The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter

Because of school redistricting, shy Theodosia “Bunny” Baxter starts seventh grade at a different middle school than her best friend Alex. Practicing deep breathing techniques to calm her nerves, the redheaded, bug-loving tween attempts to go unnoticed (like “a tiny, tiny ant”) but gains notoriety on her first day due to separate incidents involving a cute boy named Kyle and Paige, a bully who mockingly dubs her Bug Eater and wonders aloud about Bunny’s feelings around being adopted. While relaying woes about mean peers to her father, his offhanded comment—“kids with discipline problems can be sent to an alternative school”—inspires Bunny to concoct a plan: she’ll get herself expelled, mistakenly believing that she’ll be transferred to Alex’s school. Bunny soon dedicates herself to troublemaking, even as she starts making new friends. This heartfelt tale by Roberts (A Rose Named Peace)—distinguished by a distinctive, layered cast with authentic-feeling motivations and relationships—nimbly explores subjects such as the ecological importance of pollinators alongside a fine-tuned emotional exploration of adoption. Main characters cue as white. Ages 10–14. Agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. (July)