Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.

Self-proclaimed middle school expert and life coach Max Corrigan offers advice and practical tips on such topics as how and why to join cliques, how to deal with gym class, pretending to be sick, and acing tests without being caught cheating. Includes comic-style illustrations.

The Dunwiddle Magic School (fifth to eighth grade) is intended for children whose magic is "upside-down" like Dory (who turns into a combination of a kitten and dragon) and Pepper (whose uncontrollable "fiercing" terrifies everyone around her)--so the Show Off, where fifth grade students are supposed to showcase their skills, does not really seem like a good idea.

Sixth grader Abigail, assigned a different homeroom than her two best friends and made only the alternate on the pom-pom squad, learns a lot about popularity and true friendship when paired with unpopular Gabby for a year-long "Friendly Letter Assignment."

Twelve-year-old Fisher Bas, a science-loving bully magnet, clones himself, only to discover that his double is infinitely cooler than himself.

Wheaton, Kansas seventh-grader Tucker MacBean loves comic books, so when his favorite comic has a contest to create a sidekick, he is hopeful that he can win, thereby fixing his struggling family.

Griffin Bing is in big trouble when a Super Bowl ring disappears from his middle school's display case, replaced by Griffin's retainer, and the more he and his friends investigate, the worse his situation becomes.

Painfully shy seventh-grader Shira Gordon is cast in a small role in The Music Man and also as understudy for the lead, played by diva Monica Manley, who becomes the victim of a prankster.

Seventh graders Fonda, Drew, and Ruthie develop a friendship strong enough to tackle whatever middle school--and puberty--throws at them next.

Abbie Wu once again finds herself in perpetual crisis when she faces an unwanted science class partnership, a locker mix-up, and a diabolical cat.