Thank you to NetGalley and Red Chair Press for allowing me to read a digital  ARC of Laura Wiltsie's "Emma Just Medium: The Beach Dilemma." This story follows Emma, a middle child, as she struggles with her status in her family and looks for ways to improve it. She has an older and younger brother who both annoy her, and this story represents the difficulties a middle child faces in families. The beautiful illustrations add depth to the story, and I highly recommend this book for young readers.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
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A trouble girl during the vacation, problems and problems because of being the middle sister. But something will change on her behaviour.

Wow i thought it was boring but i was bad, that was so fun, enjoyable and i need more books with these kinda style or story about the family or her. I liked how dad told her he is going to solve it, but it was funny because it wasn't at the beginning, it's almost the last day on vacation.

4.5

In this early chapter book, Emma is struggling being a middle child with an older and younger brother. The family is going to the beach for vacation. Emma doesn't like having to sit in the middle. At the beach, she tries to act older and then acts as a baby. She works to come to peace with her role in the middle.

This is one I read with my grand daughter. I am trying to develop her love of books and reading. she is only 4 but she was able to enjoy the illustration's and loved the characters. I will probably purchase this one as the digital version tends to split the display and that took away from our experience. it is defintely worth a read and kids from about 5 up will really love the storyline.

Loved it from start to finish!

There was a clear moral which older readers will gauge from the beginning.

A story many children will resonate with if they are middle children.

It goes through the trials and tribulations of how it feels and how to overcome feeling “just medium”.

Fantastic book with beautiful illustrations.

Tons of kid appeal here. Very strong character development for everyone, but especially the protagonist. Shows a healthy, happy black family with an emphasis on a loving black father. The prose is smooth and clear and the illustrations are expressive (especially love the textured curls of natural black hair). I think the similes stand out too - the idea that being the middle child is like being the cream in a cookie or the jelly in a donut, and the comparison to scooping up a toddler to scooping up ice cream.

Emma is the middle child, caught between her two brothers, whom everyone calls "Big" and "Little." Emma knows she's just medium, which is nothing special. On their annual summer trip to the beach, Emma comes up with a plan to change her status by changing her actions. Will this just cause more dilEmma's? Or, will is change Emma's life the way she wants it to?

This is a sweet story about self-acceptance and finding a place to fit in. The illustrations are gorgeous (though they sometimes ignore little details from the story - like Emma sitting in a booster seat in the car). I highly recommend this book for readers ages 5-9 and those with new siblings trying to adjust.


Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It's always hard being the middle child, but Emma is tired of being just medium! Her older brother, Big, used to be her best friend, but now he has no time for her at all. And her younger brother, Little, doesn't understand anything, because he is too young.

Meanwhile, Emma is stuck in the middle - not really fitting in anywhere, and not having her needs understood because they aren't as straight forward as the other two - or so it seems.

So when they go for a beach holiday with their family friends, the Farbers, Emma tries to address her dilEmma. She tries out various strategies to get what she needs. But things don't work out too well.

Besides, if she refuses to be a Middle anymore, where does that leave her best friend Wes, who appears to be quite content with his status as middle child?

Luckily, Emma has unexpected allies who will help her realise just how special she already is...

The Beach Dilemma by Laura Wiltse Prior is such a cute read with a beautiful story and stunning artwork. This brings back so many memories as just like Emma I was a middle child. I really enjoyed this book and have already recommended this to my nephews and niece.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this story in exchange of an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this story. Poor Emma is stuck in the middle. She's not big enough to do the things big kids get to do, but she's not little enough to do what little kids do. She's stuck in the middle.

I loved watching Emma's friend and family support her through her dilEMMA and her lead her towards acceptance. This was a great book for yound children without feeling preachy.

This book was so adorable, I loved everything about it, the illustrations were so well done, they suited the book perfectly, the story was amazing as well, even thought is very short I could really connect with the characters and feel theirs struggles.
I’m sure the kids are going to be just as enthralled with this amazing book as I was.
I will definitely recommend!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this early copy

Well illustrated children’s book. I particularly liked that if touched on self acceptance which ofcourse is important for any child!
Great book for any middle children!

I read this with my 10- year old daughter and we loved it. This is the perfect length for families with young children who want a shorter read aloud to start with. We loved how Emma tried out different positions in the family and realized her own place was the best one. It’s perfect for middle kids.

Emma Bemma is stuck in a dilemma. The middle child between her two brothers. Her younger brother is little, her older brother is big and she is "just" medium. Emma feels out of place as she is always stuck in the middle of everything. She is too little to do things "big" does and too old to get away with things that "little" does. It's frustrating and confusing.
Emma and her family set out on a family beach vacation where Emma comes up with a plan. She does not want to be "just" medium anymore. Emma decides to take on a new role. Will her changes wreak havoc or will the role she takes on be her best decision yet?

My Review:

A wonderful story about being the middle child. This book showcases the true feelings of some middle children and allows readers to understand and fall in step with the story.
Emma falls into some habits that are not necessarily good for her age by copying "little." She tries to copy "big" and realizes she is still too young to do some of those things. The author did a great job will real-life scenarios making the story relatable.
In the end, Emma finds out she is perfect just the way she is, and it's best just to be herself and not try to copy others.

