Middle School Blues

I was ready for the first day of middle school to be bad, but it's worse than I imagined. My best friend Becca missed the bus; I can't find my way around the school; I still haven't found Becca; I don't see any of my friends; and every time the bell rings, I have to worry about getting to the next class on time. The phys. ed. teacher sounds like a prison guard. Math class is even worse. I've been sent to the principal's office...and it's not even my fault. No wonder they call it middle school. You're stuck in the middle between little kid and grown-up, just trying to make your way out of the confusion. But some kids actually look happy here. Does that mean there's a chance things will get better?

Middle School Blues, Rite of Passage is about a day in the life of a small group of 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students who live in a farming community north of Chicago, Illinois. The characters experience peer pressure, question their identity and struggle with physical changes occurring in their bodies. Some characters experiment with substances and some consider themselves transgender. This is a unique period of time between elementary school and high school. Getting through middle school is a rite-of-passage.

Fans of First Day Jitters will love spending the last day of school in Mrs. Hartwell classroom. What do teachers do for summer vacation? Mrs. Hartwell's students worry that their teacher will miss them while they are gone for the summer. The class comes up with a way to make sure Mrs. Hartwell won't be too sad. But Mrs. Hartwell and the other teachers have some plans of their own. Once again Julie Danneberg and Judy Love bring to life the crazy antics of Mrs. Hartwell and her class and show that teachers and students are more alike than we sometimes think.

A clever, bluesy riff on middle-kid angst Lee has the low-down, big-frown, sulkin?-all-aroundtown blues. His older brother gets all the big-kid privileges, and no one expects his little sister to do anything but be cute. And sometimes his family even leaves him behind! But when Lee breaks out his guitar and finally makes his voice be heard, he draws a big crowd. It turns out lots and lots of people share his middle-kid pain'and he loves how being stuck in the middle is making him the center of attention.

Middle School is the worst period in a child's life. He or she has to undergo bullying, and an often painful transition from childhood to young adulthood. It is also a period most neglected at home and in school, for the child grows rebellious as he feels he is misunderstood and unjustly dealt with. Parents feel helpless to interfere. Imagine what then can be the plight of twins? Set in teeming, exotic Mumbai, India, this is the story about Raman and Sunny who are twins. Their childhood period was full of companionship and love and healthy competition. But with their graduation to middle school their travails began. Raman and Sunny felt suffocated on being compared with each other. Each wanted to choose his own path, be it academics or sports. They drifted apart and the bullying began. Where before their togetherness was their strength, their separation resulted in their being isolated and bullied, especially the mild Raman. Resentment between the twins creeps in and the crevice in their relationship widens. The mild Raman allows resentment to feed him and he becomes irritable and destructive. This leads to him being thrust before the school counsellor, Mrs. Bulwa, who decides that the best way to deal with waywardness in children, is to deprive them of their comfort zone. Raman's only solace is his friend Imran. Imran is the son of a Doctor. He is weak in studies but has a literary bent of mind. He shares his passion with Raman. But as things turn out, even here Raman misreads the situation and resorts to a deed which lowers him in the estimation of his father. Enter Sunil Sir. He is a reformer teacher who firmly believes that children should be encouraged to explore the different subjects taught by research and analysis methods to inculcate a love for learning and literature. Though sometimes prejudiced by past events, he does not allow this to cloud his judgement. The book deals with parenting, the agony of middle school, the individuality of each child, the jealousy, resentment and fear of change faced by both children and teachers, each at their level. It deals with violence, resentment, bullying, and defiance in children. It explores new methods to get the child on the right path by introducing him to those less fortunate than himself. It explores a synthesis in learning and new and fun methods of teaching. And it deals with the inherent goodness in children and in man. It's a family story, which shows that love, forgiveness and understanding in family life will help bring stability to a child's life.

This book provides step-by-step procedures, student hand-outs, and samples of student work.

Join Rafe as he survives white-water rafting, camp counselors, and rock climbing in this hilarious New York Times bestseller from the Middle School series. After a rough summer, Rafe is heading back to the dreaded Hills Village Middle School, the site of the very worst years of his life. And as if that's not bad enough, he's learned that he's going to be held back a year unless he can prove himself on an outdoor survival excursion-complete with dangerous white-water rafting, dizzying rock climbing, and fanatical counselors. Rafe and the rest of the pack of "delinquent" trainees are forced to cooperate as they prepare for the final test: a solo excursion in the deep woods. Can Rafe come out of the experience in one piece? And if he does, will he go home as the same insecure kid? Both heartwarming and hilarious, Save Rafe! is a story of perseverance and courage as only James Patterson could tell it.