Synopses & Reviews
Fresh off their epic summer road trip, Lydia and Julie are back and ready to take seventh grade by storm. Well, Lydia is: She wants to start a band, and sheand#8217;s convinced Julie to join her. The Macramand#233; Owls are joined by Roland (expert at the
hardingfele) and Jane (expert at drama). None of them, unfortunately, are experts at rocking out. The band needs more practice, but instead Lydia and Julie find themselves riding an unexpected wave of popularity to their own belated birthday party. The girls may have accidentally stumbled upon the secret to popularityand#151;if only the secret werenand#8217;t so completely humiliating. Hilarious, observant, and honest, this installment of the series has all of Amy Ignatowand#8217;s signature charm, while bringing our beloved heroines to a new turning point in their lives.
Praise for The Popularity Papers: Book Five
"Ignatowand#8217;s illustrations (attributed to Julie), humorous comments, and the storyand#8217;s sticky situations make this a gregarious addition to the series."
and#151;Booklist
Review
A #1 New York Times Bestseller
A #1 Indiebound BestsellerA 2012 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers
A 2013 Hawaii's Children's Choice Award WinnerA 2013 ALSC Summer Reading List BookA 2010 Oregon Children's Choice Award WinnerA 2014 Oregon Reader's Choice Award Nomine
Review
"A keen appreciation of kids' insecurities and an even more astute understanding of what might propel boy readers through a book.... a perfectly pitched novel."--Los Angeles Times
Review
* "Patterson artfully weaves a deeper and... thought-provoking tale of childhood coping mechanisms and everyday school and family realities.... Hand this book to misbehaving, socially awkward, or disengaged boys and girls.... It might help them believe that there is a place for them in the world, no matter how dire times may seem in the present."--School Library Journal, starred review
Review
"Cleverly delves into the events that make middle school so awkward: cranky bus drivers, tardy slips, bathroom passes and lots of rules.... Hopefully, this isn't the last we hear from Rafe Khatchadorian."--The Associated Press
Review
"It's a chatty, funny, engaging book, one that often addresses the reader directly. It's filled with energetic cartoons... that will appeal to your little rebel, depicting teachers as dungeon-keepers, matadors and flying dragons. Patterson... knows how to structure a plot and builds in some surprising--even touching--twists.... Rafe is the bad boy with a heart of gold."--The New York Times
Review
"The book's... dynamic artwork, and message that 'normal is boring' should go a long way toward assuring kids who don't fit the mold that there's a place for them, too."--Publishers Weekly
Review
"Incredibly detailed and imaginative illustrations... add depth and humor.... an enjoyable story that even the most reluctant readers should enjoy."--Library Media Connection
Review
"There is substance as well as appeal here.... Patterson deftly manages the pace of revelations that take readers deeper into Rafe's fragile trust.... Readers ready for something else in the same vein but more substantive than Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Peirce's Big Nate should be introduced to Rafe."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"The action is fast, furious, and even funny for middle-schoolers with strong stomachs and fond memories of similar journeys on Ms. Frizzle's Magic School Bus."
and#8212;The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Schreiber alternates among Lenny, Harlan, and Zooey's perspectives in short, taut, action-packed chapters with cliffhanger endings."
and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"There is so much here to enjoy."
and#8212;Kirkus
"With perfect timing, the story slides between typical middle-school scenes and Lenny's fantastic microscopic journey, balancing clever, wise-guy repartee with gut-wrenching tension."
and#8212;Booklist Online
Review
and#8220;A dirty sock has never been such fun! A zany and hilarious adventure of bravery and friendship.and#8221; and#8212;Donna Gephart, author of
How to Survive Middle School
and#8220;All hail Todd! Who can resist a story of a kid so slovenly that intelligent life forms on his filthy sock?and#8221; and#8212;Mark Peter Hughes, author of Lemonade Mouth
and#8220;By the Grace of Todd is deliciously gross. It made the ten year old locked up inside of my head howl with laughter. Wonderfully disgusting, yet thought provoking.and#8221; and#8212;THOMAS E. SNIEGOSKI - New York Times Bestselling Author of THE FALLEN series, and the BONE: QUEST FOR THE SPARK Trilogy.
