Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth

Title: Kinda Like Brothers
Author: Coe Booth
ISBN: 9780545224963
Publisher: Scholastic
Released: August 26, 2014
Page #: 248
Source: My public library

Summary:
"It was one thing when Jarrett's mom took care of foster babies who needed help. But this time it's different. This time the baby who needs help has an older brother - a kid Jarrett's age named Kevon.

Everyone thinks Jarrett and Kevon should be friends - but that's not gonna happen. Not when Kevon's acting like he's better than Jarrett - and not when Jarrett finds out that Kevon's keeping some major secrets.

Jarrett doesn't think it's fair that he has to share his room, his friends, and his life with some stranger. He's gotta do something about it - but what?"
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First Lines:

"He's leaving.
Kevon.
He's in the corner of the room throwing stuff in that stupid army bag he got, trying to be real quiet."
Page 1
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Review:

I'm pretty much a fan of anything Coe Booth puts out there. This is no exception.

Jarrett's mom is known for taking in foster babies - at any time of night. So when one of those babies comes in with a little extra baggage (aka a big brother), Jarrett realizes that his life is about to change. He has to share everything and his mom expects he and Kevon to get along famously. That's just not the case. In fact, they butt heads at every turn. Neither of them like the situation, and Jarrett cannot wait to get his normal life back.

It's so refreshing to have this sort of middle grade book. It deals with so many issues and it seems like something many kids will be able to relate to. I think some of my favorite things were about the Center. I loved that these boys were doing a step routine, that the boys decide to take yoga, that Jarrett was learning to be a film maker... I just think it's great to show them trying lots of new things and learning more about the world around them.

I think it all boils down to how relatable this book is - and how relatable I hope it is. I hope kids have a place like the Center to go. I hope there are classes happening about being how to be a good man. I hope there are mentors out there like the various men in Jarrett's life. I hope there are women like Jarrett's mom who take in and love babies who need a place to go. I really, really hope that kids who pick up this book find a little bit of themselves in Jarrett - no matter where they're from or what their lives are like.

The storyline about Jarrett struggling in school and probably failing sixth grade makes me really sad. But the thing I really liked about this was the fact that nothing was sugar-coated. He doesn't read well, he doesn't test well. This is a reality for lots of kids out there. But I hope they are able to read this kid's story and realize that there is hope for them. And that they might find comfort that they aren't the only ones.

So, I've got lots of pie-in-the-sky thinking about this book, obviously. It's well written and I think it's packed with wonderful messages. I hope others get the same feelings from it that I did. While I love the YA books that Booth writes, I sort of hope she continues writing for middle graders as well. She is very skilled at both and I look forward to whatever she's got coming in the future.
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Other Blog Reviews:

Guys Lit Wire
Wandering Librarians
ForeverBookish
The One and Only Marfalfa
Running Through the Stars
Reaching Reluctant Readers
YA Books Central
Teen Librarian Toolbox
The Pirate Tree

The Swap by Megan Shull

Title: The Swap
Author: Megan Shull
ISBN: 97800623311696
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Released: August 26, 2014
Page #: 382
Source: ARC from the publisher

Summary:
"Ellie spent the summer before seventh grade getting dropped by her best friend since forever. Jack spent it training in The Cage with his tough-as-nails brothers and hard-to-please dad. By the time middle school starts, they're both ready for a change. And just as Jack's thinking girls have it so easy, Ellie's wishing she could be anyone but herself. Then, BAM! They swap lives - and bodies!

Now Jack is braving sleepover parties, while Ellie reigns as The PRince of Thatcher Middle School. As their crazy weekend races on - and their feelings for each other grow - Ellie and Jack begin to realize that maybe the best way to learn how to be yourself is to spend a little time being someone else.

Told in alternating perspectives, The Swap offers fresh and funny insights into how the other half really lives. "
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First Lines: (Quote from the galley, see final version for edits)

"It's sunny and it's summer and the three of us are sitting on the scratchy cement edge of the Riverside Swim Club pool, dangling our feet into the deep end.
Page 1
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Review:

This was most definitely one of my favorite middle grade books I've read in a while.

Ellie and Jack are both in a tough spot at the beginning of school. They're unhappy about some big aspect of their lives and don't know how to change it. One witchy nurse changes all that - and puts them in each other's bodies. Each of them has a lot to learn about how differently they live... and it changes how they see their own lives.

