise to recommend this book to 11+ along with the fact that Olivia herself is 12 years old.

Olivia lives in a trailer park with her mother and younger sister and a strange assortment of people on the edge. Her father has left the family supposedly to work Bryce Cannon National Park.  One strength in this story comes from the letters Olivia writes to her father pouring out her hopes and daily struggles. There is no money even though her mother is working long hours as a cleaner. They cannot pay day care fees for little sister Berkeley and so both girls are left at home. Olivia knows she is slipping behind with her school work but she tries to set up a daily routine of lessons, art and exercise.

Eventually the school authorities catch up with them. Berkeley cannot go to day care and so Olivia takes her to school and hides her in a supply cupboard. Olivia loves her little sister and she tries to hard to keep everything afloat.

"The bell rang which meant my next class was already starting which meant I wasn't going to get to check on Berkeley which meant she was going to be scared and what if she had to go to the bathroom and I had some crackers in my bag that I'd forgotten to leave with her and what if they'd found her because what if they used that closet even though it looked dusty and smelled like old rags and was clear out of the way but even though that, what if they found her?"

Read this review by Ms Yingling.  Here is a review with more plot details.

I would pair this book with Waiting for Normal - which had a more profound impact on me and Wish upon a Unicorn. You could also look for books by Jacqueline Wilson such as Lily Alone.