Middle School News & Reviews
Middle School Marvels
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The Last Boy at St. Edith’s by Lee Gjertsen Malone
By: Goodreads.comSeventh grader Jeremy Miner has a girl problem. Or, more accurately, a girls problem. Four hundred and seventy-five of them. That’s how many girls attend his school, St. Edith’s Academy. Jeremy is the only boy left after the school’s brief experiment in coeducation. And he needs to get out. His mom won’t let him transfer,
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Cosplay
By: Tom Malinowski, Middle School LibrarianC2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo) took place in early December 2021. Not only did I attend informative sessions, but it was great to see so much artwork and so many comics for sale, as well as some great cosplay. Wikipedia defines cosplay as “an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear
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December Recommendations
By: Tom Malinowski, Middle School LibrarianNew Fiction 7th Grade Revolution by Liana Gardner | Goodreads.com Summary Graphic Novel City of Secrets by Victoria Ying | Goodreads.com Summary
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Strange Academy Volume 1: First Class by Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos
By: Goodreads.comThe Marvel Universe’s first school for sorcerers throws open its doors! The world has mysteriously changed in such an alarming way that Doctor Strange has finally done what he has avoided for decades – established an academy for the Mystic Arts! Young people from around the world with an aptitude for magic are brought together
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Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Symposium
By: Tom Malinowski, Middle School LibrarianEarly in November, I was fortunate to attend the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Symposium! It was my first time in Reno, Nevada, where it was held. Here are some of the sessions I attended. Pleasure Reading for English Language Learners – Finding ways to help students where English is their second language
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The Rules of Never: A Middle School Survival Guide by Phil Adam
By: Goodreads.comPhil Abrams wants what any sixth-grade boy wants: Fit in with classmates. Get along with teachers. Stay out of trouble. Play by the rules. In short, survive his first year of middle school. No such luck. Instead, from day one, Phil is plunged into a wacky whirlwind of wrestling matches, stuck zippers, exploding chili, errant spitballs, sagging
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Cross Ups by Sylv Chiang, Art by Connie Choi
By: Goodreads.comThe Glen Ellyn Public Library has books 1 – 3! Book One: Tournament Trouble Twelve-year-old Jaden loves to play his favorite video game Cross Ups but has to hide his gaming from his unapproving mom. When an epic match wins him a chance to play in a tournament, Jaden and his friend Devesh hatch a plan to
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Energy please!
By: Tom Malinowski, Middle School LibrarianDoes a long day of school leave you drained? Looking back at my middle school days more than 30 years ago, all the learning and processing new information was taxing. After school at times, I would do an extracurricular activity – and I can’t forget homework. Yikes! Somehow, I got through it, and you can
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Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
By: Goodreads.comIn the eerie town of ‘Allows, some people get to be magical sorceresses, while other people have their spirits trapped in the mall for all ghastly eternity. Then there’s twelve-year-old goblin-witch Beetle, who’s caught in between. She’d rather skip being homeschooled completely and spend time with her best friend, Blob Glost. But the mall is
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