Happily, there are books that address such matters, allowing us all a window into the experiences of others.
Up until the birth of her baby brother, seven-year-old Myra was the youngest of two, but now she is in the new position of ‘middle child’.
Up until the birth of her baby brother, seven-year-old Myra was the youngest of two, but now she is in the new position of ‘middle child’.
It’s a bit of a nothing zone – a space where she's invisible, forgotten and not the ‘-est’ of anything. Myra’s not quite sure what her role is or where she fits anymore, only that she’s been relegated to the squashy middle seat in the car and she's been given the position of midfielder in her soccer team.
All the ‘little things’ that have been bugging her for a while start to build up. There’s the worry that she won’t be able to try out for the soccer team because her parents won’t have time to take her to training. The fact that her teacher continues to call her Laila, even though Myra and Laila look nothing the same. And the fear that her special time with her grandmother will have to take a back seat to the baby.
In her debut junior fiction, Seetha Dodd has captured the highs and lows of being seven and trying to find your place in your family and among teammates and friends. Through Myra’s day-to-day life, Seetha addresses many issues important to children of this age – the bond with a grandparent, sibling rivalry and standing out while also blending in. Of particular note is the way culture is seamlessly integrated as we discover a little about Malaysian-Indian culture through Myra’s grandmother Muthashi.
Peter Cheong’s illustrations are full of movement and expression, adding to the story rather than simply replicating it. Cheong also actively avoids the stereotyping we may have been subjected to in the past regarding the depiction of race and ethnicity in children’s literature.
The story question in Myra in the Middle is simple: how will Myra adjust to a new family member and her new position in her family? It’s an important question but it’s the other elements added by Seetha – Myra’s love of maths, the soccer angle and Myra’s relationship with her grandmother – that will allow all readers to see themselves in some way as they read.
I had many ‘favourite scenes’ in this story but if I had to pick one, it would be Muthashi’s comment about jelly slices. You’ll have to read the story to find out, though.
Title: Myra in the Middle
Author: Seetha Dodd
Illustrator: Peter Cheong
Publisher: University of Queensland Press, $14.99
Publication Date: 31 March 2026
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780702270994
For ages: 5 – 8
Type: Junior Fiction
All the ‘little things’ that have been bugging her for a while start to build up. There’s the worry that she won’t be able to try out for the soccer team because her parents won’t have time to take her to training. The fact that her teacher continues to call her Laila, even though Myra and Laila look nothing the same. And the fear that her special time with her grandmother will have to take a back seat to the baby.
In her debut junior fiction, Seetha Dodd has captured the highs and lows of being seven and trying to find your place in your family and among teammates and friends. Through Myra’s day-to-day life, Seetha addresses many issues important to children of this age – the bond with a grandparent, sibling rivalry and standing out while also blending in. Of particular note is the way culture is seamlessly integrated as we discover a little about Malaysian-Indian culture through Myra’s grandmother Muthashi.
Peter Cheong’s illustrations are full of movement and expression, adding to the story rather than simply replicating it. Cheong also actively avoids the stereotyping we may have been subjected to in the past regarding the depiction of race and ethnicity in children’s literature.
The story question in Myra in the Middle is simple: how will Myra adjust to a new family member and her new position in her family? It’s an important question but it’s the other elements added by Seetha – Myra’s love of maths, the soccer angle and Myra’s relationship with her grandmother – that will allow all readers to see themselves in some way as they read.
I had many ‘favourite scenes’ in this story but if I had to pick one, it would be Muthashi’s comment about jelly slices. You’ll have to read the story to find out, though.
Title: Myra in the Middle
Author: Seetha Dodd
Illustrator: Peter Cheong
Publisher: University of Queensland Press, $14.99
Publication Date: 31 March 2026
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780702270994
For ages: 5 – 8
Type: Junior Fiction