I'm not sure if this is a bold or a reasonable statement, but Donna Gephart can be considered the contemporary Judy Blume. It's true, I only (re-)read Blubber as an adult. And I thought it was dated in terms of plot complexity, personal and social issues, and the like. I remember reading Blume''s books when I was a kid. She seemed to be writing about situations that were edgy and real, that would have happened to a middle class child. And she said things like, "This happens to everybody, you aren't alone." The current crop of children's fiction books is full of serious issues. For over a decade, mature topics have been forbidden in the world of children's book. My opinion of this topic may be skewed due to the fact that I dislike real-life stories about school, particularly those featuring boys. It's possible that there are a ton of books on the market that cover similar ground to How To Survive The Middle School and I simply don't pay attention because I am not interested. But I'm not sure. I believe that Donna Gephart's first book if you think being 12 and 3/4 years old is bad enough, your mother is running to be president has demonstrated her ability to delve into preteens' minds with humor, sensitivity, and a thoughtful plot. It's no surprise that her first book was awarded the Sid Fleischman Award by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
As I mentioned, real-life stories about school featuring boys aren't my favorites. The heroes of science fiction or historical fiction are much more appealing to me than the boys in school stories. David Greenberg's eleven year old character in How To Survive Mid Schoolis anything but dull and routine. David isn't a stereotype. David isn't a wimp, even though he describes himself as short and skinny and not a swimmer. David is bullied a lot in the book. I, as a mother with two boys was a bit squirmy in my seat. David loses both his longtime friend and the school's sixth grader on the same day. David does make a new (cute) friend. He resolves a few issues with her and follows his passion, which eventually leads him to recognition at a national level. Gephart gives her characters so much that David's world opens up in a real, genuine way. This book isn't a straight-forward plot summary. I think the real, personal and social issues the characters deal with and how Gephart skillfully presents them are what deserve the most attention. Visit middle grade Ninja for a clear, straightforward review How I Survived Middle School.
David is special because of the humor he loves, specifically Jon Stewart's Daily Show, and for his video-making skills. David enjoys the show so much that, with Elliott Berger as his friend, they have been creating TalkTime videos that are posted on YouTube. David uses a video camera to film his sister, 14, while she is applying pimple-cream on her face. After editing in humorous text, he calls it "cloudy" with "a chance of Blackheads." David films Hammy his hamster and Photoshops humorous effects to make Hammy look like he is singing, dancing or reading. David and Elliott watch these videos for their own amusement, and not many people.
David is shocked to find that in the span of 24 hours, he's lost two friends and gained two enemies after an argument he had with Elliott. Elliott and Tommy Murphy live in the same building and form a close friendship because of Elliott's hatred for David and Tommy's love to torture others. The friendship begins with David being sent home from school on the first day after a cruel trick was played. Gephart's depiction of bullying and friendships coming apart (and then coming back together) is very nuanced, and it makes sense why David and Elliott made the choices they did.
While reading children's books, I find myself asking "Why didn't they tell their parents/adults?" I understand that plot development is important in many cases. It is not necessary for adults to know what children are doing. This is why I often have to suspend disbelief when this plot element appears. Both had their points. How do you survive middle school? plus if it wasn't bad for me to be 12 and 3/4, my mother will run for president The plots were able to provide me with plausible explanations that put my mother's mind at ease. At How do you survive middle school? David would've told his parent about the bullying and how his friendship ended with Elliott much earlier if he had been there. David's Mother leaves her Pennsylvania family to move with a Maine beet farm in the first part of the book. The house has no modern amenities. David recalls the times they spent together shopping for school uniforms, having lunch and doing other things. He also explains that this was a special time because his mom rarely left her house. Mr Popper's Penguins , around your house. David's mom is never described in a way that would be alarming, but a reader (or adult reader) can get a sense of her as a woman who was unhappy with her marriage, and also possibly mentally unbalanced. This is crucial because David's perspective on his mother allows the reader to understand her as a woman who was not happy in her marriage and also emotionally and possibly mentally unstable.
Sophie Meyers is the bright spot of David's life, after he lost his best friend and mother. Sophie, who has been homeschooled since her father's departure, is happy to be in school and with other children. She also feels relieved that she will no longer have to deal with her mother. Both girls are 6th-graders, and they bond right away. Gephart manages to maintain the platonic nature of their friendship while describing David's evolving feelings over the course of this book. David and Sophie are partners in a science-class project. When they visit each other to complete it, things change dramatically for David. David shows Sophie videos he's posted on YouTube for their Albert Einstein project. Sophie is stunned. She tells David to post the videos on her network of homeschoolers website, where they generate instant interest. David is surprised at how many views and comments he receives. David's video popularity grows as Tommy Murphy's unwanted attention increases. In no time, his head will be dipped into the toilet of a boy's bathroom while he is interviewed by the reporter. Philadelphia Inquirer . Gephart's story reaches an important but sad climax and then comes to a satisfying conclusion.
When I say "I don't", what do you mean? Gephart portrays the phenomenon in a realistic and accurate way. David's life, from the bullying and internet fame to his reactions, his thoughts, and the events that happen to him, all seem plausible. I stated at the beginning that How do you survive middle school? Donna Gephart, who writes this book, has completely won me over. I read the entire thing in just one sitting.
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