Middle School Friendship

Ever since she was a baby, the words people use to describe Elyse have instantly appeared on her arms and legs. At first it was just "cute" and "adorable", but as she's gotten older and kids have gotten meaner, words like "loser" and "pathetic" appear, and those words bubble up and itch. And then there are words like "interesting", which she's not really sure how to feel about. Now, at age 12, she's starting middle school, and just when her friends who used to accept and protect her are drifting away, she receives an anonymous note.

Grayson Sender has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: "He" is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender's body. The weight of this secret is crushing, but sharing it would mean facing ridicule, scorn, rejection, or worse. Despite the risks, Grayson's true self itches to break free. Will new strength from an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher's wisdom be enough to help Grayson step into the spotlight she was born to inhabit?

Seventh grader Estefania "Stef" Soto is itching to shake off the onion-and-cilantro embrace of Tia Perla, her family's taco truck. She wants nothing more than for her dad to get a normal job and for Tia Perla to be put out to pasture. It's no fun being known as the "Taco Queen" at school. But just when new city regulations are proposed, and her family's livelihood is threatened, she will have to become the truck's unlikely champion.

The Avery Diary: The Party Invitation! Hilarious Books for Kids 9-12 Middle school was supposed to be simple: survive classes, avoid humiliation, and maybe not trip over your own feet. But for eleven-year-old Avery, it’s more like a reality show called Surviving Middle School: Awkward Edition. With her besties Claire and Ellie dishing out constant warnings about her life choices, Avery is just trying to dodge gym class disasters, keep her locker shut, and avoid the cafeteria pizza (which might be alive). Then, the unthinkable happens—she gets invited to the birthday party. Not just any ...

A ghost with a dream. A ballet student with a secret. Can they help each other before the curtain falls? For two centuries, Grace has drifted through the echoing halls of Amberwood, a lonely ghost longing for the warmth of applause and the joy of dance. Now, it's a ballet boarding school, and she's discovered her true passion: ballet! But she's trapped within Amberwood's ghostly realm. Her only companion is Rodney, a fellow ghost with a free-roaming spirit and a knack for getting into trouble. Twelve-year-old Lauren Mason arrives at Amberwood with dreams of her own, but she's also carrying ...

Ken is an EngiNerd: one of a super-smart group of friends - all nerds - who have been close since kindergarten. They may be brainiacs, but they're just like everyone else: They fight with one another, watch too much TV, eat Chinese food, and hate walking their dogs. Well, maybe not just like everyone because Ken's best friend Dan has been building robots. He then secretly sent one to each of the EngiNerds, never letting them know he's the mastermind. At first Ken is awed and delighted: What kid hasn't dreamed of having a robot all their own?

A glitter explosion. A ruined poster. A mystery sandwich. Welcome to Marie Lane’s messiest week ever. Twelve-year-old Marie Lane has big plans to win her school’s kindness poster contest—until a spilled paint cup, a very sparkly dog, and a bad case of Tuesday ruin everything. But just when things feel hopeless, Marie turns her glittery disaster into a message from the heart: “Kindness isn’t always neat. But it always matters.” What follows is a week full of awkward apologies, anonymous acts of kindness, and one sandwich that just might change everything. With humor, heart, and a...

Lily is the smallest puppy in her litter and the only girl. Her brothers are bigger and stronger and like to push her around. When Lily meets a girl named Maggie Rose at the animal shelter, Lily discovers things are not so bad. Lily's size means that she can help other animals who are in trouble. It's Lily to the rescue!

Rylee Swanson is beginning eighth grade with zero friends. A humiliating moment at the end-of-seventh-grade pool party involving a cannonball, a waterlogged updo, and some disappearing clothes has Rylee halfway convinced she’s better off without any friends—at least friends like those. The one question Rylee can’t shake is . . . why? When a group assignment in journalism pairs Rylee with science geek DeNia Alonso, DeNia’s annoyingly know-it-all, nerdy personality is both frustration and fuel to Rylee’s search for answers.

A timely, accessible, and beautifully written story exploring themes of food, friendship, family and what it means to belong, featuring sixth graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a White, Jewish girl taking a South Asian cooking class taught by Sara’s mom.

Summertime Memories: My Years In Middle School This is Book No. 4, entitled Summertime Memories, in the six-part series My Years in Middle School. Follow the adventures of Nancy Jane and her two best friends, Helen Schunter and Karen Stamm, as they experience school, boys, bullying, getting even, dealing with Nancy Jane's nemesis, Lois Talker, and more. Other titles in this series include: Book #1: The Summer Before Book #2: Is This Love? Book #3: Scanner In My Neighborhood Book #5: Girl's Revenge Book #6: Lookout High School, Here We Come!Following is an excerpt from Book #4, Summertime ...

