How to Survive Middle School

HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL

By:  Donna Gephart

FIRST SENTENCE

“The first day of summer vacation is important, because what you do that day sets the tone for the rest of the summer.”

SUMMARY

from goodreads

David Greenberg dreams of becoming a TV superstar along the lines of Jon Stewart.  But in real life, he’s just another kid terrified of starting his first year at Harman Junior High.  Things aren’t looking any better when David gets duped by his best friend into breaking the dress code on the first day of school.  But while he and his buddy are fighting, David is lucky enough to make a new friend, Sophie.

Luckily for David, Sophie loves TV, too, and shares his love of putting together skits to goof on middle-school life.  When she posts one of his skits on YouTube, he becomes an instant overnight sensation!  But how will David cope with being an Internet star and a real life schmoe?  Will this lead to his actually becoming popular in real life?  And- more importantly- might it convince Sophie to kiss him?    

REVIEW

This book came at just the right time since I will start middle school in the fall.  I keep hearing that middle school is a very different experience than elementary school, so I will take all the advice I can get. 

Most of the books I read are told from a girl’s perspective, so it was refreshing to read a book told from a boy’s point-of-view.  David Greenberg (known at school as Lameberg) was the perfect main character because he was rather ordinary.  He was an artsy kid who spent his free time making Jon Stewart-ish TalkTime videos and talking to his pet hamster, Hammy.  Yeah, David was a prime target for teasing.  Aren’t we all to some extent?

To make matters worse, David and his best buddy Elliot grew apart when Elliot began to like girls and started hanging out with a bully named Tommy.  David learned that friendships sometimes hit rocky patches and that bullies should be avoided. 

The relationship between David and his new “girl” friend Sophie was one of my favorite parts of the book.  It was fun to read about a first crush from the boy’s perspective.  Sophie was a really special girl because she liked David even though he was unpopular at school.  She was not afraid to go with her heart and not give in to peer pressure.

How to Survive Middle School  embraces the perils of the middle school experience with a fresh story line.  Hopefully my own experience will be less rocky than David’s.

Thank you to Donna Gephart and From the Mixed Up Files web site for providing this book for me to review.

INTERVIEW

with Donna Gephart

Donna was so sweet to answer a few interview questions for me.  Here we go…

What lesson would you like your readers to learn from reading this book?

I try to make my books fun, exciting reads.  But if my readers take anything away, I hope it's that he or she is not alone with the challenges sometimes faced in middle school.  And that things definitely get better in time.

Will there be a sequel to "How to Survive Middle School?"  Maybe a high school edition?

I've had lots of people as that.  Kids in high school ask for a "How to Survive High School" sequel.  Parents ask for a "How to Survive Being the Parent of a Middle Schooler."  No sequel planned at the moment.  But my new book will come out next Spring -- OLIVIA BEAN; TRIVIA QUEEN, about a girl who will do anything to get on the TV quiz show Jeopardy!.

Describe your writing in three words.

Only three words?  Oops.  I guess I used up my allotment.  :)

Are any of David's experiences based on your own experiences in middle school?

David's feelings, I think, are universal.  I had those feelings in middle school.  Our sons had those feelings, too, during their middle school years.  I've had adults tell me they understood exactly how David felt when he dealt with some of the challenges at school and at home.  

Where did you get your great sense of humor?

Thank you.  I purchased it half-price at the Sense of Humor store.  Really, there are enough tough things that happen in life that I think it's great to laugh as often as possible!

RATING

5        Plot

5        Characters

4        Attention Grabbing

3        Girlie Meter

4        Ending

21      TOTAL

5        STARS