Book Review: Free Period by Ali Terese

Publisher’s description
This middle-grade Moxie centering period equity is Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret for the next generation!
Helen and Gracie are pranking their way through middle school when a stinky stunt lands them in the front office — again. Because nothing else has curbed their chaos, the principal orders the best friends to do the unthinkable: care about something. So they join the school’s Community Action Club with plans to do as little as humanly possible.
But when Helen is caught unprepared by an early period and bleeds through her pants — they were gold lamé! — the girls take over the club’s campaign for maxi pads in bathrooms for all students who menstruate. In the name of period equity, the two friends use everything from over-the-top baked goods to glitter gluing for change. But nothing can prepare them for a clueless school board (ew), an annoying little sister (ugh), and crushes (oh my!).
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
As Helen and Gracie find themselves closer to change and in deeper trouble than ever before, they must decide if they care enough to keep going . . . even if it costs them their friendship.
Amanda’s thoughts
8th grade besties and utter chaos monsters Gracie and Helen love pranks. LOVE them. They’re looking for an epic prank to finish off their middle school years. When it goes totally awry, their principal makes it clear she is just so over all of their hijinks. Punishments don’t work on them. They just don’t care. So, their principal decides, their punishment is to care. To do something that matters to the school community. They join the Community Action Club (I mean, chaos monsters like action. That’s gotta be something, right?) But oh no! Nemesis Madison is in charge! And Michael F., who Gracie has a little crush on, is in the group! And this is a group that seems about logical and quiet ways to ask for change. Asking the school board for help? No! Chaos monsters would rather superglue them to their chairs! Alas.
The two projects the club is working on: getting rid of plastic straws and a project for period equity. They’re asking for pads in all the girls’ bathrooms at school. Period products should be stocked in schools just like paper towels and toilet paper–-they are not a luxury item. They’re necessary for basic health and safety. Good thing Gracie has joined the group and is there to points out that girls aren’t the only ones who get periods and the school needs products stocked all bathrooms.
Thus begins not an epic prank, as they had so hoped to go out on, but an epic mission of caring and action. It’s full of plotting, action, and frustrations. There are boys who chant “catch your own blood.” There’s a dad who thinks period talk should only be done in bathrooms or outside. There’s a girl obsessed with twirling her baton. There’s bad influences and separations and punishments and food fights. And at the heart of it all are kids outraged that the best possible solution any adult can seem to come up with is to fundraise for this project. The group does not believe they should have to fundraise for such a basic request. But never fear, but the chaos monsters are here to shake things up. Thanks to some recreational math, words, schmooze, enthusiasm, and glitter brain, the Community Action Club will be heard no matter how much the school board (and parents and their principal and community members who feel their fundraising is “disgusting” and “corrupting” kids by exposing them to things they aren’t ready for) would like them to please just go away.
Every character in this story is dialed up to 11, which is amazing. The whole time I was reading this I kept wanting to interrupt people around me and be like, listen to how amazing this is! Oh my god! Where have these characters been all my life? Wait… do I miss middle school?!
Lots to think about here as the group tries to figure out the best way to approach a situation and get results. And for the chaos monsters, being sentenced to care turns out to be a truly life-changing punishment, one that, unlike all previous punishments, actually is meaningful and will stick with them.
An absolutely fantastic read about period equity, friendship, direct action, and good trouble.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher
ISBN-13: 9781338835830
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date: 03/05/2024
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years
Filed under: Book Reviews

About Amanda MacGregor
Amanda MacGregor works in an elementary library, loves dogs, and can be found on Twitter @CiteSomething.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
SLJ Blog Network
Name That LEGO Book Cover! (#60)
Review of the Day: The Five Sides of Marjorie Rice by Amy Alznauer, ill. Anna Bron
The Revenge of My Youth: Re Life with an Angelic Girl, vol. 1 | Review
Goodbye for now
When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?
ADVERTISEMENT