Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun and funny look at tween's family and friendships.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
CHICKENPOX is the story of 12-year-old Abby, the oldest of five kids in a family living in Indonesia in the 1990s. Abby's younger siblings are always in her way, ruining her stuff, and getting her into trouble. All Abby wants is to spend more time with her friends, away from the younger kids, doing the things she wants to do without interference. But when all five kids come down with chickenpox, they have to quarantine at home for 10 whole days. Abby's not sure she can take it, and she's also not sure her friends will still be there for her when she finally goes back to school. How long can Abby last before she starts bouncing off the walls?
Is It Any Good?
This is a lively and colorful look at family and friendship with a lot of big kid and tween appeal. Chickenpox has plenty of potty and gross-out humor that kids this age love, as well as the confusing, changing friendship dynamics that come along with early middle school. The colorful, cartoon-y drawings add a liveliness that keeps the pages turning. Although Abby learns important lessons about communication and the value of family and friends, as a character, she feels more like a type than a real person. And even though it's an entertaining, fun read, the story doesn't have much genuine heart.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Chickenpox shows what having the virus is like. Have you ever had chickenpox, or do you know someone who has? What do they say it was like? What did you learn about it from reading this book?
How does communication help Abby understand and empathize with her siblings?
Do you have siblings, or a big family? How true to life is this look at family life?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Remy Lai
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , History , School ( Middle School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date : January 14, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 240
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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