Friday Memes: The Thing about Leftovers by C.C. Payne

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

The Thing about Leftovers by C.C. Payne. 281 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, July 19, 2016. 9780399172045.

Publisher synopsis: C. C. Payne intertwines heartache with humor and hope in a novel about navigating divorce and blended families, following your passion, and celebrating who you are. 

Fizzy is a good Southern girl who just wants to be perfect. And win the Southern Living cook-off.The being perfect part is hard though, since her parents’ divorced and everything in her life has changed. Wary of her too-perfect stepmom and her mom’s neat-freak, dismissive boyfriend, she’s often angry or upset and feels like a guest in both homes. She tells herself to face facts: She’s a “leftover” kid from a marriage that her parents want to forget. But she has to keep all of that to herself, because a good Southern girl never yells, or throws fits, or says anything that might hurt other people’s feelings—instead she throws her shoulders back, says yes ma’am, and tries to do better. So Fizzy tries her best, but it’s hard to stay quiet when her family keeps getting more complicated. Fortunately, the Southern Living cook-off gives her a welcome distraction, as do her new friends Miyoko and Zach, who have parent issues of their own. 

With the poignancy and humor of Joan Bauer and Lynda Mullaly Hunt, this poignant story reminds readers that they have a right to a voice, that it is okay to say how you feel, and that some leftovers are absolutely delicious!

First line: There is nothing worse than leftovers, except school leftovers, which are so bad they should be called something else - leftunders maybe?

Page 56: 
     "It's Parent's Night at school," I reminded her.
     "Oh, right. Keene and I will pick you up from your aunt Liz's right after work," Mom said.
     "Why?" was the word that tumbled out of my mouth, as in Why would Keene come? He wasn't my parent. He wasn't anybody's parent.
     "For Parent's Night - isnt' that what we're talking about?" Mom gave me a quick hug and headed for the stairs before I could think of anything to say.