and#8220;and#8230;this story is all about the ride, in all of its gross and grimy glory. Galveston . . . delights in the icky habits of the Toddlians (and#8220;dead skin cell and toe jam sandwichesand#8221; are a delicacy), yet her portrayal of the brutalities of middle school feels as real as the things Todd learns about friends, popularity, and being true to oneself.and#8221; and#8211;Publishers Weekly
"Fans of both the smart and the gross . . . will take to this one." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"This is just right for middle-grade Anna fans ready for new experiences."
and#8212;Kirkus
"Barton's winning illustrations continue to delight."
and#8212;School Library Journal
"Fans of Anna's previous adventures will definitely want to keep following her as she journeys toward young adulthood."
and#8212;Bulletin
Synopsis
Rafe Khatchadorian has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix. Luckily, he's got an ace plan for the best year ever, if only he can pull it off: With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct. Chewing gum in class-5,000 points! Running in the hallway-10,000 points! Pulling the fire alarm-50,000 points! But when Rafe's game starts to catch up with him, he'll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he's finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he's been avoiding.
Blockbuster author James Patterson delivers a genuinely hilarious-and surprisingly poignant-story of a wildly imaginative, one-of-kind kid that you won't soon forget.
Synopsis
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
In his acclaimed and #1 bestselling middle-grade comic debut, Children's Choice Award Author of the Year James Patterson has never been more hilarious--or heartwarming.
Rafe Khatchadorian has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix. Luckily, he's got an ace plan for the best year ever, if only he can pull it off: With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct. Chewing gum in class--5,000 points Running in the hallway--10,000 points Pulling the fire alarm--50,000 points But when Rafe's game starts to catch up with him, he'll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he's finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he's been avoiding.
James Patterson's debut middle-grade novel addresses some of middle schoolers' biggest issues: bullies, first crushes, and finding out what makes each of us special, all with a hilarious main character and fantastic in-text illustrations that are sure to have young readers begging for more
Synopsis
NOT your little sister's glittery fairy story!
Everyone knows rule #1 in the dragon world: Never, ever mess with a dragon's mama. So when Danny Dragonbreath's mom gets kidnapped by fairies, Danny, his best friend Wendell, and know-it-all Christiana hop the first bus to the Faerie realm to show those fairies who's boss. But these are not the sparkly Tinkerbell kind of fairies. These guys play dirty, and escaping fairyland with Danny's mom is no easy task, even for a sort-of-fire-breathing dragon.
The seventh book in this laugh-until-smoke-comes-out-of-your-nose series is perfect for Wimpy Kid, Bad Kitty, and Dork Diary fans everywhere.
Synopsis
NOT your little sister's glittery fairy story!
Everyone knows rule #1 in the dragon world: Never, ever mess with a dragon's mama. So when Danny Dragonbreath's mom gets kidnapped by fairies, Danny, his best friend Wendell, and know-it-all Christiana hop the first bus to the Faerie realm to show those fairies who's boss. But these are not the sparkly Tinkerbell kind of fairies. These guys play dirty, and escaping fairyland with Danny's mom is no easy task, even for a sort-of-fire-breathing dragon.
The seventh book in this laugh-until-smoke-comes-out-of-your-nose series is perfect for Wimpy Kid, Bad Kitty, and Dork Diary fans everywhere.
Synopsis
Perfect for fans of Andrew Clements, Dan Gutman, and The Borrowers, By the Grace of Todd is the laugh-out-loud answer to what happens if you leave dirty laundry on the floor . . . and donand#8217;t follow your motherand#8217;s instructions to clean your room.
Twelve-year-old Todd has created life through sheer grossness.
How did he become an accidental god?
Ingredient A: A worn athletic sock
Ingredient B: Dirt from the Great and Powerful Todd himself
Instructions: Leave under bed for months. Do not clean room.
