I Am The Wallpaper

I AM THE WALLPAPER
By Mark Peter Hughes
Delacorte, 2005

Ever felt invisible? I have, and I think that is why I AM THE WALLPAPER resonated with me. The protagonist, thirteen-year-old Floey Packer, is a background girl: she blends in, is often overlooked, and never gets noticed … she feels like, well, wallpaper. Until her rotten cousins come to town and make her front page—web page—news. I think adolescents (and ex-adolescents) will recognize in Floey a lot of the joy, conflict, angst, and hope that makes growing up so … so … fun. Yep. Fun.

I didn’t plan this, but it is fitting that I read I AM THE WALLPAPER this weekend. Its author, New Englander Mark Peter Hughes, is launching a cross-country book tour (“two adults, three small children, one minivan, and a shoestring budget”) today. And he will be featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered” tonight. Check out his new blog or his website for more info …