Middle School: How to Deal

A Book Review

by Julia Ransohoff, high school student writer

Five girls who live in the Bay Area wrote this book -- and these girls aren't writing about surviving middle school from memories that are decades old. Now teenagers, the authors (Sara Borden, Sara Miller, Alex Strikeleather, Maria Valladares and Miriam Yelton) wrote this book when they were in seventh grade and going through all of the tough stuff they talk about.

The content is divided into five sections: "The World of Middle School," "The F's of Life: Friends, Family—and Foes!" "Boys, Boys, Boys," "Your World" and "Your Body and You." The girls cover topics from bullies to school dances to IM language. They even interview boys and get their opinions on girls and dating! "Middle School: How to Deal" helps girls know what to expect in middle school, and the authors use kid language while still getting across all of the important information that grown-ups try to tell you.

I would give this book four out of four books and I would recommend it for girls entering middle school or girls who are already in middle school. I would not recommend this book for boys, because not only are they not the intended audience, there are topics that boys probably don't care about, such as popular cliques and make-up. Middle School: How to Deal is a book that can be enjoyed by many girls and can make middle school seem less scary.