Yields: 50 ant-sized Toddlians
BUT WATCH OUT! When school bully Max Loving puts the future of the tiny Toddlians in jeopardy, Todd will have to do everything in his power to save the race his very negligence created.
Synopsis
It's Rafe Khatchadorian's first day at Hills Village Middle School, and it's shaping up to be the worst year ever. He has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix, but luckily he's got an ace plan for the best year ever--if only he can pull it off. With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct. Chewing gum in class--5,000 points! Running in the hallway--10,000 points! Pulling the fire alarm--50,000 points!
But not everyone thinks Rafe's plan is a good idea, especially not the teachers, parents, and bullies who keep getting in his way. Will Rafe decide that winning is the only thing that matters? Are things about to go from magic to tragic? Find out in this hilarious--and heartwarming--#1 New York Times bestselling hit! Includes a FREE POSTER, a teaser to the upcoming I Funny, and over 100 illustrations!
Synopsis
After spending six months apart in Book Two, best friends Lydia and Julie are reunited at last! Julie has said good-bye to the mean girls, and Lydia is ready to apply her hard-earned friendship lessons to founding their own crew. But bad news interrupts their reunion: Their friend Sukieand#8217;s mother, ill for many years, has passed away. This shakes Lydia and Julie, who reevaluate their goals and decide to focus more on being supportive of the friends they have. Unfortunately, their well-meaning schemes almost immediately start to go awry, and everyone seems to be mad at them for reasons beyond their control. How can they be better friends when no one seems to want to give them the chance? As always, Lydia and Julieand#8217;s hilarious back-and-forth notes form the backbone of the novel, in which Amy Ignatow reveals all-too-true truths about friendship and loyalty.
Synopsis
In this fast-paced middle gradeand#160;noveland#160;with comic illustrations, boy genius Lenny Cyrus finds out that the human body is basically just like middle school, only a lot ickier.
Synopsis
It seemed so logical at first. Fourteen-year-old Lenny Cyrus had loved Zooey Andrews since third grade. All the boy genius needed to do to win her heart, surely, was shrink down to the size of an amoeba, ooze into a gelatin capsule, and have his friend Harlan slip it (him!) into Zooeyand#8217;s Diet Coke. Told in three voices, this fantastical middle grade novel takes Lenny deep into Zooeyand#8217;s loud, splashing innards, where a talking astrovirus named Astro has a bad attitude about white blood cells (and#8220;self-righteous pus-bagsand#8221;) and aromatic hormones disco dance. The question is, will Lenny and Zooey survive his crazy experiment in nanotechnology?
Synopsis
The thirdand#160;chapter book sequel to The Year of the Bookand#160;and The Year of the Baby, eleven-year-old Anna takes a trip to China and learns more about herself and her Chinese heritage.
Synopsis
Eleven-year-old Anna heads off to sixth grade, leaving the comfort and familiarity of elementary school behind and entering the larger, more complex world of middle school. Surrounded by classmates who have their roots all in America, Anna begins to feel out of place and wonders where she really belongs.and#160; When Anna takes a trip to China, she not only explores a new country and culture, but finds answers to her questions about whether she is more Chinese or more American.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; This young illustrated chapter book is the third in the series that includes The Year of the Book and The Year of the Baby.and#160;For grades 1-4.
About the Author
James Patterson was selected by readers across America as the Children's Choice Book Awards Author of the Year in 2010. He is the internationally bestselling author of the highly praised Middle School books,
I Funny, Confessions of a Murder Suspect and the Maximum Ride, Witch and Wizard, Daniel X, and Alex Cross series. His books have sold more than 275 million copies worldwide, making him one of the bestselling authors of all time. He lives in Florida.
Chris Tebbets has collaborated with James Patterson on two other books in the Middle School series and is also the author of The Viking, a fantasy-adventure series for young readers. He lives in Vermont.
Laura Park is a cartoonist and the illustrator of two other books in the Middle School series and I Funny. She is the author of the minicomic series Do Not Disturb My Waking Dream, and her work has appeared in The Best American Comics. She lives in Chicago.