Skip to main content

Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf - Jennifer L. Holm

By
Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff
By Jennifer L. Holm
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007. Unpaged. Chapter book.

Jennifer L. Holm has given us a different style novel this time. Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff is full of exactly that, stuff. It is not your standard novel with lots of words and a few illustrations. The entire story of Ginny Davis' 7th grade year is revealed to the reader through report cards, classroom assignments, notes from her mom, postcards from her grandpa, cartoons drawn by her brother, refrigerator magnets, receipts and many, many more things.

It is truly amazing how much you can learn about a person from their stuff. This book made me laugh, it made me cry, it brought back both good and bad memories from my own junior high years. Although this book is written in an unconventional way, it still conveys all the up and down emotions of a typical 7th grade girl.

Comments

curlyq said…
This book was wonderful. I had a hard time transitioning from elementary to junior high and this book certainly brought back memories of those two years, good and bad. The book's design is excellent and makes it very fun and entertaining to read. Although it's set up almost with the feel of a diary/scrapbook, you forget that you're not just reading a novel due to the pull of the story. Check this book out--it's definitely better than meatloaf (which I happen to like).
October 31, 2007 at 4:20 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

By
If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

By loo
Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.
Post a Comment
Read more

Books That Take You There: Egypt

By
My parents are currently planning their first visit to Egypt. And they’re going without me . Like many of you, I’ve always found Egypt fascinating, whether learning about the gross details of making a mummy or eating delicious Egyptian food eaten by people who live there today. And if we can’t all go to Cairo with my parents, we can at least take a little trip through a few books that can take us straight to Egypt! Tail of the Mummy Cat  Written by Chas! Pangburn  Illustrated by Nic Touris  Miami, FL: Papercutz, an imprint of Mad Cave Studios, 2024. Comic. 132 pages.  Nana and Otto are siblings who visit Egypt with their travel-blogger mom. Nan loves learning about Egypt and its history, while Otto wishes he could’ve stayed home. However, both of their plans change when they accidentally let a mummified cat loose from a Pharaoh’s tomb. This graphic novel lets you see both of the sibling’s perspectives through this adventure —and their stories don’t always agree! This...
Post a Comment
Read more