Tag: middle school

REVIEW: Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson

REVIEW: Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Emmie is a quiet, introverted 7th grader. She used to talk more, when her older siblings were at home. But since they left for college, Emmie’s gotten more reserved.

She has a best friend, but they don’t see each other much during the school day. So Emmie keeps her head down and focuses on her art. Drawing helps her with her lonely feelings and the knots she gets in her stomach at times.

When a note about her crush becomes public, Emmie wants to withdraw even more. What if he sees it? How can he miss it when it gets texted to everyone?!

Review

This was great. Emmie’s a terrific character. She reminded me of several girls I know – definitely on the quiet side (although the young ladies I know are more confident than Emmie and have bigger social safety nets). These things that Emmie goes through are pretty typical for middle school. I think most kids will be able to identify with the highs and lows of school at this age.

There’s an interesting twist to the story that I enjoyed. I won’t spoil it, but I would love to discuss it with some students and get their take on it.

Put this in the hands of kids who like books like Smile, Sisters, Roller Girl, Sunny Side Up, Real Friends and other books like those. They’ll feel right at home with Emmie!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Best. Night. Ever by Jen Malone (editor)

REVIEW: Best. Night. Ever by Jen Malone (editor)

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The middle school dance is a HUGE event for the seventh graders in this story:

  • Carmen is missing it – and the TV debut of her band, Heart Grenade – for a family wedding.
  • Genevieve is going to be the lead singer for Heart Grenade in Carmen’s place. And she’s terrified.
  • Ellie is going with a date.
  • Ellie’s soon-to-be step-sister, Ashlyn, is grounded, so she’s going to do Ellie’s babysitting gig so Ellie can go the the dance.
  • Ryan is there with his best friend, Mariah, but he wishes there was more between them. But she asked Leif to the dance instead.
  • Tess, the drummer for Heart Grenade and Mariah’s nemesis, also asked Leif to the dance. He said “whatever” to both girls which they took as “yes.”
  • Jade doesn’t even go to this school. But she thinks Heart Grenade stole her band’s chance at the Battle of the Bands. She’s at the dance for revenge.

Seven authors. Seven perspectives on one eventful night. All kinds of fun.

Review

So many of the authors for this book are MIX authors, and I have many of their books on my TBR. That made this a must-read for me, and I was not disappointed.

It’s not unusual any more to read books that tell one story from different perspectives. But this is different because 7 authors got to dig into one character each and tell that character’s version of this story.

There’s a lot going on in this story. There’s the band piece and the dating piece. Then there are the kids not at the dance and the things going on outside the school. And everything comes together so well!

I loved the characters. I think Ellie is my favorite. I would love more story from her perspective.

In general, I felt like the kids seemed like 15-year-olds more than 7th graders. At least. they didn’t “sound” or act like the seventh graders I know. But I think this story is a great bridge story that would work for upper elementary and middle school readers. The themes of friendship, family, and dating work for teens while also keeping things “clean” for younger readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Aladdin for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Real Us by Tommy Greenwald

REVIEW: The Real Us by Tommy Greenwald

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Middle school is all about looking cool, being popular, and fitting in.  And Calista is acing all three of those areas. She is a beautiful girl. She’s popular with teachers and students. Thankfully, she is also pretty sweet, and doesn’t use her popularity to manipulate or bully others. But even sweet girls can get used to the popularity that comes from being beautiful.

Then Calista gets a pimple. Pimples are par for the course in middle school, but this is Calista’s first pimple. And it shows up right before the big dance. But the pimple is only the beginning of Calista’s woes. Suddenly the perfect, popular girl is a mess. She’s not flawless any more. Her friends don’t defer to her. The boy she likes asks someone else to the dance. Nothing seems to go her way.

When her life doesn’t look like it used to, Callie rediscovers Damian, the sweaty guy she met when he was a new student, and Laura, her former best friend. Over the course of a week, these three will learn a lot about friendship and looking beneath the surface of the people around them.

Review

This seems like a simple story on the surface. I mean, it starts with a pimple! But the author does a great job of making this small thing – which is only the start of Callie’s problems – appropriately important for middle school social relationships.

And those relationships are complicated. The kids are three dimensional, even the secondary characters. I liked that Calista’s crew was so wishy washy about her situation. At times they had sympathy for her and other times they took advantage of her situation. It didn’t make them very likable, but it did make them realistic! I loved that the adults – the parents and the school staff – were supportive but also let the kids work things out appropriately on their own in a lot of ways.

I’ve enjoyed the author’s other work. This is a good addition to collections of his work and for upper elementary and some early middle school classrooms.

I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Roaring Brook Press in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Still a Work in Progress

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Noah is a 7th grader, navigating the ups and downs of middle school. Crushes, dating, school work, friends… family. And something is definitely up with Noah’s family. There’s the “incident” that no one will talk about, the family tension at meal times, and the sense that everyone is walking on eggshells. Noah feels most at home in art, doing sculpture. But that creative outlet may not be enough to help Noah through all that his 7th grade year will entail.

Still a Work in Progress

Review

Oh, this book. Noah is a fantastic character. I loved his honesty and loved how he tried to process all the things going on around him. The author does a great job of planting hints about what is coming. And she does it in a way that doesn’t diminish the emotion when it all becomes clear. The issue at the core of Noah’s family stuff is handled honestly and realistically. No quick fixes. No idealistic reactions. Things are raw and real – at a middle grade-appropriate level. This is a book I would read again and again.

Rating:♥♥♥♥♥