The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter by Barbara Carroll Roberts: Review
Welcome to my review of The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter by Barbara Carroll Roberts! I’ve been trying to include more middle grade books in my reading, so this book came at the perfect time.
Title: The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter
Author: Barbara Carroll Roberts
Genre: MG Contemporary
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books
Pub Date: 07/22/25
Description
Bunny Baxter thinks nothing could be worse than starting seventh grade at a school where she knows no one. But after her first day, she realizes things can actually get much worse.
If Bunny Baxter were an insect, she’d have so many ways to slip through seventh grade unnoticed. But she’s tall instead of tiny, has flaming red Medusa hair instead of camouflage, and she suffers from social anxiety, which makes it hard to be part of a swarm. Worst of all, she’s been redistricted to a new middle school away from her best friend who she could always hide behind when her anxiety got the best of her.
The first day at E.D. Britt Middle School does not go well. Bunny trips on the steps, falls into the cutest boy in the school, and causes a kid domino pile-up. At lunch, she unintentionally causes an uproar in the cafeteria, which lands her and another girl in the principal’s office. Bunny decides there is only one option: to get expelled so she can transfer to the school her best friend attends.
She soon discovers that it isn’t that hard to get in trouble—don’t turn in your homework, walk around the track instead of run in P.E., pretend you deliberately hit someone with a badminton birdie. What isn’t so easy for Bunny is realizing she now has a reputation as a troublemaker. And even more confusing, when it looks like her plan to get expelled might work, she’s no longer sure what to do.
The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter is a heartfelt coming of age story about an insect-loving girl who is learning to grow into herself—quirks and all.
Review
The Metamorphosis of Bunny Baxter was an encouraging read. Although I hate insects with a passion, I liked that Bunny was so passionate about them and making sure they were able to thrive. Her appreciation of bugs combined with her anxiety made for a bumpy road of adjusting to a new school and making friends though.
Bunny goes about things the wrong way for a lot of the book, which causes strain between her and her classmates and teachers, but when her mindset shifts, beautiful things are able to happen and her relationships are able to deepen. I loved the conversations around adoption and how Bunny processed her place in her family, especially when others didn’t understand it. This book does a great job at showing a realistic way to make amends and is a great read for kids experiencing bullying, for kids with unpopular interests, and kids who are adoptees.
*Thank you to the publisher for the finished copy. All opinions are my own.*
Author
Barbara Carroll Roberts’s debut middle-grade novel, Nikki on the Line, was a finalist for two state children’s book awards and made numerous best-of-the-year lists. Her nonfiction picture book, A Rose Named Peace, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, a Texas Topaz Award winner, and received a starred review from School Library Journal. She grew up in northern California and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. She has two grown children and now lives in Virginia with her husband, two cats, and one very goofy springer spaniel.
Where to Buy
Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
