The Littlest Bigfoot

Gr 4–6—Weiner's middle grade debut tells the story of Alice, a 12-year-old girl who is ostracized and bullied because of her larger size and unruly hair. Alice begins attending the rural, offbeat Experimental Center of Love and Learning—the eighth school to which her wealthy parents, who want little to do with her, have sent her—where she rescues an unusual girl named Millie from drowning in the lake. Millie is a young Yare, or what humans commonly refer to as "Bigfoot," but she is small and fascinated by human life, unlike the rest of the larger, stronger Yare in her tribe, who forbid her from interacting with "No-Furs," or humans. Alice and Millie quickly bond, but Millie is soon threatened when she is spotted by a painfully average boy named Jeremy, who hopes to carve out his own niche by discovering Bigfoot. Weiner's three young outcasts are well-developed as each seeks belonging, acceptance, and friendship. While Alice loathes her hair and size, Millie admires these attributes and insists Alice is beautiful and strong, and the novel concludes with a feeling of camaraderie and inclusivity as the teachers and students at the Experimental Center stand up for Alice and Millie. The epilogue leaves several unanswered questions, creating an opening for a sequel.