When 12 year old Zoe moves to a new town she stumbles upon an enchanted book in the attic of her new home Inside its glowing pages lies Haven Grove a magical realm where lost and forgotten things reside As Zoe starts reading the books unusual stories she discovers the power not only to find missing items but to reconnect missing pieces of herself On her first journey inside the himsical book world Zoe is determined to rescue her lost music box with the help of a new friend Sylphina the fairy Along the way they meet quirky characters navigate tricky places like Willy Sweet Shoppe and visit ...

No teacher has ever liked Carter Avery. So he doesn’t expect that Ms. Olivia Krane will be any different. In fact, he heard the rumor that the new teacher—nicknamed Owl-livia, or the Owl, for short—can twist her head all the way round to catch any kid who’s up to no good. And since Carter has a hard time sitting still and not blurting stuff out, he’s sure he’s in for rough times being sent to the principal’s office. Making things worse: annoying know-it-all Missy Gerber is in his class! But the Owl knows just how to handle Carter’s energy, showing his classmates another side of him.

The Avery Diary: The Lice Outbreak! Hilarious Book for Kids 9-12 When a lice outbreak takes over Avery’s school, things go from bad to downright hilarious. With chaos in the cafeteria, dramatic “lice patrols,” and a queen bee spreading rumors (and maybe bugs), Avery finds herself in the middle of it all. Will she blow the whistle on the mean girl’s not-so-secret scratching? Or can she save the day with her brilliant plan for Anti-Itch Week? From DIY lice detectives (featuring colanders and mayonnaise) to school dances where “scratching moves” steal the show, Avery’s journey is...

Life was about to get a lot more exciting for eleven-year-old Tyler Bowers. The boy detective and his new robot pal discover some suspicious goings-on in their town. They waste no time in putting their awesome spy skills to use. This is an unforgettable tale of true friendship. An exciting adventure with plenty of laughs along the way. Engaging for children, middle school students, and grown-ups. Check out The Undercover Brothers: Ninja Invasion (Book 1)

Lookout High School Here We Come!: My Years In Middle School This is Book No. 6, entitled Lookout High School Here We Come!, in the six-part series My Years in Middle School. Follow the adventures of Nancy Jane and her two best friends, Helen Schunter and Karen Stamm, as they experience school, boys, bullying, getting even, dealing with Nancy Jane's nemesis, Lois Talker, and more. Other titles in this series include: Book #1: The Summer Before Book #2: Is This Love? Book #3: Scanner In My Neighborhood Book #4: Summertime Memories Book #5: Girl's RevengeFollowing is an excerpt from Book #6: ...

It was never easy for Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez to fit in, so he's dreading the day when his genius mom insists he bring her newest invention to school: a walking, talking robot he calls E—for "Error". Sammy's no stranger to robots—his house is full of a colorful cast of them. But this one not only thinks it's Sammy's brother... it's actually even nerdier than Sammy. Will E be Sammy's one-way ticket to Loserville? Or will he prove to the world that it's cool to be square?

Norma Elliot is back with more wit, heart, and lessons to learn in her secret journal. This spring, she tackles her first job, grows a garden, and even deals with an annoying drunk slug—all while navigating life’s challenges with humor and faith. Filled with warmth and relatable adventures, Spring Fever is the perfect sequel to 'Tis the Season. Join Norma as she discovers that life, like spring, is full of surprises. With humor and heart, Victoria Simcox brings Norma’s springtime adventures to life, reminding readers that God’s love isn’t just for the flawless. It’s in the ...

Meet Hope Roberts. She's 11 years old, and she wants to be an astrophysicist. She loves swimming, Galaxy Girl comicbooks, and her two rescue dogs. Hope believes it's always a good day to champion a cause, defend an underdog, and save the future. And most of all, she believes in dreaming big. That's why she's enrolled in all of the advanced classes at her new middle school. She's smart and confident in her abilities. But though Hope seems super strong on the outside, there's another side of her, too. She's just a regular girl trying to survive middle school.

Is This Love?: My Years In Middle School This is Book No. 2, entitled Is This Love?, in the six-part series My Years in Middle School. Follow the adventures of Nancy Jane and her two best friends, Helen Schunter and Karen Stamm, as they experience school, boys, bullying, getting even, dealing with Nancy Jane's nemesis, Lois Talker, and more. Other titles in this series include: Book #1: The Summer Before Book #3: Scanner In My Neighborhood Book #4: Summertime Memories Book #5: Girl's Revenge Book #6: Lookout High School, Here We Come! Following is an excerpt from Book #2 Is This Love?. "OH ...