Messy
#2 of 2 in Spoiled Series
on Goodreads (2,069)
What’s inside...
Sometimes life gets Messy.When sixteen-year-old Brooke Berlin catches a taste of fame and her movie-star father's attention, she decides it's time to take her career to the next level--by launching a blog that will position her as a Hollywood "It Girl" who tells it like it is. But between schoolwork, shopping, and spray-tan appointments, she hardly has the time to write it herself...Enter green-haired outsider Max McCormack, an aspiring author with a terrible after-school job pushing faux meat on the macrobiotic masses. Max loathes the celebrity scene almost as much as she dislikes Brooke, but wooed by an impressive salary, Max reluctantly agrees to play Brooke's ghost-blogger -- and the site takes off. How long will their lie last? Can the girls work together to stay on top, or will the truth come out and ruin everything they've built?Along with an entourage of fame-hungry starlets, scruffy rocker wannabes, and sushi-scarfing socialites, the case of Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan's dazzling debut, Spoiled, are back for another adventure in Tinseltown.
Character compass
Max McCormack
Brooke Berlin
Molly Dix
Brick Berlin
Chaz Kelly
Jake Donovan
Discussion points
How did the main character's perspective on messiness change throughout the story?
Why do you think the author chose to show both the fun and the challenges of being messy?
What are some ways the characters solved problems together in the book?
Can you think of a time when you felt like the main character? How did you handle it?
What do you think is the most important lesson from this story?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to relate personal experiences to those of the characters, making connections between the story and their own life.
Ask open-ended questions that promote critical thinking and personal reflection, allowing your child to explore the book in depth.
Discuss the illustrations and ask your child how they enhance the story or contribute to the understanding of the book's themes.
Celebrate creative solutions by discussing how the characters handle messiness and what your child might have done in a similar situation.
Focus on feelings and reactions to the book’s scenarios to help your child express and manage their own emotions.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Embracing imperfection
Explanation: The story portrays the main character coming to terms with the chaos and untidiness in their life, learning that imperfection is natural and acceptable.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to accept their own and others’ imperfections and understand that not everything needs to be perfect to be valuable or loved.
Example Lesson: Creativity through messiness
Explanation: The protagonist discovers that with a mess, comes great creativity, using their imagination to create wonderful things from the chaos around them.
Real-World Application: This teaches children that sometimes, a bit of disorder is necessary to spark creativity, encouraging them to explore and innovate in their play and learning.
Example Lesson: Responsibility and clean-up
Explanation: After enjoying the messy adventures, the character learns the importance of cleaning up after themselves.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps instill a sense of responsibility in children, showing them the importance of taking care of their spaces and belongings.
Example Lesson: Accepting diverse lifestyles
Explanation: The book showcases various characters who all have different levels of tolerance for messiness, promoting acceptance of diverse habits and lifestyles.
Real-World Application: Children can learn the importance of respecting and accepting differences among peers and family members, fostering a tolerant and inclusive attitude.