Lydia and I were in eighth grade when we came up with our Grand Plan to go to cosmetology school and get jobs to build our clientele while we earned business degrees. Then we’d open our own salon . . .
Now Charlotte and Lydia are juniors, in a Cosmetology Arts program where they’ll get on-the-job training and college credits at the same time. The Grand Plan is right on schedule. Which means it’s time for Step Two: Win the Winter Style Showcase, where Cos Arts and Fashion Design teams team up to dazzle the judges with their skills. Charlotte is sure that she and Lydia have it locked up—so sure, in fact, that she makes a life-changing bet with her mother, who wants her to give up cos for college.
And that’s when things start going off the rails.
As the clock ticks down to the night of the Showcase, Charlotte has her hands full. Design divas. Models who refuse to be styled. Unexpectedly stiff competition. And then, worst of all, Lydia—her BFF and Partner in Cos—turns out to have a slightly different Grand Plan . .
Like 45 Pounds (More or Less), K.A. Barson’s Charlotte Cuts it Out is a funny, relatable story set in the heart of the Midwest, just right for girls who have big dreams of their own.
PRAISE FOR CHARLOTTE CUTS IT OUT “Readers will admire the hero’s gumption, grit, and moments of genuine kindness. . . . The upbeat, smooth-talking dialogue…moves the story along at a brisk pace.” --School Library Journal
PRAISE FOR 45 POUNDS (MORE OR LESS)
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year A Magnolia Book Award Master List selection (MS)
"With both humor and depth, the story of Ann's resilience, determination, and strength will inspire readers on their own journey toward a sparkly new life."--Susane Colasanti, author of Keep Holding On
"You'll love this book so much that you'll wish you had a friend like Ann."--Cynthia Leitich Smith, New York Times bestselling author
"Deliciously relatable, with a lot of laughter on the side."--Rita Williams-Garcia, author of Newbery Honor Book One Crazy Summer
* "Barson offers up a powerful and poignant novel about hope and love in the midst of common and controversial issues about weight gain, weight loss, and the ability to persevere despite our flaws and predispositions to 'eating,' or not eating, our emotions. It is a book readers will not want to wait to finish, and when it is done, they will pick it up again."--VOYA, starred review
* "Channels the voice of a real girl grappling with real issues."--Shelf Awareness, starred review
