I could empathize with a character who is judged for not feeling the intense range of emotions that are expected out of teenagers, because I felt a lot of pressure to feel and act this way when I was a teenager. Though it did fall victim to some of the cliches of teen fiction (eating disorders, unrealistically 'quirky' characters, and an ending right out of a terrible Little Miss Sunshine-esque feel good movie) for the most part I found the plot realistic and the characters endearing, especially the main character, Ingrid. But, an adult author who I admire said positive things about it and Andrea Seigel in general, so I decided it would be a good choice for this assignment. I usually find YA books unrealistic, cliched, and boring. For one thing, I hate almost all the YA fiction I have ever read. I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It all comes to a conclusion at a somewhat unorthodox wedding, where for the first time the cousins are no longer seated at a separate kid's table. Along the way her quirky cast of cousins develop and recover from eating disorders, try to get their parents to 'out' them, and swim naked at a family barbecue. The book follows Ingrid and her flirtation with Trevor, Brianne's boyfriend, over the course of a number of family events. From this point forward Ingrid's actions are judged with intense scrutiny by her family, especially after she laughs audibly at her uncle's heartfelt speech. It is here that Ingrid's older cousin Brianne, a psychology major, wonders aloud whether Ingrid might be a psychopath. The story opens at the Bar Mitzvah of their uncle who has decided to convert to judaism.

It follows her and her five cousins who have been sitting at the 'kid table' during family functions for as long as they can remember. The story follows the main character, 16-year-old Ingrid Bell, through different family events over the course of a year or so. It was published in 2010, and there is talk of a possible movie adaptation, produced by Ivan Reitman. The Kid Table is Andrea Seigel's third book and her first for young adults.

The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel