Middle School Friendship

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?

The best part of Kat's day is getting to walk her neighbor's irresistible pug, Meatball. So when her parents insist she start an extracurricular this year, she makes her own, by turning her hobby into a business: a dog-walking business, that is. She and her best friends, Taz and Lucy - as well as the cute new boy, Declan - try to get Four Paws Dog Walking into shape. But wrangling puppies and pleasing customers turns out to be harder than they thought! Can Kat keep taking care of the dogs she loves without hurting her friendships?

Seventh-grader Martin McLean has always been surrounded by people who can express themselves. His mother is an artist, his colorful Tio Billy works in theater, and his best friends Carmen and Pickle are outgoing and don't care what other people think. But Martin can only find the right words when he's answering a problem at a Mathletes competition - until his tio introduces him to the world of drag.

Max is about to find out that breakfast can change history -- and possibly save his best friend's life.

There used to be an empty chair at the back of Mrs. Khan's classroom, but on the third Tuesday of the school year a new kid fills it: nine-year-old Ahmet, a Syrian refugee. The whole class is curious about this new boy - he doesn't seem to smile, and he doesn't talk much. But after learning that Ahmet fled a very real war and was separated from his family along the way, a determined group of his classmates bands together to concoct the greatest idea in the world - a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his loved ones.

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 ...

Book 1: THE PARTY INVITATION! 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 party, but Mackenzie Harper’s, the ...

Jojo has everything planned out for the perfect first day of middle school, down to her outfit and hairstyle. But when Mom, distracted by her new live-in boyfriend, Paul, forgets to wake Jojo up, she oversleeps and has to make do with leggings, a t-shirt, and her brother’s hoodie. The day still goes okay until Jojo realizes that she has a hole in her leggings thanks to Purrito, the kitten Paul “gifted” her. Because Paul isn’t just Paul; he’s Mr. Meow, a mega-famous cat-fluencer.

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player), Callum, tells Mila it's his birthday, and asks her for a "birthday hug." He's just being friendly, isn't he? And how can she say no? But Callum's hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels...weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn't she know what flirting looks like? But the boys don't leave Mila alone.

It's eighth grade and Christina and her besties, Megan and Leanne, are once again going through the brutal trials of cheerleading tryouts. This year, Christina feels more confident: She dresses in her own style and has amazing friends, even her first crush. But what if the girls don't all make the squad? Worse than that, Christina learns her parents' marriage is collapsing. Suddenly, her family, her future, and her identity seem in total freefall. Can she keep it together and still make her cheerleading dreams come true?

Twelve-year-old Jeff Michaels, son of a Philadelphia TV sports reporter, is just learning to play soccer on the new sixth-grade team at his middle school. Andrea Carillo has fought her way onto the squad, but the coach doesn’t think girls should play with boys, so she’s riding the bench with Jeff - even though she’s one of the best players.

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...

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?

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 Case of the Missing Homework follows the misadventures of Marie Lane, a clever and imaginative pre-teen, as she faces a crisis: her homework has mysteriously disappeared! On what should have been a regular morning, panic strikes when Marie discovers her hard work is missing just before it's due. Her usual confidence gives way to frantic searching, from her cluttered bedroom to her school locker, but the elusive assignment is nowhere to be found. Not one to give up, Marie enlists the help of her friends, Mia and Kevin. Together, they retrace Marie's steps, diving headfirst into a series ...

Rachel Brooks is excited for the new school year. She's finally earned a place as a forward on her soccer team. Her best friends make everything fun. And she really likes Tate, and she's pretty sure he likes her back. After one last appointment with her scoliosis doctor, this will be her best year yet. Then the doctor delivers some terrible news: The sideways curve in Rachel's spine has gotten worse, and she needs to wear a back brace 23 hours a day. The brace wraps her in hard plastic from shoulder blades to hips.

They say that mayhem can't buy love, but it can break it apart. Or at least they should say that, because with Valentine's Day rapidly approaching at Cherry Avenue Middle School, relationship trouble is brewing like a volcano about to erupt. When Austin and Sophie set their sights on winning Cupid's Cutest Couple Contest, a series of challenges and a secret admirer will put their relationship to the test. And they're not the only ones with their eyes on the love prize.

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 ...

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.

Meet Marie Lane: bookworm, master of awkward comebacks, and certified klutz. Gym class? A personal nightmare. Dodgeballs? Heat-seeking missiles. Ropes? Medieval torture devices. So when Oakwood Middle School announces a school-wide “Gauntlet Challenge” to crown the year’s top team, Marie has one goal: survive without face-planting in front of the entire school. But as she stumbles through obstacle courses, rope climbs, and dodgeball disasters, Marie discovers something surprising—teamwork is messy, bravery comes in weird shapes, and sometimes the best victories aren’t the ones you...