Mustaches for Maddie

Maddie is a normal twelve-year-old girl. Well, except for the fake mustaches she carries in her pocket. She likes to make people laugh and slapping on a mustache, especially a fuzzy pink or neon green one, always gets a smile. Maddie hopes that the class queen, Cassie, will find her mustaches as funny as she does and want to play with her at recess. She's been self-conscious lately because her right arm only feels normal when it's curled against her chest and she's constantly tripping over her feet. But that's probably just part of growing up and not something weird, right?

When Maddie's arm continues to bother her, her parents take her to a doctor who gives them a shocking diagnosis: the cause of the abnormal behavior of her limbs is a brain tumor and she must have surgery to remove it. She's understandably afraid as he describes the procedure, but knows she must find a way to be brave and must face her fears--all of them--at the hospital, at home and at school.

She will need all of her courage not only to face her illness, but also to face Cassie at school. Both Cassie and Maddie are auditioning for the same role in the school play, but when Cassie accuses Maddie of lying about her tumor in order to get attention, Cassie's bossiness turns into bullying.

And as Maddie's surgery approaches, she begins to worry more and more about the outcome. What if something goes wrong? What if the doctors don't get all the tumor out of her brain? What will happen to her family? What will happen to her?

It will take all of Maddie's vibrant imagination, a lot of kindness-both given and received-and of course, the perfect mustache to overcome the tough stuff ahead of her.

My Review

Mustaches for Maddie is a wonderful treasure of a read! Instantly, I fell in love with Maddie. Her attitude towards life was infectious. Plus, I loved how she could turn any situation into a "mustache" situation. As Maddie states "imagine a pig with a mustache or a woman singing opera with a pink mustache". That is where the photo booth is so popular at events. Which Maddie was right to say think that mustaches make any situation funnier as well as people. Take Groucho Marx for example. He was a pretty funny guy who also was famous for his mustache.

Maddie was so brave when facing the diagnosis of a brain tumor as well as surgery and the recovery. Although, her family were pretty great too. I appreciate the authors sharing their daughter's story. I mustache this book so much!