Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code - by Bridget Farr

About the Book

"Margie Kelly's perfect skirt was dress-coded on her very first day of middle school. Upset and embarrassed, Margie spends the whole day wearing oversized gym shorts--so much for starting sixth grade with confidence! But when she realizes that the dress code is applied only to the girls and not the boys, Margie gets mad. Really mad. Something has to change--and Margie knows just how to do it. She'll plan a school-wide protest with her best friend Daniela and fellow classmates Jamiya and Gloria. Yet as Margie moves forward with her plans, she comes to realize some hard truths about herself. Will Margie recognize her own privilege and create meaningful change for all students?"--Back cover.

Book Synopsis

"Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code is fiercely smart, funny, and feminist. This thoughtful novel should be handed to every middle schooler." --Brandy Colbert, award-winning author of The Only Black Girls in Town

A timely and necessary novel about one girl's fight against gender inequality at her middle school and the lessons she learns along the way from rising author Bridget Farr--now in paperback!

Margie Kelly's perfect skirt was dress-coded on her very first day of middle school. Upset and embarrassed, Margie spends the whole day in oversized gym shorts, setting the tone for the whole day. Everything that could go wrong, certainly does! But when Margie realizes that the dress code is only applied to the girls and not the boys, she gets mad. Really mad. The dress code is keeping girls from learning. The boys act like they rule the school. And the teachers turn a blind eye. Something has to change! And then Margie comes up with the best idea. She'll plan a school-wide protest. As Margie moves forward with her plans, she comes to realize that her own privilege is part of the problem, and not everyone's voices are being heard. Will Margie make meaningful change for all students?

Review Quotes

"A fresh, feel-good story that will make readers cheer and appreciate the home and family they may take for granted."--School Library Journal

Praise for Pavi Sharma's Guide to Going Home: "Debut author Bridget Farr keeps the story moving swiftly, skillfully weaving in moments of tension that allow her diverse cast of flawed yet sympathetic characters to shine."--Publishers Weekly

Praise for Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code:
"Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code is fiercely smart, funny, and feminist. This thoughtful novel should be handed to every middle schooler."

--Brandy Colbert, award-winning author of The Only Black Girls in Town

"Engaging and relatable, Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code will inspire readers to stand up and speak out."

--Barbara Dee, author of My Life in the Fish Tank and Maybe He Just Likes You

"Margie is bright, earnest, and appealing, and the issues of dress codes and friendship conflicts will be relatable for many middle school readers. A thoughtful treatment of sexism and white privilege for tweens."--School Library Journal

"Told in a sympathetic first-person voice and featuring an ethnically inclusive cast, Farr's relatable story shows the pitfalls of failing to consider intersectional representation."--Publishers Weekly

"Well imagined [and] undeniable appeal."--Booklist

About the Author

Bridget Farr is an author, actor, and educator. She's been an elementary and middle school teacher her entire career, most recently a vice principal at an urban public school. She has a masters from the University of Texas at Austin. Bridget is also an actor and producer and has starred in award-winning plays, produced a popular theater series, and written a short film. She is the author of Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code and Pavi Sharma's Guide to Going Home. Bridget lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Shiva, and the neighborhood cat, Sherman.