Code Red by Joy McCullough

Code Red Reviews

• 
  Laura

  A little book with a big message: dignity and accessibility for all menstruators. Eden, a middle school student who recently experienced an injury to end her gymnastics career, feels unwanted and purposeless in her life. Her father is a pilot who travels the world and her mother, a CEO for a period products company, is constantly unavailable. But when she finds out about how many people struggle to access period products, she finds not only purpose but friends that she finally feels close to. Unfortunately, taking legislative action against businesses that your mother is the CEO of is certain to cause problems…
  
  I liked the book as a whole and I liked the action items at the end, especially with follow up resources. I think it was nice to focus on the importance of using the word menstruators. Even though passing legislative action is a big undertaking, it didn’t feel like an unrealistic story, especially how it ended. My only complaint was that I felt the small addition of drinking was unnecessary, especially because it ended up in the last 20 pages of the book. Overall, though, Code Red is a great book for kids who want to learn more about equity, advocacy, and making a difference in their community.
• 
  Cathy

  Are You There God It’s Me Margaret for a new generation! I very much enjoyed this middle grade novel that explores period poverty and gender inclusivity without being heavy-handed about it. Also a touching story of how complicated friendships can be at that age.
• 
  Rebecca Reid

  Code Red by Joy McCullough (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, June 2023) tackles and important issue: period poverty and menstrual inequality. I never had considered these issues in the USA! Menstruators (people who menstruate, which includes trans men, since they are biologically female) around the world do not have materials for managing periods, and so menstruation becomes a life-altering difficulty. Code Red takes this to the middle school level with a likeable character, Eden, who learns about these inequalities in her own community for the first time.
  
  Eden has spent most of her life as an elite gymnast, on track for Olympic fame. After an injury makes Olympic dreams impossible, Eden decides to end her gymnastics training. Without hours of gymnastics, Eden finds herself adrift. Then, after an embarrassing school situation, a new friend helps Eden learn about the very real issue of period poverty. Along with her friend Maribel, Eden becomes quickly involved in the menstruation movement to support women menstruators by providing free tampons and pads to those who need them. She jumps into activism.
  
  This is all an interesting and important concept for middle grader readers to learn about, but the entire book fell flat with me. Eden’s mother is a self-made CEO of a company (MySecret) that produces period products, like tampons and pads. MySecret would be negatively affected by Eden’s activism, since the proposal would tax large companies such as MySecret in order to fund pads and tampons in schools. Yet Eden gained no understanding of the impact of her activism on her mother, her mother’s company, and her own lifestyle. Eden’s upbringing has been quite privileged, and so in some respects, her quick shift to activism did not feel realistic. In all of her years doing gymnastics, had she never noticed how rich she was?
  
  Eden’s relationship with her CEO mother also felt unrealistic to me. There was evidence of a relationship of some kind, such as time together on weekends, but the text claims they were very distant. Her mother is now suddenly interested in Eden, when apparently she never had been before. Meetings still keep her from engaging in Eden’s life, but she cares enough to track her phone to see her location. Further, in the end when her mother sees how devoted Eden is to the cause, she completely changes her business strategy to meet Eden’s desires. Their relationship was not clear and didn’t feel realistic, from beginning to end.
  
  Finally, I did not like that Eden spends a good portion of the book working behind her mother’s back, without her permission, in order to continue her activism. Although these plot points set up a situation for Eden to make a difference and take charge in her new life, I’m not a fan of characters in middle grade books disobeying parents in order to do what they want. A tween reader is immature, and books like these may give them ideas that disobedience is okay when the cause is a good one. That’s not a decision I want my eleven-year-old daughter making. Not even my 13 year old!
  
  I understands that the “ends justify the means.” Eden’s purpose is a good one. Middle grade readers will learn about a real issue and may be inspired by Eden’s activism. But Eden’s story felt like too much of a shift from where she had been to where she ended up. It’s hard to believe that her mother (even a not-very-attentive one) wouldn’t have conveyed to her daughter some of the business sense that Eden was now learning on her own, actively working against her mother’s company.
  
