The Everybody Experiment - by Lisa Moore Ramée (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Eleven-year-old Kylie's friends seem so much more mature than she is. And with middle school just a summer away, she's worried her friends might leave her behind, especially because she keeps embarrassing them. So Kylie applies her scientific brain to solve the problem and comes up with the Everybody Experiment. Hypothesis: Kylie Stanton will be mature if she does what everybody else does. Experiment: This summer, when all of Kylie's friends do something, she will do it, too. Suddenly it's a whole new grown-up world for Kylie, with parties, unsupervised excursions, and boys. But the more research Kylie puts into the Everybody Experiment, the more she begins to wonder how she can do what everybody else does--without letting go of herself"--

Book Synopsis

From the award-winning author of A Good Kind of Trouble, Lisa Moore Ramée, comes a hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age middle grade novel, in the vein of Judy Blume, about friendship, fitting in, and the ups and downs of middle school. Sure to resonate with fans of Rebecca Stead, Meg Medina, and Kelly Yang. Now in paperback!

Eleven-year-old Kylie's friends seem so much more mature than she is. And with middle school just a summer away, she's worried about navigating friendships and being left behind, especially because she keeps embarrassing them.

So Kylie applies her scientific brain to solve the problem and comes up with the Everybody Experiment:

Hypothesis: Kylie Stanton will be mature if she does what everybody else does.

Experiment: This summer, when all of Kylie's friends do something, she will do it too.

Suddenly it's a whole new grown-up world for Kylie, with parties, unsupervised excursions, and boys. But the more research Kylie puts into the Everybody Experiment, the more she begins to wonder how she can do what everybody else does . . . without letting go of herself.

Praise for The Everybody Experiment:

"Kylie is an endearing, relatable protagonist readers will root for...heartwarming and empowering." --Kirkus Reviews

"A meaningful and methodological story of friendship, family, and finding one's own voice." --The Horn Book

"Ramée's middle grade novel is well paced, traversing Kylie's summer with ease and dipping the reader into pivotal moments." --ALA Booklist

• The Everybody Experiment: When Kylie applies her scientific mind to the problem of fitting in, her hypothesis is simple: just do what everybody else does. But the results are more complicated than she ever imagined.
• Peer Pressure: From parties to boy-talk, Kylie's summer is suddenly a grown-up world of new experiences. But following the crowd means she might be losing the person who matters most--herself.
• Finding Your Voice: A heartfelt and hilarious story about embracing who you are, even when you feel like a "human water fountain," and learning that true friends don't ask you to change.
• Summer Before Middle School: Perfect for readers who know the anxiety and excitement of leaving elementary school behind and facing the great unknown of seventh grade.

Review Quotes

Praise for MAPMAKER: "Readers will be absorbed as they explore fantastical worlds through his curious and enthusiastic eyes. An exciting and imaginative read." - Kirkus Reviews

"In an ambitious fantasy, Lisa Moore Ramée [explores] themes of gender norms and racism through a fantasy adventure with friendship elements. A creative story of embracing one's prowess." - Publishers Weekly

"Ramée's fast-paced debut centering on a Black protagonist engagingly leaves gaps for the reader to fill in with their own creativity and imagination, and themes of pushing against gendered expectations give the story emotional weight. A perfect fit for fans of Kwame Mbalia's Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky." - Booklist

PRAISE FOR SOMETHING TO SAY: "A timely, entertaining, unforgettable story about family, friendship, and finding your voice." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A meaningful and methodological story of friendship, family, and finding one's own voice."--Horn Book Magazine for The Everybody Experiment - Horn Book Magazine

"A coming-of-age novel full of social anxieties, tween introspection and concerns, and realistic friendships and family experiences, Ramée's middle-grade novel is well paced, traversing Kylie's summer with ease and dipping the reader into pivotal moments, breaking them down scene by scene to help the reader live in Kylie's feelings."--Booklist on The Everybody Experiment - Booklist

"Kylie is an endearing, relatable protagonist readers will root for... heartwarming and empowering."--Kirkus on The Everybody Experiment - Kirkus Reviews

PRAISE FOR A GOOD KIND OF TROUBLE: "Full of heart and truth, A Good Kind of Trouble has all of the making to be this generation's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Much like Cassie Logan, Shayla's experiences, pitfalls, and triumphs will inspire young people for years to come. It is a well-written page turner with a voice that stays with you long after you put the book down." - Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give

"Something to Say is an ode to family and friendship, a call to action, all housed in a story about a girl who finds the courage to face her fears and use her voice to speak up about the people and places that matter to her most. With tenderness, wit, and charm, Ramée creates unforgettable characters that readers will no doubt relate to and root for." - Renée Watson, author of Some Places More Than Others

"Ramée effectively portrays the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement and the difficulty of navigating complex social situations while conveying universal middle school questions about friendship, first crushes, and identity. Shay's journey is an authentic and engaging political and personal awakening." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This is a compelling story about friendship, fighting for what you believe in, and finding your voice. A first purchase for middle grade collections." - School Library Journal (starred review)

"Reminiscent in writing style to works by Lauren Myracle and Jason Reynolds, this novel [shows] Shayla's typical middle school problems, then switches to the very specific problems she faces as a young black girl in America...[For] middle grade readers who aren't yet ready for Thomas's The Hate U Give." - School Library Journal (starred review)

"Shayla navigates the world of middle school and the troubled world beyond with wit and endless heart. A timely, funny, and unforgettable debut about friendship, facing your fears, and standing up for what's right." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Ramée creates a number of convincing characters with depth and individuality.... This satisfying novel revolves around civic engagement, family relationships, and an unexpected but ultimately welcome friendship." - ALA Booklist

"Shayla's narration is both sympathetic and acutely realistic... this is a sensitive exploration of contemporary racism and inequity for a readership not ready for Thomas' The Hate U Give." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"This is an exciting adventure full of friendship and heart with a likable nerdy-Black-kid protagonist.... Readers will enjoy the well-drawn characters as well as the fantastical landscapes and imaginative creatures in Walt's magical world." - Horn Book Magazine

"In her first fantasy for young readers, Lisa Moore Ramée puts her distinctively authentic tween characters into a world where magic glimmers underneath the surface, creating an inventive fantastical adventure that explores the many ways to be tough and how powerful having a big imagination can be." - Anne Ursu, author of The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy

"Shay's voice is so genuine -- she practically walks off the page. This is an important book, and an incredible debut." - Erin Entrada Kelly, Newbery Medal-winning author of Hello, Universe

"Gripping from the opening line, A Good Kind of Trouble is a tender, insightful, and unique look at what it means to stand up for what you believe in and be brave. Shay is the type of heroine who inspires us all to take a stand." - Jay Coles, author of Tyler Johnson Was Here