"Emma Just Medium: The Beach Dilemma" is an exceptional children's book that captivates both young readers and adults alike. Laura Wiltse Prior weaves a heartwarming and relatable tale about the challenges of being the middle child.

The story revolves around Emma, affectionately called Emma Bemma by her family, who constantly feels like a dilEmma, overshadowed by her older brother, Big, and adored but mischievous younger brother, Little. Emma's struggle to find her place and be understood is a theme that resonates with children who face similar experiences.

The author skillfully explores the range of emotions experienced by a middle child, creating relatable characters that elicit both empathy and understanding. Emma's relationship with her Japanese fighting fish, Star, provides solace in her otherwise tumultuous world. The clever placement of Star's tank between her two brothers metaphorically represents Emma's position in the family dynamics.

While the primary focus is on Emma's personal journey, the story cleverly sneaks in an ecology thread. This subtle inclusion adds depth to the narrative, encouraging young readers to consider the importance of environmental awareness and preservation.

Laura Wiltse Prior's writing style is beautifully crafted, engaging readers from start to finish. The descriptive language and vivid imagery bring the story to life, captivating the imagination of both children and adults. The illustrations accompanying the text enhance the reading experience, complementing the narrative with their charm and visual appeal.

"Emma Just Medium: The Beach Dilemma" is a must-read for children who can relate to the challenges of being a middle child. With its relatable characters, emotional depth, subtle environmental message, and captivating prose, this book is a standout addition to any child's library. Laura Wiltse Prior's talent shines through in her writing, making this a delightful and memorable read for all audiences.

"This book was send by netgally for exchange for an honest review"

This was a cute read and quick read. Definitely seeing this book to help kids that are the middle child to here there voice, it remind me of episodes of Full House.

Very predictable didn't feel like the parents handle some of the issues the kids was having with each other. Then again that how some may handle it

Review to come at the end of July on my blog/goodreads.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

So I definitely had to click on the read now/request button because this one looked oodles of fun. I just adore Marta Kissi's art and a whole book with her illustrations? YES please!

This book is about Emma. Emma who is in the middle of her siblings. She has an older and a younger brother whose nicknames are Big and Little which is just perfect for them... but what about Emma? She is just Medium and as we see in this book she isn't too happy with that and is making a grand plan to do different this year. She is going to stop being Medium. I loved that plan and I also could understand it after reading several pages of this book. I don't know from personal experience as I am an only child. I was looking forward to seeing what Emma would do and how everyone around her would react. I won't spoil anything, but it was quite fun to see her try something else, though I also felt for her as things weren't easy.

I am glad that she eventually did play more with her friend from that vacation place, I was worried that in all her grand planning she was going to ignore him/not play with him. I get that he is also a Medium and she wants to be something different, but come on, you only see him so little, play with him! 

I loved seeing what the families did together. From just days at the beach to visiting fun places~ I would definitely have loved to be part of this vacation. Going to the beach for a week? Sign me up! 

I do would have liked to see the parents see Emma a bit more. Like in the restaurant. Great that your three-year old wants something, but that is an opportunity to just teach him no. You cannot just let your three-year old get away with everything at the cost of the two older ones. Because that is what kept happening. He wrecked something? Well, he just a tiny little baby he cannot help himself. No. At 3 years old you can at least try to teach him that there is something like no. That some things are just not good. Because now you have two older ones who just have to live with a wrecking ball that keeps crying if it doesn't get what it wants. 

I am happy that nearer to the end Emma was able to talk to her that and that apparently the parents have talked given the ending. That made me happy. I am still not sure about Emma's decision at the end though. Not going to say what, but it just didn't click for me after all that happened in the book.

The illustrations, well, they are awesome. I love the style so much!

All in all, I do hope that we get more Emma Just Medium books because this one was fun! I would recommend it~

I was initially drawn to the cover of Emma Just Medium, but immediately connected to this relatable story about a girl struggling to be the middle child. Emma is on her way to the beach to spend summer vacation with her family where she discovers that being the middle child isn't so bad after all. This book features so many important lessons, engaging characters, wonderful illustrations and will relate to so many children and families. Looking forward to sharing this fun read! Thank you Red Chair Press and NetGalley for the advance copy!

I enjoyed this short chapter book focusing on self acceptance. Emma Bemma starts out the book feeling not special because she is smack dab in the middle between her brothers, Big and Little.

I loved the problem solving Emma employed to fix her situation. She made made hypotheses and then followed through with plans to try and find where she fit in her family.

Her mom and dad noticed and help Rmma realize her special place in their family, right in the middle.

Should be a must read for any middle children!

I liked the premise of the story and hearing the perspective of a middle child. The protagonist in the story is in first grade, yet I don’t think this story is written at a first grade level. I know kids tend to prefer to read about kids that are older vs younger so I don’t know who would check this out of my library. Also, I wished for more plot. This book seemed lacking some excitement.