I'm not sure how much of a review I can write about this book because I really loved it. I mean, the whole switching bodies thing is done really well. The things you wonder about are discussed easily. The whole bathroom issue, the morning situation for boys... it's all in there. And I feel like it's handled really well - and glossed over without it becoming too much of an issue.

I know some have complaints about the gender stereotypes, but I feel like it was fine. I mean, I can easily imagine these kids at any middle school, anywhere. Just because she plays for a soccer team that wears all pink and he has brothers who are so aggressive and tough, doesn't keep me from buying into the story completely. I love that the mean girl got called out so effectively and that both characters were able to help each other so much.

Now that I mention it, the whole sports and fitness thing was a really fun part of the story. The fact that both of them are very into team sports helped them understand each other even more. Their family lives are so different that you almost can't even understand how they could comprehend each other's struggles, but it works out really well.

The ending of this story almost left me in tears. There's a moment with Jack's father that really did make me tear up and I think it will have that effect on many readers. And I just loved how things wrapped up in a pretty package. I honestly don't think I could have asked for more from a middle grade book. I almost wish there were going to be more books about these characters because I loved them so much.

As you can imagine, I will be recommending this book to all of my upper middle grade readers. I think the whole physical differences discussions sort of push it outside of the early middle range... so this is almost more for the kid who is asking questions about body changes - mostly because it actually talks through some of it and might be a helpful tool. Either way, it's a great book and well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.
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Other Blog Review: 

Little Book Star
Sarah Reads Too Much
Between the Pages
Book Loving Me
Gizmo's Book Reviews
Lisa Loves Literature
Paper Riot
Pingwing's Bookshelf
Those Summer Reading Nights
Gisbelle's YA Obsession

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

Title: The Humming Room
Author: Ellen Potter
ISBN: 9780312644383
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published: February 28, 2912
Page #: 182
Source: ARC from the publisher

Summary:
"Hiding is Roo Fanshaw's special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment's notice. When her parents are murdered, it's her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.

Roo is consequently taken in by her wealthy, eccentric uncle to live in a house filled with ghosts and secrets on Cough Rock Island. Who is that unusual wild boy floating down the river? Why are the inhabitants of the house lying to her? And what is the tragic secret in the house's secret room? Inspired by The Secret Garden, this tale of quirky characters, mysterious secrets, and surprising growth is a story that only Ellen Potter could write."
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First Lines:

"There are no road signs to mark the tiny village of Limpette. It lies between two towns that you have never heard of. If you pass Ostrander's goat farm, you've gone too far."
Page 1
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Review:

I had heard some really awesome things about this book, so I was excited when I got an ARC of it. The cover is so imaginative and made me curious about the story inside. The first chapter will truly grab you - I can pretty much promise that.

Roo Fanshaw is an orphan - she is sent to live with her uncle (previously unknown) on a strange island miles away from things she knows. She is very good at hiding and sets her sights on exploring the island and the house where she is stuck. There are many surprises to be found within the house - one of which is another relative she didn't know about. Together they release some of the magic that has been stored in the house for so long.

The cover mentions that this is a revamp of the story from The Secret Garden. It's been a long time since I've read that book, but I remember loving it. I can definitely see some of the similarities and how the story is formed. But otherwise, I don't really remember enough about it to compare. There is a sense of magic throughout the story that is never really named, but gives the book a mystical and otherwordly feel. Very cool effect.

It's interesting to see the changes in Roo as she explores her uncle's island. It doesn't seem to be very big, and she has a hard time finding proper hiding places. The descriptions of the house itself are very interesting. I had a little difficulty trying to picture it, but it seemed like a very strange place to live anyway. Odd things were blocked off... a whole wing of the house is forbidden... and so on. Though, it occurs to me now that I don't remember an explanation for that bit. Hmm.

All in all, it's a very good story. I thought the whole friendship with Jack was very well done. I loved the various characters that would show up - the post man, the doctor, the tutor, etc. Each one had their own misgivings about the island and its inhabitants. There was always an element of old wives tales throughout the book - which was interesting to me. It's funny how other people's tales can seem so odd when yours are just as strange.