  I read a digital review copy of Code Red.
• 
  Melanie Dulaney

  7th grade Eden has led a very privileged life, one that has always revolved around her dream of succeeding at the highest levels of gymnastics competition. Her single mom provides very well for her physical needs and wants but is so focused on her highly successful business in menstrual products that she neglects Eden’s emotional needs. An accidental partnership against a school bully results in Eden and classmate Marisol both being suspended. The two girls strike up an instant friendship and Eden discovers another mom-driven enterprise, a local food pantry with additional services provided to those struggling financially. While helping at the food pantry during their suspension, Eden sees for herself that food is not the only thing that is lacking in many homes; so are menstrual products and this lack keeps some home from school, not being able to work, not to mention the shame that can accompany the unavailability of adequate hygiene items. Eden is drawn to the issue and finds that her attempt to get an initiative passed to tax companies in order to make menstrual products puts her in direct opposition to her mother company goals. Disobedience, emotional turmoil, and struggles to find her niche and new friends become issues for Eden to resolve and readers will find their eyes opened to a real life hardship experienced by menstruators the world over. I found this book to be quite a page turner and it raised questions in my own mind about ways to combat the problem. Clearly, periods, menstruation and a wide variety of products used during menstruation are front and center of Joy McCullough’s book and librarians should be prepared to address the immature fallout that may follow its circulation.
  
  Representation: great economic and ethnic diversity among the characters, one key player is transgender and a supporting character identifies as non-binary and uses they/them as their pronouns. Family compositions are also varied with several single parent homes as well as those that are traditional 2 parent households.
  
  Target audience: grades 5 and up
• 
  Ms. Yingling

  ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central
  
  Eden's mother is very busy with her company, MySecret, which produces period products, but makes time to come to Eden's school for career day. Unfortunately, after her visit, some kids in her school give her a hard time. Eden is already struggling since an injury ended her gymnastics career, so when Graham gives her a hard time in the hallway, there is a tussle. Another student, Maribel, steps in. Graham falls, and ends up in urgent care with a broken wrist. Maribel's mother comes to the school to meet with the principal, but Eden's mother is in a meeting. Because of the nature of the injury, both girls are suspended. Maribel's mother takes the girls to the drop in center she runs, Casa Esperanze, and puts the girls to work until Eden's mother comes to pick her up. Eden's mother doesn't say very much, but when Eden locks herself out of the house the next day while walking her dog Blizz, she decides that Eden can't stay home alone. Soon, she's hanging out with Maribel and helping out. She meets Raven, who runs a period equity charity, and her son Will. Eden has gotten her first period and was saved by one of Raven's reusable pads, so she is interested in sewing some herself. Her mother liked to sew back in the day and is glad to share an interest with Eden, so breaks out the old sewing machine and gets her started. Eden is looking for ways to fill her time since she isn't doing gymnastics, and helps out with the play that Maribel is doing at school. When Maribel's older sister mentions some political action groups she is working with, Eden is very interested in the initiative to tax corporations so that free period products can be stocked at schools and food pantries. Her mother is NOT happy with this idea and thinks it is embarassing that Eden is actively working against her. She grounds Eden, who sneaks out anyway to participate in a flash mob to raise awareness and get volunteers to help get petitions signed. Her mother is angry, but eventually the two come to an understanding, and her mother's business even supports some of the period equity initiatives.
  
  Eden's growth spurt led to difficulties with gymnastics and an injury; like Maisie in Day's The Sea in Winter, Eden has lost part of her identity as well as a way to spend her time. Adults tend to forget how integral a part of tweens identiy sports can be. It was good to see Eden making new friends as she pursued new interests, but also to see how she tried to maintain a relationship with her friends from gymnastics. The portrayal of a busy mother who has procedures for meals and care and even spends some time with her daughter but also isn't emotionally present as much as her daughter wants is interesting.
  
  This was on trend with many topics; Will is a trans boy, which leads to discussions that period products are not for girls and women, they are for "people who menstruate". Middle school students today are quite open about discussing menstruation, which is such a change from when I was growing up. There is also a lot of interest in social justice and equity, so this was an interesting look at period poverty and different initiatives to provide period products to a wider range of menstruators.
  
