Book Review: Middle School Confidential Series

Author: Annie Fox

Illustrator: Matt Kindt

Interest Level: Grades 5 and Up

About The Series:

Meet Jack, Jen, Mateo, Abby, Chris, and Michelle—six kids in middle school just trying to figure it all out. The Middle School Confidential series follows these six characters as they negotiate a shifting social scene, forge strong friendships, and deal with changing family dynamics. Fun and engaging character narratives are complemented by quizzes, quotes from real kids, tips, tools, and resources. 

Be Confident In Who You Are (Book 1)

Be Confident in Who You Are brings readers into the lives of the Middle School Confidential characters as they try to meet new challenges without losing sight of who they are. Readers get practical advice for being healthy, feeling good about themselves, and staying in control of feelings and actions—even when the pressure is on. 

Real Friends vs the Other Kind (Book 2)

In Real Friends vs. the Other Kind, the characters navigate the ins and outs of friendships, cliques, crushes, and more. There’s expert information for readers on making friends, resolving disputes, and dealing with other aspects of the social scene—including gossip, exclusion, cyberbullying, peer pressure, and being there for friends who need help.

What's Up with My Family? (Book 3)

In What's Up with My Family?, the characters negotiate family rules, routines, and responsibilities. Readers will find insider tips for getting along with parents and handling common concerns that come up at home—including dealing with sibling conflicts, coping with divorce and life in a blended family, and being assertive when adults are genuinely unfair.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Well, it's that time of year again. We are getting our 5th graders ready for a new environment - middle school. Just bringing up this topic can raise anxiety in the room. So wouldn't it be nice to have a hip, relevant, contemporary book series to help students transition from elementary to middle school? Done and done! Series found. And how do I know Middle School Confidential is doing wonders for future middle schoolers? Because kids are asking me for the fourth book (publication pending)! Since the moment I introduced the books, I've barely seen them since. A steady stream of 5th graders have been checking them out from my bookshelf. When asking kids how they like the series and how it's helping them - I was delighted by their responses. Students are taking skills they've learned from Middle School Confidential and utilizing them in their daily lives. One student recommended I share with 5th graders an activity called "Who Are Your Real Friends?" from Real Friends vs the Other Kind because it helped her evaluate her own friendships. A book that decreases friendship drama? Love it.


The students who have read the series have had a noticeably improved attitude about entering middle school. That shift in perspective is allowing kids to not dread but embrace their middle grade years. I encourage teachers, school librarians, and parents to get these on your bookshelves. They won't be sitting idle for long.


Looking forward to the fourth book!

Helpful Links:
Author Annie Fox's Blog. Good Stuff.
Leader's Guide To The Middle School Confidential Series 
Learn more about the series at Free Spirit Publishing.  

Book Review: Rules

Author: Cynthia Lord
Interest Level: Grades 4 and Up

About This Book: Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. she's spent years trying to teach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public" - in order to head off David's embarrassing behaviors.

But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the potential next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down forces her to ask: What is normal?

Filled with humor and warmth, Cynthia Lord's novel takes a candid and sensitive look at feeling different and finding acceptance - beyond the rules.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: A few years ago, I was listening to a 5th grade class discuss their transition on becoming middle schoolers. They shared many fears and concerns: 'What if I forget my locker combination?' 'What will the cafeteria food be like?' 'What if I get lost?' 'Will there be more homework?' Mostly, it was the usual stuff I hear every year. But one comment has stayed with me - "I'm worried kids will make fun of my sister because she is disabled." The room went silent. And then an eruption of hands went up around me. Students responded with an empathatic discussion in support of their peer. I was grateful for two things: 1)the power of a caring community of kids and 2)how brave the student was to share his challenge. I realized he must have felt emotionally safe to do so. But I also wasn't aware of the stress he had been feeling about his sibling. These students need support and care. Enter the essential read Rules. It's full of insight, understanding, and strength.

An autism diagnosis affects the whole family. Because of the daily demands and interventions required, balancing daily life activities can sometimes be difficult. This can be very hard on siblings of autistic children. Through Catherine's eyes you feel her annoyance, frustration, jealousy, embarrassment, and worry. And you also feel her love, compassion, care, and loyalty. Those traits help her overcome the emotional obstacles she faces.  If you want to encourage understanding and care for children like Catherine, read Rules. This book has been making a difference in my school.


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Book Review: Milo Armadillo

Author: Jan Fearnley
Interest Level:  Ages 4-8

About This Book: All Tallulah wants is a pink fluffy rabbit - just like the ones her friends have. So for her birthday, Grandma knits her a pink fluffy...armadillo. Oops. 

Even though Milo Armadillo is athletic, talented, good at listening, and great for going on adventures with, Tallulah wishes Grandma had made her a rabbit instead. Milo tries hard to please Tallulah, but he finally accepts that, no matter what, he won't ever be the pink fluffy rabbit she wants. Maybe, he thinks, it would be better if he left...