If you're looking for a great middle grade read, I definitely recommend this one. I think middle school students will find the magic of this book to be intriguing. I loved being transported back into a Secret Garden-type world where making things grow is the number one priority. :) It really was a lovely book and I plan on passing it along. Enjoy!
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Other Blog Reviews:

Nicole's YA Book Haven
Scattered Pages
Stories and Sweeties
Sweet on Books Blog
The Hollow Cupboards
The Book Rat
Waking Brain Cells
Novel Thoughts

Scary School by Derek the Ghost

Title: Scary School
Author: Derek the Ghost
Illustrator: Scott M. Fischer
ISBN: 9780061960925
Publisher: Harper
Released: June 21, 2011
Page #: 233
Source: Copy from the author

Summary:
"You think your school's scary?
Get a load of these teachers:
* Ms. Fang, an 850-year-old vampire
* Dr. Dragonsbreath, who just might eat you before recess
* Mr. Snakeskin - science class is so much more fun when it's taught by someone who's half zombie
* Mrs. T - break the rules and spend your detention with a hungry Tyrannosaurus rex!

Plus:
* Gargoyles, goblins, and Frankenstein's monster on the loose
* The world's most frighteningly delicious school lunch

And
* The narrator's an eleven-year-old ghost!

Join Charles 'New Kid' Nukid as he makes some very Scary friends - including Petunia, Johnny, and Peter the wolf - and figures out that Scary School can be just as funny as it is spooky!"
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First Lines:

"It's not often that a new kid arrives at Scary School, but when one does, no one wants to bother learning yet another name, so they just call him or her 'new kid.'
Everyone knows that the human brain can only hold so many names. About fifty is all there's room for."
Page 1
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Review:

What a fun story! I cannot imagine a more entertaining middle school.

I can't imagine what it would be like to go to a monster school. I mean, the teachers are allowed to eat students and they are practically required to be frightening. The students aren't much better - but there are some humans. Of course, they might be zombies by the end of the school year.

One thing that really appealed to me about this book was the format of the chapters. I think it's a great idea to have fairly separate chapters. That way your reluctant readers can get into part of the story for a chapter at a time. Also, you learn about all of the various characters better that way. It's just a really good format for a middle grade novel.

I loved some of the irony in this book. The students have a part where they get super excited to meet Frankenstein and all they get is a chubby old guy... not at all what they expected. I also thought it was clever to have other schools come in for this Ghoul Games stuff. It gave the author the ability to come up with even more crazy characters - not that there weren't enough!

The ending is what really made me love the book, I think. No, I'm not going to give it away. But I just think it showed what a good story it is and how it can still teach some life lessons... even though it's not exactly the obvious point of the book. As a side note: I think my favorite mini-story was about Petunia. I love that she was purple, that she was followed by insects... just a really cute story.

Honestly, I think this book was adorable. I know that early middle school students will really get into it. I already have the second book in my hot little hands and I will have to read it soon. So much fun. I'll definitely be getting it for some of my middle schools. It's an easy sell :).
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Other Blog Reviews:

Literary Exploration
The Reading Fish
To Read or Not To Read
Tabithas' Book Blog
Boys to Books
Bookworm Lisa
Late Bloomer Books

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

Title: The Wednesday Wars
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
ISBN: 9780547237602
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Released: 05/21/2007
Page # 272
Source: Overdrive Audio through my library

Summary:
"Meet Holling Hoodhood, a seventh-grader at Camillo Junior High, who must spend Wednesday afternoons with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, while the rest of the class has religious instruction. Mrs. Baker doesn’t like Holling—he’s sure of it. Why else would she make him read the plays of William Shakespeare outside class? But everyone has bigger things to worry about, like Vietnam. His father wants Holling and his sister to be on their best behavior: the success of his business depends on it. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has so much to contend with? A bully demanding cream puffs; angry rats; and a baseball hero signing autographs the very same night Holling has to appear in a play in yellow tights! As fate sneaks up on him again and again, Holling finds Motivation—the Big M—in the most unexpected places and musters up the courage to embrace his destiny, in spite of himself."
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First Lines:

"Of all the kids in the seventh grade at Camillo Junior High, there was one kid that Mrs. Baker hated with heat whiter than the sun."
Page 1
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Review:

Full disclosure: I listened to this as an audiobook. I only feel the need to mention it because I really don't do that ever. And it feels weird to say I've read a book that really I just listened to. But I felt the need to post a review anyway :).

I now understand why I have been told to read this book so many times. It is, without a doubt, an amazing story. There's so much depth and humor and tragedy and love... it's amazing. I know there are some schools who have started reading this book in class - which really makes me wish I had it around in middle school. Ah well, I think I'm going to have a hard time doing this review without gushing a little bit.

At its core, this is a book about a seventh grade boy who has mishaps and crushes and embarrassing stories. But while he is reading Shakespeare one on one with his teacher, he begins to learn some larger life lessons that he wouldn't have gotten otherwise. He starts to see the world in a whole new way - a world that is being torn apart by the Vietnam War. He also begins to understand people better... and even compares them to Shakespeare characters.