  This is a great choice for readers who liked Evans' Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins, Harrington's Revenge of the Red Club, Schneemann's and Williams' Go With the Flow or Salazar's The Moon Within or Calling the Moon: 16 Period Stories from BIPOC Authors.
• 
  Beth Mendelsohn

  Eden, a former elite gymnast, is back at middle school after a career-ending injury. To make matters worse, her mother, the CEO of MySecret, maker of feminine hygiene products, has just spoken to her class for Career Day. Mortified, she is confronted by Graham, who she tries to ignore, but when he gets in her face, Eden pushes back. At the same time, Maribel witnessing what happened, pulls Graham away from Eden. Graham is hurt and both girls are suspended. Because her mother works long hours, Eden starts volunteering at the food bank/community center that Maribel’s mother runs. It is there that Eden gets her period for the first time and all her products are at home. Fortunately for Eden, one of the other volunteers sews reusable pads and gives one to Eden. This opens Eden’s eyes to period poverty and she gets involved with the movement. This starts to cause friction between Eden and her mother. Will they be able to find a middle ground?
  
  This coming-of-age book is like Judy Blume for this generation. It focuses on the challenges people who menstruate face – lack of access, affordability, etc. I liked that someone as young as Eden can get involved in social justice and activism. Recommended for grade 4 and up.
  
  #CodeRed
  
• 
  Renata

  hm on one hand I'm like "MG and YA books are getting too long, we need more short ones" but then I'm like "this one is maybe too short for all the concepts it wants to pack in here!" I loved all the individual pieces of it and I think there's a lot of great info in here but then I think some of the character/relationship development suffered a bit for it. I've seen it listed as a modern companion to
  Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (I've listed it that way myself before I read it) and I think...that's maybe not quite right, despite the obvious connection of periods. You're SO in Margaret's head and she's such a full character in a way that Eden isn't quite to me. But still: a lot to like here.
• 
  Miriam

  I really liked this book. It's about friendship, bullying, and helping others. More importantly, it's a very positive book about menstruation and period poverty. I learned a ton reading this short book. It's for people of all ages and sexual orientation.
  
  Reading this well crafted story, you'll be tuned into not just poverty and the need for food banks, but the need for feminine hygiene products. The characters talk about the bills that provide these products for free in schools and places of worship, but sadly, the funding to provide the supplies is often lacking. When you donate to the food bank, think diapers, formula, and now period products.
  
  I wish the author had provided more references and links in the back of her book.
  
  Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH)
  http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.
  
  
• 
  Brittney Lyon

  This will be in my best middle grade stack for 2023!
  
  Set in Seattle 🫶🏻 our main gal Eden finds herself with a sport injury and unable to continue with her rigorous gymnastics lifestyle. Her Mom is a CEO for a period product company and her Dad is off in the air being a pilot. She find herself alone most of the time until one day she makes friends with Maribel… and is introduced to the community where Eden finds her found family.
  
  As an adult I took so much away from this book. I feel like the generation of kids today will DEVOUR it! With topics of social justice and equality I think this book will spark great conversations about period poverty in our own communities and what can be done. An eye opening novel that has characters I fully felt invested in within pages. I would love to hangout with the crew at Casa Esperanza or go to a sew-along at Ravens house!
  
  Thank you to the publisher for this gifted copy!
• 
  Suzy

  This is such a great book to learn more information about period poverty and how we need to do a better job of making sure everyone has access to period products.
  Eden is a great character, she is learning more about herself and how to stand up for herself. She thought her life was going to go one way, but is learning to deal with a new path and new friendships.
  I liked that her mom is a big period mogul, but still doesn't understand about everything and the need for period products everywhere.
  I liked that Eden is able to help and make her voice heard and help her mom see where she is coming from.
  A great read for anyone and everyone.
  
  Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
• 
  Dorothy Pierce

  I loved the characters in this book - and although the topics are menstruation, activism, gymnastics and even musical theatre, I felt that this was about young people and their complicated relationships with the world. It was about learning to differentiate from your parents and being introduced to new ideas. And, I feel like that has a much broader appeal than saying it is a book about menstrual equity. It is a book about people.
• 
  jaycee

  This was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read it now!!!!!!!!!
• 
  Madeline

  Solid 4.5. Review to come.
• 
  Sarah Threlkeld

  Loved everything about this book, from the characters to the activism angle to the Seattle setting, which actually feels authentic since the author lives there. Highly recommended!
• 
  Kelly

  I wish this book had been around when I was younger. I learned so much. Thank you to Joy McCullough for writing this eye-opening book. I hope to see more and more like it!