Will Tallulah realize that she already has the perfect pink friend? Or will her friendship with Milo unravel before she's given him a chance? In this endearing picture book about learning to love things for what they are, author-illustrator Jan Fearnley knits a sweet story of an unlikely but utterly perfect friend. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Milo Armadillo, I heart you. Thank you for teaching kids about acceptance, seeking approval, friendship, rejection, putdowns, being grateful, and appreciation. Phew! Are you picking up what I'm putting down? Lots of teachable moments in this one! I've really focused on the rejection theme in this book with students. Milo Armadillo has helped kids understand the hurt it causes. Milo was knitted special for Tallulah. Her attitude towards him makes him feel anything but special. Towards the end of the story he wants to unravel himself - he does not want to exist anymore. Very sad! During this part of the story, there was a mix of compassion, sadness, empathy, and care from students. They saw the pain rejection causes and they didn't like it. Luckily, Tallulah gets a second chance. In the real world, not everyone does. Milo Armadillo will encourage kids to remember to treasure one another. Such a great story!

Book Review: Yoga Calm for Children: Educating Heart, Mind, and Body

Authors: Lynea Gillen, Jim Gillen
Interest Level: Grades K and UP

About This Book: The ultimate guide for parents, teachers and other adults who want to introduce yoga to children, as well as help kids manage stress, build social skills and create lifelong fitness habits! Lavishly illustrated, Yoga Calm for Children includes 60 practical, easy-to teach activities, as well as alignment and safety principles and "emotional first aid" tips. It shows school teachers and counselors how to integrate Yoga Calm activities with regular class work and modify them for specific classroom situations. And it inspires through stories from the authors own experiences of helping kids learn, grow and thrive with Yoga Calm. Specially designed for use in K-12 schools and therapeutic settings, Yoga Calms principle-based approach makes it effective in any environment and with a broad range of ages, populations and abilities, including children with ADHD, anxiety and other disorders. [This] beautiful book...offers a clear program for introducing educational activities and curriculum that address the whole child, rather than just the academic mind.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I've been practicing yoga off and on for years and have appreciated all of it's healing benefits for my mind and body. The emotional boost I feel afterwards is a great reminder of how important it is to have a wellness habit. So when I was given the opportunity to attend a yoga workshop aimed at helping children, I got my yoga mat ready!

Within the first hour of the workshop I began asking myself, 'How have I been working with kids for so many years and not discovered the power of using yoga as a strategy to emotionally strengthen children??' Over the course of the day, we learned how to combine simple yoga with effective counseling techniques to use in small groups or classrooms. There were so many 'a ha' moments I thought I might explode. I've been teaching kids how to breathe and get calm for years....counting to 10..taking breaks...blah blah blah. Apparently, I've been missing a few ingredients for a true calmness recipe. One of my favorite breathing techniques was -Volcano Breath (it's all in the book).

I returned to school today and did an activity called, The Mindful Walk with a 3rd grade class. Of course I had a few kiddos thinking this was silly time. But within minutes we were all walking peacefully around the classroom counting our breathing and clearing our minds for positive thinking. Afterwards, a student who often suffers from frustration asked me if they could come to my office during recess to practice the calm breathing. Um, how cool is that!?

Yoga Calm is a wonderful resource that enhances social/emotional skill building, breathing techniques, and simple EASY yoga poses. We all know how important movement is to help students in the classroom environment. Incorporating yoga into schools is a total NO brainer. I'm going to continue my journey and hopefully work on being a Yoga Calm certified instructor in the fall. It's that good!


Check out Yoga Calm's website for more information. I also love reading their blog. Watch this school in Minneapolis using Yoga Calm.

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Book Review: Mine! Mine! Mine!

Author: Shelly Becker
Illustrated by Hideko Takahashi
Interest Level: Ages 3-6

About This Book: “My name is Gail, and here’s a tale that I would like to share…” Gail may happily share her tale…but never her toys, books, or other possessions. And that’s the problem in this entertaining story, narrated in rhyme by the resistant little girl herself.

Gail’s favorite words are “Mine! Mine! Mine!” and she uses them all the time. Even when she tries to follow her Mom’s good examples of generosity, Gail doesn’t get it quite right. “An ugly hat, a broken bat, a smelly, chewed-up shoe…” are all she’ll hand over during her Cousin Claire’s visit. Will Gail EVER become a “sharing superstar”?

With its adorable art and humorous perspective, this picture book makes its point in the most delightful way.

Why It's On My Book Shelf: I'm guessing 99.9% of kids go through the stage of 'Mine Mine Mine!' Oh yes, just the other day I saw kids burying coveted sand toys in the playground sandbox. Apparently, some were still learning that hoarding the toys is not cool. So it seemed like the appropriate time for a dose of Mine Mine Mine. As I read the story to kindergarteners, a wave of guilt seemed to sweep across the room. Students related to Gail's possessive behavior. At one point, a little girl blurted out, "Oh, she is really rude!" I let the outraged blurting continue throughout the first few pages, "She doesn't have any manners!" "That's really selfish!" As the story progressed the students quieted down and an overwhelming sense of empathy seemed to be developing towards Cousin Claire (Gail's victim). Author Shelly Becker does a marvelous job of making sure the reader sees how refusing to share can cause hurt feelings and you might even lose a play date. Gail's mom steps in to not just save the day but also models the importance of sharing and kindness. Liking that a lot! This is definitely my favorite book about sharing.

