Ready or Not! #1 (Abby in Between)

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Author(s)

Megan E. Bryant

Publisher

Penguin Workshop

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

February 15, 2022

ISBN

978-0593226520

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From prolific author Megan E. Bryant comes the first book in a young middle-grade series about nine-year-old Abby, a girl trying to grapple with all the chaos that can come from growing up.

For nine-year-old Abby McAdams, everything seems to be changing.

Her cousin and best friend, Zoe, has moved across the country, her mom is going back to work, and Abby is stuck in the only after-school activity still available--running--which she absolutely loathes. Her perspective on the world is changing, too, after an encounter in her community sheds light on the issue of homelessness in her town. On top of everything, sudden changes in Abby's body mean she has to deal with things like deodorant, bras, and uncomfortable conversations. And without her best friend by her side, she's not sure she can handle it all.

She's not a grown-up yet, but she definitely doesn't feel like a little kid anymore. She's Abby, in between.

Ready or Not! is an accessible and positive exploration of the early stages of puberty, and is the perfect pairing to nonfiction guides like The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls.

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1 review

Life is What You Make of It

January 11, 2026 (Updated: June 04, 2026)

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Characters

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“Abby in Between: Ready or Not” by Megan E. Bryant will keep readers engaged and flying through the pages to learn what happens to main character Abby.

While Abby is happy with her life, it’s about to throw a wrench into the works. Her best friend and cousin, Zoe, is moving to California while Abby is staying in North Carolina with her family. It seems like the universe is working against them. They can’t imagine what their lives will be like without having each other so close by.

When Zoe moves, Abby feels lost. Her parents sign her up for a running club, but she doesn’t want any part of it. She’s also dealing with new feelings and physical changes, brought about by puberty, and she worries about how this is affecting her and her relationships with others. Making it harder yet is that Zoe doesn’t seem to want to talk about it with her, and Abby can’t figure out what that means. She feels like Zoe is drifting away, but she’s not ready to let her go yet, despite the physical distance between them.

Abby pours herself into school and trying to spend time with her dad to avoid the running club, but she soon discovers that the parts of her life she has most been trying to shut out may just be the parts that are going to help her move forward.

There are moments of sadness mixed in with moments of pure happiness and sunshine—what every young kid, and adult for that matter, most wants. Abby’s life, while not perfect, shows how a child’s life can change quickly, and how friends, parents, and others can often help keep them grounded. Readers will walk away from this book feeling excited to see where Abby will go next.

Good Points

Abby’s life, while not perfect, shows how a child’s life can change quickly, and how friends, parents, and others can often help keep them grounded. Readers will walk away from this book feeling excited to see where Abby will go next.