Check Out My New Book Review ~ Being Middle (is a great place to be) By Author Lori Orlinsky PLUS A Giveaway! #BeingMiddle ~

This post is sponsored by Lori Orlinsky. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Being Middle (is a great place to be)

Written by Lori Orlinsky

Illustrated by Vanessa Alexandre

Ages: 6-10 | 24 Pages

Publisher: Yorkshire Publishing (2025) | ISBN: 978-0881441055

Publisher’s Book Summary: Life as the middle child feels cramped and unfair, but one girl discovers that the best things in life are found in the middle.

Being Middle is a heartwarming and playful picture book that celebrates the special role of middle children in family dynamics. With lyrical rhymes and relatable scenarios, it captures the ups and downs of being caught between a big sibling and a little one. From sharing cramped car rides to getting only hand-me-downs, the story explores challenges with humor and honesty—while ultimately revealing why being in the middle is something to treasure.

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lori Orlinsky is a multi-award-winning, bestselling children’s book author and journalist who resides in Chicago. The second book in the Being Me series, Being Middle is designed to show kids that their differences are actually their superpower. While Lori isn’t a middle child, she currently has her hands full raising one.

For more information, check out loriorlinskyauthor.com.

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MY REVIEW

I have fallen in love with Being Middle by Lori Orlinksy as it is the perfect book for so many! This charming picture book speaks directly to the often overlooked middle child. Inspired by the author’s own daughter Ellie—“sandwiched between two sisters”—Lori Orlinsky wanted to give voice to the very real feelings middle children experience of being unseen or squeezed out.

The story introduces us to Ellie, the middle child, through heartfelt rhymes. She grumbles about hand-me-down shoes, being called the wrong name, and feeling overlooked—but it’s her caring mother who reframes the narrative with poignant lines like:

“There’s a sis to look up to and one who looks up to you.”

That metaphor, along with likening the middle role to the beloved center of an Oreo, brings humor, sweetness, and perspective that readers will appreciate.

I have to stress that the book is not only beautifully written, but the illustrations are everything too. Vanessa Alexandre brings Ellie’s world to life with vibrant, expressive illustrations….Pouts, eye rolls, and cozy family scenes are drawn with warmth and relatability, perfectly complementing the emotional arc of the story.

Being Middle (is a great place to be) is a tender ode to middle children—a group too often left out of stories. I love the way that this one is written as I love reading rhyming style stories with my kiddos as they truly enjoy reading them out loud. It is a precious story in which the heart of the story shines through: you are seen, you do matter, and being in the middle carries its own special magic. With empathy, warmth, and whimsy, Lori Orlinsky brings middle childhood into the spotlight.