By: Kiri Jorgensen
Format: Available in Paperback, ePub, and MOBI
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Perfect
Saloma Hammond is not your typical 12 year old.
Sal counts her steps between classes, wears a school uniform that isn’t required, and prefers to stay locked inside her tightly controlled OCD world. But when the lure of the perfect snowflake entices her to join the Weather Club, her anti-social shell begins to crack. At the same time, dozens of phones have gone missing, and her classmates are getting suspicious.
If Sal can unlock her pattern-driven mind to identify the workings of the real thief and then set an irresistible trap at the Science Fair, she may just learn how powerful friendship can be.
Meet Kiri Jorgensen, the author of Perfect
SageReads –
PERFECT is a powerful and heartwarming story about discovering snowflakes, friendship, and oneself. I love the main character, Sal, a courageous young lady who finds a way to use her unique gifts and talents to benefit those around her. As an added bonus, I learned a bit about snowflakes and snowflake photography–fascinating! I could not stop turning the pages and highly recommend this book.
Andrea Christen –
I started this book before bed and all of a sudden it was way too late for me to be up still reading. Sal’s view of life was both intriguing and unique, but her understanding of the world was so interesting that I couldn’t put the book down. The Weather Club was a group I wanted to be a part of, and Sal’s approach to the mystery was ingenuous. PERFECT is a combination of a middle school survival/ Hercules Poirot mystery with a twist of snow science. Plus, instead of dreading another snowfall, this book helped me look for the small beauties in the weather.
Betty Vanderwielen –
Perfect is a perfectly wonderful read.
Sixth grade Sal has her OCD perfectly under control at school. The key is to make herself invisible, someone who cares about no one and whom no one cares about. If some deviance from the regular order of things appears, she can control her reaction by squeezing the little wooden block she always keeps in her pocket. She can steady her breathing and heartbeat. She can count steps or objects; counting helps steady her. Jorgensen does a great job of portraying Sal, without making her someone to be pitied or who requires special treatment.
But when her science teacher shows photos of snowflakes to the class, Sal is immediately and irrevocably hooked. Her desire to learn more about the practically perfect crystals means she must join the school’s Weather Club and interact with its members– radical deviations from her routine and the safety of invisibility. Jorgensen deftly handles her character’s progress along that sometimes turbulent path. Sal becomes stronger and more confident throughout that journey. She even manages to channel her OCD affinity for patterns into a way to trap the thief who has been stealing student phones and the school’s electrical equipment.
Without a doubt, Perfect is an affirmative book for youngsters with ODC or those who are differently abled. It is also a wonderful book to help middle grade students learn the value of people who think or act differently from themselves.
Susan Phelan –
I knew who Sal was from the first paragraph. Her voice is so clear and consistent; it was a joy to get inside her head. Her learning curve/the plot was both believable and satisfying. I put the finished book down with a smile on my face. Worth the read. I was given a free copy for an honest review.
Susan Reimer –
Perfect by Kiri Jorgensen is a story of wonder and mystery told from the perspective of a unique and relatable sixth grader who slowly allows change into her carefully ordered world and finds friendship and beauty.
Tiffany Blanchard –
A sweet. delicate story about a girl discovering ways to use her unique gifts to make her world better. I loved Saloma’s relationship with her dad, who understands her when no one else can. I also loved the sprinkling of science.
Tessa –
Wow! Just finished this book and it was amazing. This is an excellent book both for kids who love mysteries and for those who don’t. There was a mystery in it (a very well plotted mystery) but it wasn’t the focus of the book. The focus of the book was the character development of the 12 year old main character, Sal. Kids who are a little (or a lot) OCD as well as those who are shy or socially anxious will relate to Sal. And those who aren’t may be able to empathize better with socially anxious and shy siblings/classmates after reading Perfect. Also, as a parent, I appreciated that there was no questionable language or themes. Very fun read!
Jennifer Clower –
Love the positive storyline that focuses on teamwork, friendship and moving past your difficulties to succeed. Love that the main character has disabilities and she finds a way to overcome/succeed with them. So refreshing to have a clean and positive story for this age range. I enjoyed it as an adult and I am sure my kids will enjoy it too.
dasanders.is –
I really enjoyed this book and I think it can be an encouragement for kids who feel different or imperfect. Sal (or Saloma) has lived with OCD and hearing impairment by keeping “rules” and rituals, avoiding people and situations outside her comfort zone whenever possible.
Sal believes if she can be “invisible” and uninvolved in school she will be safe from anxious thoughts and encounters. But, when Sal sees an amazing snowflake photograph in her science class she is captivated by the perfection and patterns of snowflakes. Sal’s intense interest makes her brave enough to step out of her tight rules and comfort zone.
I cheered for Sal as she widened her world little by little, pushing the boundaries of her self-imposed rules and learning she could handle new things and people. She goes through struggles, confusion, and disappointment, but there’s also success and friendship. Sal begins to realize it’s okay to be herself even with her imperfections.
There’s some great science about snowflakes and weather that’s woven throughout the story. And, there’s a bit of a mystery that’s solved because of things Sal notices due to her OCD that others do not.
Well written and a good read!
tdauthoress –
I really enjoyed this story, even as an adult! Sal is relatable and has faults, but overall she’s a good kid who is trying to navigate her world in a way that feels safe and comfortable. As she learns, I found myself cheering for her and her friends, and I was genuinely surprised by the resolution of the mystery. I would highly recommend this for middle grade readers, but before you gift it you might want to open it up yourself!
Beth Nieman –
“Perfect” was a wonderful reading experience for me. Saloma Hammond (Sal) is a 12-year old is wrapped up in her anxieties due to having OCD. It’s emotionally difficult for her to let other people into her world.
Sal takes a step way outside her comfort level when she accepts an invitation to an after-school weather club, where she learns about snowflake photography. Instantly drawn to their exquisite patterns, she wonders: could there be such a thing as a perfect snowflake? And, if so, could she find it and photograph it?
A series of thefts at the school requires that Sal learn to trust her fellow club members–now her friends–more than she ever thought she could.
I liked the age-appropriate approach the author used as she wrote about a troubled person at Sal’s school, as well as the loving family ties portrayed in the Hammond family. Having known a person diagnosed with OCD, I thought the portrayal of Sal herself was sensitive and truthful. I also thoroughly enjoyed learning something new about snowflakes!
Highly recommended for individual readers, but this would also make a wonderful classroom or home school read-aloud. The author, herself a snowflake photograper, includes photos and science information at the back of the book which was really interesting–it made me curious about the topic. (Note: the lovely cover art shows examples of the author’s snowflake photography, too.)
Amanda C. –
What a delightful read! I really enjoyed this story about a 6th grade girl named Saloma (Sal for short) who has disabilities (OCD, hearing impairment) and is trying to navigate friendships. As a mom of special needs children, I really connected with this book and its characters; I especially loved the relationship that Sal had with her father. He gave her the love and understanding she needed but also knew how to give her an appropriate challenge. The snowflake science and how it related to Sal’s personality and struggles was well thought out and gave me lots to think about even after I finished reading the book. The characters are engaging, there is good suspense in the plot and lots of room for rich discussion. I would highly recommend this book for kids to read or even as a family read aloud.
I received a free copy from Chicken Scratch Books, however my review is voluntary and my own opinion.
Joanna –
My daughter loved this book. I appreciate good literature, aligned to my values and the learning experience that comes with it for young girls. Recommend for sure.