30 Days of No Gossip

Maddie is the gossip queen of Troy Middle School. She was shy and unpopular in elementary school, but she found herself to be the center of attention when she became the source of information, rumors and gossip. She even publishes the Troy Tattler, the school's unofficial gossip newsletter.

Maddie's best friend, Vi, is quiet, brainy and extremely interested in design. She doesn't participate when Maddie and their other friends gossip, preferring to withdraw and sketch.

When Maddie reveals Vi's crush on a boy to the boy himself, with only the best of intentions, Vi is furious and challenges Maddie to stop gossiping for thirty days or their friendship is over. Since Maddie values Vi's friendship, she accepts the challenge, but the task is daunting. As anyone who ever attended middle school knows, gossip and rumors are it's life's blood.

Maddie struggles with what gossip is and whether it has made her as popular as she thinks it has. When does passing on information cross the line into gossip? Is it okay to spread negative or judgmental information? Is talking behind people's backs hurtful, even if they don't find out? What if they do? What kind of person is she being when she engages in gossip? Are people interested in her or are they only interested in the information she has to share?

When Maddie finds out about a really big secret, that a TV makeover show is planning a big decorating project at Troy Middle School, she is challenged to keep the knowledge a secret. It is practically impossible to keep such a secret in that environment, but she doesn't want to jeopardize the project and she especially wants Vi to have a chance to participate and show off her design talents. Maddie watches helplessly as the little bit of information she does divulge,  grows and takes on a life of its own.

This is an easy read with believable characters and dialogue. The redecorating project seems a little contrived, but I think most upper elementary students would buy into it. This book may plant some seeds for thought as to what we say about other people and whether we are hurting anyone by doing it. It also gives some insight into rumors and their amazing ability to spread, becoming something much larger than their origin.      2014       

R.Rauch                                                                                     

Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker, illustrated by Tim Probert

Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School

If the schools in town suddenly have a outbreak of silly pranks, you won't have to look far for the cause -- that'll be proof that someone has read Pickle:  The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School.  Luckily, this good-natured book emphasizes light-hearted pranks that are not cruel or mean-spirited; they are done for the sheer fun of it. 

Ben, the founder of the group, performs his first prank on a whim.  I mean, if you suddenly found yourself the proud owner of a whole ball pit's worth of plastic balls, wouldn't you have to think of something cool to do with them?  After the success of that first prank, the momentum builds, and Ben realizes he needs a group of friends to help him continue the pranks.  And what better cover story for the group is there than a boring sounding name like the League of Pickle Makers?  The book describes their exploits as they each try to come up with a prank, so they can become full members of the group.  But what should Ben do about his best friend Hector?  It doesn't seem right to leave Hector out of the group, but Hector's grandmother is the principal, and Hector is not great at keeping secrets. 

This is a fun, easy read that is sure to please.  Kids will enjoy the escapades of the group as they plan and carry out their pranks, with varying degrees of success, but they'll also appreciate the description of the shifting dynamics of friendship in middle school.  Adults will appreciate that the kids, while certainly mischievious, are basically good kids, who still get along with their families and try to do well at school.  But that doesn't mean that adults are allowed to look at the super-secret website of the Pickle club.  After all, once you're over twenty your sense of humor starts leaking out, and soon you're just boring.

2012

M. Adams

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder

Starting middle school is a challenge for any child. But for 10 year old August Pullman, "Auggie", it seems like an almost insurmountable feat. Born with severe craniofacial abnormalities, Auggie has been homeschooled his entire life and undergone countless surgeries. When his parents decide to send him to private school, he is not sure how his new classmates will react to his strange appearance. While initially, he does make a few friends, most of the children stay far away from him and he also attracts the attention of an outright bully.
Through it all, Auggie's voice as a typical 10 year old, rings true, even as he faces obstacles that are anything but ordinary. Adding even more richness to the story is the fact that there are also chapters told in the voices of Auggie's sister Olivia, his supposed "best friend" Jack and Olivia's boyfriend and best friend. As each one of them details how their lives are changed through their interactions with Auggie, it becomes clear that while Auggie's difficulties are extreme, no one is exempt from the challenges that life often throws our way.
A turning point is reached when Auggie is the target of bullies on a school trip. When he receives help from an unlikely source, he realizes that sometimes the worst of circumstances turn out to be the moments when our true character and the characters of others shines through.
This is a completely satisfying read that honestly portrays the perils of middle school as well as the individual suffering that those that are different must often face in our society. 2011
Highly recommended.
P.Sassoon