Some of the adult characters were my favorite. Mrs. Baker sounds like an amazing teacher. His mother also sounds like an amazing woman - especially toward the end where you really see her personality come out. His sister is hilarious and the love between them is super obvious. I love that. There are so few books where the siblings actually care for each other like that. Holling's friends at school are wonderful, too. I think I laughed just about every time they had some crazy run-in.

There is just so much depth to this story, I'm not sure there is any way I can write a review that would do it justice. I do think that a class could spend weeks and weeks talking about all the different levels, though. Hello book club pick! Anyway, I really enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. And I know other people will too.

One note on the audio format - I thought the reader did a fantastic job. The thing that really stuck out to me was his emphasis on some of the Long Island accents. I think that may have made the book come alive for me even more. So I guess I'm recommending the format as well.

If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend you do. I promise you won't be disappointed.
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Other Blog Reviews:

Alternate Readality
Librarilly Blonde
TeenZone
Project Mayhem
Jennifer Rumberger
Reading for Sanity
Quirky Girls Read
Jenni Elyse

Department 19 by Will Hill

Title: Department 19
Author: Will Hill
ISBN: 9781595144065
Publisher: Razorbill
Released: March 29. 2011
Page #: 540
Source: My public library

Summary:
"In an underground supernatural battle that's been raging for over a century, the stakes have just been raised.

When Jamie Carpenter's mother is kidnapped, he finds himself dragged into Department 19, the government's most secret agency.

Fortunately for Jamie, Department 19 can provide the tools he needs to find his mother, and to kill the vampires who want him dead. But unfortunately for everyone, something much older is stirring, something even Department 19 can't stand up against..."
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First Lines:

"Jamie Carpenter was watching TV in the living room when he heard the tires of his dad's car crunch across the gravel driveway much, much earlier than usual. Jamie looked at the clock on the wall above the TV and frowned. It was a quarter past six."
Page 10
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Review:

Just to give you a heads up - this is a monster of a book. Well, no puns, really. It's about monsters and it's also humongus. And it took me forever.

So, this is the story of a boy whose father is killed early in his life and he and his mother move around a lot. One day his mother is kidnapped and he finds out what kind of monsters have taken his parents from him. He becomes a part of an elite fighting squad that deal specifically with supernatural terrors. Through them, he sets out to find his mother and bring down whatever monsters cross his path.

Sounds like a tall order for a fourteen year old, doesn't it? There are a few times when he isn't becoming a super soldier that you realize he really is a teenager with angst and crazy emotions. There's also a bit of a crush going on - which really helped me get through the story.

I really appreciated that the vampires were bad and the vampire hunters were good. I know that sounds strange. But we've had so much of the vampire love stuff lately that it's kinda romanced the whole thing. Instead this story goes back to the vamp basics - good vs evil. And there is some serious gore in this book. I mean, I think I was making faces through some parts. Just... gruesome. But you know that means boys will love it :). Me and my librarian brain.

One thing that sort of bothered me about this book was the jumping around in timeline. I do understand that it's necessary to the story - you need those historical figures before you can figure out what's going on today. But you jump from the 1800s to the present to the 1920s to the present. It's a little jarring every time. There is one chapter (the first one, actually) that says it's set in the 1800s. It's not. It's not supposed to say that. I will say that threw me off fiercly. I thought we were going to be time traveling or something because of it.

Okay, so all in all I did enjoy the story. It was super long, but I think you fully got into the character's lives. I really do think this will be best for middle school boys. It's gorey enough, it's actiony enough, it's overall a good story. So, I'll be recommending this one to specific people - maybe not to the general populace :). But I think it will go over really well.
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Other Blog Reviews:

The Book Zone
Iceberg Ink
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review
SciFi Chick
Empire of Books
Well-Read Wife
Books 4 Teens

Mission (un)Popular by Anna Humphrey

Title: Mission (un)Popular
Author: Anna Humphrey
ISBN: 9781423123019
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Released: June 1, 2011
Page #: 403
Source: ARC from the publisher

Summary:
"Margot Button has a resolution for seventh grade:
Be more normal.
Easier said than done when you're:
*minus best friend (sent to Catholic school because of your "bad influence")
*minus new clothes (stepdad had a "moral objection" to his job)
*minus eyebrows (tweezer mishap)
*plus improvised bangs (see above)
*plus new nickname ("Hamburgler")
*plus an unpaid after-school job (babysitting triplet sisters - five days a week)

Well, Rome wasn't built in a day. If Margot can just learn to control her big mouth (and hair), there is hope. The new girl, Em, from New York, needs a friend too, now that the popular girls have decided she's "weird." More accurately, Em is "intimidating." She dresses like a rock star, is quick with comebacks and doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks of her - especially Sarah J., the most popular girl in the seventh grade. Em has an agenda for change at Manning Middle School and wants Margot on her side. Progress!

