Happy Saturday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for A PERFECT MISTAKE! I’m so excited because today I have an interview with Melanie Conklin to share with you PLUS my Top 5 Reasons to Read A Perfect Mistake! This book is truly amazing and I’m so excited to for you to find out more about it!
A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin Published on July 12, 2022 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Genres: Contemporary, Middle Grade, Neurodivergent, Mystery
Pages: 272
Source: the Publisher
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Author Links: Website, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, Tumblr
Max wishes he could go back in time to before he was diagnosed with ADHD, before he grew to be the tallest kid in his class, and before he and his best friends went into the woods in the middle of the night. Max doesn’t remember what happened after he left his friends Will and Joey and the older kids who took them there. He’s not sure if he wants to remember. Knowing isn’t going to make Joey talk to him again, or bring Will out of his coma. When the local authorities run out of leads, Max realizes that without his help, they may never know what really happened to Will. Charged by the idea that he may be the key to uncovering the truth, Max pairs up with classmate and aspiring journalist Sam to investigate what really happened that night. But not everyone in the community wants that night to be remembered.
A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin!
- more neurodiverse middle grade titles please!!!
- middle grade mysteries are FUN!
- male friendships are important!
- “for fans of Rebecca Stead and Erin Entrada Kelly” is a group that so many kids fall into!
- dealing with serious topics without being too heavy is a difficult balance, and this book nails it!
What would you do if you spent the day with Max? Where would you go to eat, hang out, relax, etc.?
A day with Max would definitely include a trip to the arcade! Following a humiliating loss at Pacman for me and a redeeming Tetris win that Max would accept with good humor, we’d probably grab some empanadas and churros from the local empanada shop and eat them on the walk home. Max’s town is modeled after my own town of South Orange, NJ, which is lovely and walkable, with sidewalks on every street and adorable gas lamps lining the roads.
If Max were to hang out with other fictional characters, who would they be and why?
This is such a great question! When I think of who Max might hang out with, I tend to think of other city kids who live in similar ways, like Miranda from When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead or The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser. These kids are also used to roaming the streets and navigating all of the challenges that come with that kind of early independence. They would definitely get into some trouble together and have a few adventures.
If there was one fictional place you could travel to for a day, where would it be and why?
As an avid reader, I’ve often imagined myself in fictional settings, and the fantasy settings are definitely ones that appeal, but in this case I’d like to visit the word that Rita Williams Garcia created in One Crazy Summer. This book (and series) showed me what the Black Panthers were all about and opened my eyes to the ongoing struggle for racial justice in America. It’s a critical book for white readers to experience and learn from today, as those struggles for justice continue for the Black community.
If you buried a time capsule with three items inside, what three items would you choose and why?
I have actually buried a time capsule before! The trouble is, I forgot to mark the location, thinking at ten years old that I would always remember exactly where I put that old lunchbox. Unfortunately, my parent’s house is surrounded by woods and the trees have changed a lot over thirty years! I no longer remember where my time capsule is, but inside was a drawing of a horse, a friendship bracelet, and some candy that has probably crumbled to dust. Today, I’d choose a special rock (I love rocks!), a pressed flower from my garden, and a hand-written note to put in a time capsule. Written notes are always miraculous to rediscover years later.
What was your favorite bit of research you ended up not using?
I did a lot of research to write this book, largely on ADHD and our evolving understanding of this type of neurodiversity. There were so many ADHD facts I wanted to weave into the story, but only so much would fit. My favorite bit of ADHD knowledge that I ended up not using is regarding Rejection Sensitive Dypshoria (RSD), which is an overwhelming emotional sensation that a person may experience in response to an actual or perceived rejection or criticism. I showed Max experiencing this feeling when he makes a new friend and anticipates that friend rejecting him, but I didn’t get to spell out the terminology. While researchers are still studying the connection between RSD and ADHD, understanding the condition can be helpful in learning how to regulate your emotions.
What is your favorite quote, scene, or moment from A Perfect Mistake?
My favorite scene from A Perfect Mistake is a spoiler, but it involves Max revealing a very deep and meaningful insight to his mom. I’m the mom of two teenage boys, and I live for these kind of moments, when we relate to each other as humans and make new connections as a team. Family is very important to me, so I enjoy showing all of the different ways we learn and grow together, which is not always easy, but is always rewarding and fulfilling.
About Melanie Conklin
Melanie Conklin grew up in North Carolina and worked as a product designer before she began her writing career. Her debut middle grade novel, Counting Thyme, is a Nerdy Book Award winner, a Bank Street Best Children’s Book, winner of the International Literacy Association Teacher’s Choice Award, and a finalist for the Missouri Mark Twain Book Award, the Iowa Children’s Choice Award, the Illinois Bluestem Award, and the Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award. She is also the author of Every Missing Piece, A Perfect Mistake (2022), and her picture book debut, When You Have to Wait (2023). When she’s not writing, Melanie spends her time doodling and dreaming up new ways to be creative. She lives in New Jersey with her family.
What do you think about A Perfect Mistake? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!
I’m super excited to read Melanie’s book. I’ll have to see if I guess her favorite scene. Natalie @ Literary Rambles.