Book Review: Big Wolf & Little Wolf

Author: Nadine Brun-Cosme
Illustrated by:  Olivier Tallec
Interest Level: Preschool-Grade 2

About This Book: Big Wolf lives alone under a tree at the top of a hill until one autumn day when Little Wolf comes along. At first he is wary of this stranger who silently joins him for exercises at the top of the tree, lunch at the base, and sleepy time against the trunk. But when Big Wolf goes for a walk and comes back to find Little Wolf gone, he realizes that "a little one, indeed a very little one, [has] taken up space in his heart. A lot of space." Big Wolf waits through a lonely winter, until one spring day a tiny dot in the distance slowly grows to become Little Wolf, returning at last, and a beautiful friendship begins. This translation has careful phrasing. Tallec's colorful illustrations play off the quiet dignity of the text, revealing emotion through the characters' stances and expressions, employing a sketchy painting style that brims with light. -from School Library Journal

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Have you ever had a whole classroom clap after you read a book? It's pretty cute and cool when it happens. Big Wolf and Little Wolf practically got a standing ovation. This is a touching story of friendship. Big Wolf is content living a solace little life style under a tree, OR IS HE? Something spectacular happens to him when he finally 'invites' the friendship of Little Wolf into his life. He's changed forever and for the better.  Sharing, caring, being grateful, appreciation of another....you will get the 'works' in this sweet story. More endearing friendship books for my shelf. Yippeee!

Book Review: Where I Live

Author: Eileen Spinelli

Illustrated by Matt Phelan

Interest Level: 2nd Grade and Up

About This Book: 

 Diana loves where she lives. She loves the astronomy charts on her walls and the fact that she can wave to her best friend, Rose, from her very own window. And best of all, a wren has recently made its home right by her front door! When her family is forced to move, Diana wonders if she’ll ever find that same grounded and happy feeling again.

Six Reasons Why We Have to Move

1. Because Dad lost his job. 

2. Because we're short on money.

3. Because Grandpa Joe lives alone in a big, empty house.

4. Because Grandpa Joe wants to share his house with us. 

5. Because I don't get a vote about moving. 

6. Because even if I did, it would be three against one. 

This gentle and ultimately redeeming story in poems is about those secure and fulfilling friendships that happen naturally and easily when you live right next door, and the struggles of losing the comfort of a familiar place.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I love this book. Let me say it again - I Love This Book!  Times have been tough lately.  People are struggling.  The ecomony is down.  Unemployment rates are up and many of our familes find themselves thrust out of their homes as a result.  A LOT of our students have attended different schools and have had to make many moves to new homes.  These are the kids who really need us to reach out to them and be compassionate and helpful while they adjust to a new home and school. I really had no idea what sort of reaction I would get from students when I read Where I Live. My hope was it would give students in these hard and often emotionally difficult situations a voice. It's done that and so much more.  After I read it to a second grade class, many of them were clamoring around me desperately trying to tell me their story of moving. Some kids moved from another state, some moved from across town, some even moved from another country, and some kids haven't moved at all, but it allowed them to gain a sensitivity towards the other children who have moved. I felt like this book must have been a 'labor of love' for Eileen Spinelli. Because she has given children a beautiful little story written wonderfully in the form of poetry full of precious characters like Twink and Rose. I especially cared for Mrs. Clifford, Diana's teacher, who validated her feelings when she had to move.  Sometimes when I read a book, I might have a few kids not paying attention. Not with this read, even the squirliest of the squirelly had their eyes and ears 100% on me. I know Where I Live has done a lot of healing in my school. There are not enough books out there helping kids with a big life transition like moving. So I was grateful for this new find and will continue to use it as a tool to help students experiencing or facing a move.

Book Review: The Golden Rule

Author: Ilene Cooper
Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
Interest Level: Grades K-5

About This Book: This book is a gentle reminder of a timeless rule for parent and child: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Everyone knows a version of the Golden Rule. But what does it really mean? And how do you follow it? In this gorgeously illustrated book, a grandfather explains to his grandson that the Golden Rule means you “treat people the way you would like to be treated. It’s golden because it’s so valuable, and a way of living your life that’s so simple, it shines.” And though it may be a simple rule, it isn’t easy to follow. Fortunately, following the Golden Rule is something everyone can do, which means that every person—old or young, rich or poor—can be a part of making the world a better place.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: The golden rule was a big thing when I was growing up. I remember hearing it frequently at an early age in school and from my parents. Guess what? It left a huge moral impression on me then and now. It has helped me be a better friend, student, daughter, and sister. So when I found this contemporary beautiful book a few years ago, I was delighted.

I've been reading The Golden Rule for a few years now to the students. Many kids had never even heard of the golden rule. Gasp! It's a way of thinking I'd like to see more kids using to solve friendship and bullying problems. There is a simplicity about it that I love and appeals to children. Kids are searching for meaningful ways to become better human beings. They are like sponges when I read this book and want to learn how to apply it to their daily lives. The golden rule has been around forever and I hope to help pass it on to our younger generations.  


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