The Other, Better Me by Antony John

The Other, Better Me

by Antony John

From the critically acclaimed author of Mascot comes this heartfelt novel, perfect for fans of John David Anderson and Cammie McGovern, about a girl searching for the meaning of family.

Lola and Momma have always been a team of two. It hasn't always been easy for Lola, being one of the only kids she knows with just one parent around. And lately she's been feeling incomplete, like there's a part of herself that she can't know until she knows her dad.

But what will happen-to Lola, to Momma, to their team of two-if she finds him

Reviewed by Baroness Book Trove on

4 of 5 stars

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I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The Other Better Me by Antony John tackles a lot of touching topics that not, in my experience, kids know about these days.

Is finding her dad a good thing for Lola and her mom?


Lola Harmon


Lola is a ten-year-old girl living in a single-parent home that is a mobile home. She has no clue who her dad is and wants to find out. Lola thinks this will make her feel complete, and maybe her mom will be happy again. The only problem is that momma and the other adult characters are trying to keep Lola from getting hurt. Her teacher gave the class an assignment for called The Other Me and is what starts it all. Now, Lola is finding herself, but instead of opening the letters right away, she has decided to take the mature route and wait.

The Community


The community of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is a slew of characters including Lola's best friends Nick, Kiana, and their families have all these things that no one is aware of, like: Mallory, the bully who might have more going on than Lola or the others think. Then Momma being ill throughout most of the book, to the owner of their mobile home across the street that takes care of Lola after school. There are a lot of people in Lola's life who have helped shape her into the little ten-year-old girl that she is today. Lola has a lovely group of people that care for her and are there to help her figure things out.

Four Stars


The Other Better Me by Antony John is a great book to help kids understand what others are going through around them. Like, why is that quiet kid near the back always so calm and mean? Or is she doing that to mask her pain? Do you know what the one sitting behind the one hiding her pain's home life is? There is a lot to consider when trying to figure out who your classmates are as a little kid. This book is so worthwhile for middle school kids.



Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Other Better Me by Antony John. 

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

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  • 28 September, 2019: Reviewed