So, okay, Em has a flexible relationship with the truth, and her secret campaign to turn the tables on the popular girls may involve bending some laws. But after years of enduring Sarah J.'s bullying, Margot finds it hard to resist. Her approval rating is finally up - and, it really couldn't hurt to take Sarah down a few notches ... could it?"
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First Lines: (From ARC, check final copy for exact wording)

"Did you know that there are literally hundreds of ways to start the year off fresh?
When I was in second grade, my teacher gave us an assignment about it. Everyone had to pick a country and show how they celebrated."
Page 3
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Review:

Longest. Summary. Ever. But that's what was on the back of the book. What can ya do!? Anyway, I was given this ARC after someone else had already read it... and I have to say that it must not have been meant for two readings. The pages are totally falling out. Here's hoping the final copies hold up better :).

Okay, so this is about a girl going into the seventh grade and really wants a new beginning. She wants to be more popular and to stop being referred to by unfortunate nicknames. When she begins talking to Em, the new girl, she finds someone who will stand up to the popular group. They begin scheming and making things miserable for them. It does involve some rule breaking, but it's worth it to see them squirm - especially when it results in Margot becoming more popular.

One thing I want to say right off the bat is that Margot drove me crazy. It's not the way she was written, I just know girls like her. They always are more worried about how people see them than anything else. It was almost painful to read her first day of school - walking up to random groups to say hi. Then being dismissed. I mean, pain. ful. I suppose I've always been a little non-conformist... so those people have always gotten on my nerves. Personal opinion, of course.

The cool thing about this book is that it's written about an Indian girl. You wouldn't guess it from the cover. You don't get it in the summary. She just is. That's my favorite kind of "POC" book. You're not hit over the head by their differences - unless it's necessary for the story. And you do get a little background about her father and how she sometimes feels out of place. But it was just done really smoothly and I was glad for it.

The character Em was really interesting to me. At first I was totally cheering for her and was so excited there was someone with a backbone in the story. But then you start learning more about her and how she isn't very good with the truth and she's kinda pushy... But you do get the feeling that Margot is better off from having met her.

I think there are lots of girls who will love this story. It's great for that middle grade reader because it deals with a lot of those bullying issues in school and how they can be dealt with (though I wouldn't recommend all of the tactics they used). It's definitely a light read - even though it's 400 pages long. I do recommend it, but I'm not sure it will be for everyone. Enjoy!
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Other Blog Reviews:

Ten Cent Notes
Literature Young Adult Fiction
Kirkus Reviews
Reading Vacation

How to Rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston

Title: How to Rock Braces and Glasses
Author: Meg Haston
ISBN: 9780316130295
Publisher: Poppy/ Little, Brown and Company
Released: September 2011
Page #: 294 (subject to change in final version)
Source: ARC from the publisher @ BEA

Summary:
"Gorgeous, uber-harsh, and uber-stylish, Kacey Simon is the undisputed social dictator of Marquette Middle School. That is, until an eye infection and a visit to the dentist leave her with Coke-bottle glasses, and a mouth full of metal, and... a littthsp! Dissed and dismissed by her popular friends, Kacey is forced to hang out with a boy who wears skinny jeans and jams in his own band. But as she adjusts to life as a loser, she's surprised to find that Skinny Jeans is kind of hot, and his band is pretty cool. Suddenly, hitting rock bottom feels oddly uplifting. Could rocking braces and glasses be the best thing to ever happen to her?

In this hilarious reversal of the cool crowd versus the nerd herd, a popular girl finds herself in Loserville and realizes it's about time she paid back all the bad karma she built up as Queen Bee."
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First Lines: (subject to change in final version)

"Real journalists are born with a sixth sense. It's our most reliable source; an inner voice that tips us off when there's more to a story than meets the eye. My sixth sense has never been wrong, which is probably why I'm the first broadcast journalist in Marquette Middle School history to have her own weekly segment."
Page 1
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Review:

Let me just start off by apologizing for the quality of the image above. Had a hard time finding a picture of the cover, so this image is from my own sad little scanner and my used and abused copy of the ARC. I have heard that the official cover is being released soon... so I promise to give y'all that as soon as I have it. Excited!

