The first chapter of Stuck in the Middle immediately sets the tone for this funny children’s book, and I was quickly amused by Leon’s very specific interests, like cat-themed music.
The story follows Leon, one of seven children in a loud, loving family where everyone seems to have a voice except him. With his best friend Jacob moving to Alaska, Leon being denied the chance to look after Jacob’s cat, Sable, and a new classmate, Victor, suddenly taking up everyone’s attention, Leon is having a pretty rough time.
I really enjoyed Leon as a narrator. He’s quiet, introverted, obsessed with cats and just wants a little space of his own, which is quite difficult when you share a bedroom and live in a house full of siblings.
I genuinely felt so bad for him at times, especially when it seemed like nobody was really listening to him or considering how he felt. His jealousy and frustration when Victor became the centre of attention felt completely understandable, and honestly, I was getting just as irritated as Leon.
Victor had some moments where I was just thinking, Victor, what are you doing?! The whole underwear incident in particular was so dumb, and I felt so bad for Leon having to deal with all of that. It was frustrating to see Leon constantly feeling pushed aside when he was already struggling with so much.
Although I could understand why Leon was so annoyed with him, I liked watching their friendship develop and seeing him realise that making room for someone new doesn’t mean losing his own place in the family.
Along with those learning lessons, there are plenty of chaotic family scenes, relatable sibling dynamics and funny moments that kept me entertained.
I also liked how the book explores homelessness, friendship, family dynamics and learning to accept others while still keeping things lighthearted. It did a good job of showing how someone can feel overlooked even in a family that genuinely loves them.
The ending was sweet and tied everything together nicely. It was great to see Leon find his voice and feel more understood.
Stuck in the Middle by Anton Clifford-Motopi is a fun, quick read with important messages about belonging, relationships, and being heard. I enjoyed the humour and the messy family dynamics. I felt frustrated for Leon quite a few times, but that only made me root for him even more. It’s a great pick for kids who enjoy funny stories about family, friendship and, of course, cats!
