Description

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"Real, relatable, and fully dimensional, Marianne is a main character you will root for with all your heart." —Dan Gemeinhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Children

In this poignant middle grade novel, a struggling student joins her school's celebrated quiz team in a bid to avoid failing eighth grade.

Marianne Blume has always known she’s not smart.

After years of trying and trying at school, she’s mastered the art of getting by on a combination of luck, deflection, and her winning personality—that is, until she lands in the classroom of Mr. Garcia. Suddenly she’s at risk of flunking his class, repeating the eighth grade, and getting left behind by her best friend, Skyla. To receive much-needed extra credit and get into high school, Marianne makes the desperate decision to join her school’s Quiz Quest team, only to find out that her teammates have problems of their own—and that they need to win for her to get the credit.


Now Marianne will need to try—like, actually try—for the first time in her life, while also helping her teammates pull it together. Can Marianne learn to be smart? What does it mean to be “bright,” anyway? And will she be left in eighth grade forever?


Brigit Young (The Prettiest) has written an empowering story about bucking labels, overcoming preconceptions, and learning to hold your head—and hand—up high.

About the Author

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Brigit Young was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is the author of the middle grade novels Worth a Thousand Words, The Prettiest, and Bright. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughters.

Praise For…

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"An absolute honor to record this REMARKABLE book, which is a true gift to everybody who has ever felt like they weren't smart enough or couldn't keep up in school. BRIGHT is a gem of a book that brought tears to my eyes!" —Mara Wilson, actress, playwright, and author of Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame

"Real, relatable, and fully dimensional, Marianne is a main character you will root for with all your heart." — Dan Gemeinhart, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Children

"A winning story about persevering and being enough. I fell in love with Marianne – my heart broke for her even as I was cheering her on. I wanted to wrap her in a hug and tell her to believe in herself. Friendship and heart make Bright a touching and joyful read." -Debbi Michiko Florence, author of Keep It Together, Keiko Carter

"[A] pitch-perfect narrative... A winner, indeed, especially for readers who question their own worth." —Kirkus Review

"[A] thoughtfully rendered novel that... organically explores concepts of what it means to work hard and be smart through Marianne’s realistically bumpy arc." —Publishers Weekly

"A gentle reminder that not everyone is who they seem and a great pick for middle-grade readers searching for where they belong." —Booklist