This is a story about a girl in middle school who has tons of changes thrown at her in a short amount of time. It's all about how she deals with it and what changes come because of them. Hm. That was sort of abstract sounding... let's try this: Most Popular Girl gets glasses and braces. Friends dump her. She realizes what her life has been like and starts to make changes.

I'm just gonna say this... I always wanted the popular girls in school to be hit with stuff like this. Though, I also wished for them to get fat. Ahem. Too bad none of it ever happened. Confession over. Middle school is totally that time when everyone starts changing in different ways and friend groups get shifted around. At least that was my experience. And this story tells about one group that goes through a huge change - their queen bee has been taken out.

The whole thing kicks off with a faulty pair of purple contacts - which I love. I had my own pair of faulty purple contacts when I was in middle school. While Kacey's problem is with the eye drops... mine was that one eye was allergic to them. Go figure. But it's totally realistic like that and you can completely imagine every bit of it.

Okay, so I loved this book. I think anyone who is going through the middle school trauma or ever had either braces or glasses will very much relate. I know I did. There's also a really great theme of figuring out who you are. Kacey starts out as this outgoing, speaking her mind, popular girl. Once she has a new outlook on life, she starts to realize how she has been to people - and people finally tell her how she's been acting. It begins a whole new personality check for her. Kacey is a journalist and uses that as a shield throughout the book for making snarky remarks about people. She starts to realize that there is a fine line between honesty and kindness.

I honestly thing tons of girls will love this book. I will definitely be recommending it along. There's plenty of humor and some romance to get you into the story. I loved how realistic the situations were and how things were resolved. The author did give me a little insight about the ending. The final book is going to have a couple of chapters added to the end - which I think might give a little more depth to the ending. I'm excited to read those chapters, for sure.

I've seen lots about a tv show coming out with this title. I'm hoping for good things. We'll see. I believe this is also a debut author and I am looking forward to reading more from her in the future! Until then, check out her blog/website for more info.
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Other Blog Reviews:

YA Book Divas
Okay, so it's a brand new book... but people need to make sure they get it. So fun!

What I Learned from Being a Cheerleader by Adrianne Ambrose

Title: What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader
Author: Adrianne Ambrose
ISBN: 9781453620977
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Page #: 116
Source: Bound Galley from the Author

Summary:
"Eleven-year-old Elaine Rewitzer is funny, smart, and happy being a geek, but when she wins a spot on the Cross Creek Middle School Buccaneers cheerleading squad, she gets totally into her new life. Her best mega-brain friend Bethany warns that Elaine will just become 'part of the heard,' and her best geek-guy-pal, Tim, (who's struggling with nose polyps) feels forgotten.

Will Elaine survive the roller coaster of pre-teen cheerleader fame? Will she win the heart of the cutest boy on the basketball team? Will she confess her 'uncool' love for comic books? Will she lose Bethany and Tim's friendship for-evah?

And when will she get her pom poms???"
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First Lines:

"Dear Diary...
Saturday September 26

Today is my eleventh birthday, and I've received the following presents:
From my sister Amy:
A pack of gum - Juicy Fruit.
A blue ball - Bouncy.

She's only five, so that's pretty generous for five."
Page 1
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Review:

It's not often that I read Middle Grade fiction - because I work with the older teens. But I'm very glad I was given an opportunity to review this one.

This book brought me back to my sixth grade self in a big way. I used to write in a journal (not a diary because that was too girly) when I was in middle school. Didn't we all?? But the language and the topics were totally spot on. Actually, I kinda wish my brain was as analytical as the girl in the story. It was all drama, drama, drama for me :).

I love that it's mostly girls and comics in this book. A lot of times it seems that comics are connected with boy characters more than girls - but this book does a great job of melding that together and making a new look for comics. I thought it was refreshing. Especially when it's a story of learning to accept who you are - and to be proud of it. Just a nice, happy book.

I think adults would enjoy this along with middle grade readers. Teens should probably just skip it as they are beyond the mindset :). But I think it will ring true with a lot of kids and maybe will even help them develop their own ideas of who they are and who they want to be.

The author has a cool blog that you should probably check out.
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Other Blog Reviews:

Teens Actually Read
Booking Mama
Is this it?? I think more middle grade reading blogs should pick this one up. It's definitely a lot of fun. :)