# Jawbreaker

**Author:** Christina Wyman
**Grade range:** Grades 3–7
**Age range:** 8–13
**First published:** 2023
**Page count:** 222
**Genre:** Middle Grade Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780374389703`
**ISBN-10:** `0374389705`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/jawbreaker
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Max has to wear an unwieldy headgear-and-braces contraption while dealing with a competitive sister and middle-school cruelty. Christina Wyman's middle-grade novel is a funny, real story about insecurity, family, and finding your voice. Nominated for the 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award (grades 3-5), administered by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians.

## Themes

- self-image
- family
- middle school

## Content notes

- bullying

## Where this book is assigned

### Garden State Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)

### South Carolina Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · South Carolina — [source: 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominees (South Carolina Association of School Librarians / studySC)](https://studysc.org/sc-book-awards/sc-childrens-book-award-2026)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · South Carolina — [source: 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominees (South Carolina Association of School Librarians / studySC)](https://studysc.org/sc-book-awards/sc-childrens-book-award-2026)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · South Carolina — [source: 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominees (South Carolina Association of School Librarians / studySC)](https://studysc.org/sc-book-awards/sc-childrens-book-award-2026)

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