A bully, a wedding, and a larger-than-life family add up to a hilarious and heartfelt middle-grade novel.
Mary Margaret Miller is going to be a junior bridesmaid--that is, if she isn't grounded for the rest of her life. She's feuding with school bully Brent Helzinski, and her cousin Eden, aka The Bride, is clashing with her grandmother about wedding plans. Mary knows it's her job as a junior bridesmaid to make the day run smoothly, but she sure could use a little help from above.
Praise for A Patron Saint for Bridesmaids
A Wisconsin Library Association Notable Book
"Mary's engaging first-person narrative takes place in the lead-up to her cousin's wedding, with intermittent flashbacks to her conflict with the bully, and culminates with the big day. Mary is perceptive and goofy and even keeps a journal of all the patron saints she prays to for all the different people and situations in her life. With a boisterous, multigenerational family and touching themes of tolerance, there's a lot to like here, and fans of feel-good stories will be delighted." —Booklist
"Tougas keeps the narrative just light enough for her target audience of middle graders...Wedding-prep comedy balances serious questions of morality in this sweetly perceptive book." —Kirkus Reviews
"Hand this to tween readers who crave sweet and innocent realistic tales." —School Library Journal
"An energetic, absorbing read...Readers looking for a lighthearted summer read about faith, family, and figuring out who you are in the midst of a lot of noise will enjoy this." —Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books
"Is there a Patron Saint for smart, funny, touching narrators? If there is, this book's narrator- Mary Margaret Miller - must have a direct line. Mary is a first-class storyteller with a wonderfuleye for detail, a wicked sense of humor, and a tender and searching heart. I love her, and I love this book." —Sheila Turnage, author of Three Times Lucky
"Is there a Patron Saint for reading? I hope so because this book is SWEET, FUNNY AND CHOKE FULL OF GOODNESS." —Lisa Greenwald, author of My Life in Pink and Green