If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period

This middle grades book has been on my want to read list for awhile, so I’m glad i finally found the time to read it!  This middle grade novel is all about changing friendships and finding your place to belong, which are both very important to tweens and teens.

Kirsten cannot wait for seventh grade to start, if only to get away from her parents constant fighting and her mother’s concerns over her weight gain.  But she’s not prepared for her best friend to leave her for the popular crowd, leaving Kirsten feel like she doesn’t fit anywhere.  Walk is nervous for his first day of school, especially since he’s one of the few Black kids at his new private school.  He feels confident academically, but socially he feels like he’s a little out of his element.  He’s surprised that popular Brianna can get away with anything while people look at him with suspicion.  When an extra credit assignment brings Walk and Kirsten together, they find that maybe having a few nice, loyal friends is all you need to survive middle school.

This book pulled at my teacher heart-strings because I see many kids come into middle school trying to navigate the social minefields.  What happens when your friends outgrow you?  What happens when you’re the new kid?  How do you know who to befriend and trust?  What happens when your parents start fighting all the time?  Emotions in middle schoolers run high (remember, hormones), but they cannot be dismissed as trivial.  This story highlights the trials of middle school and all the mixed emotions that go along with it.  I was pleasantly surprised at this quick read.