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.

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

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.

Starting to emerge from her shell in the months after devastating losses, Annie Lee takes piano lessons from an elderly mall pianist before his disappearance forces her to break a promise to a new friend.

"When scientist-in-the-making Madeline Little starts sixth grade, she soon learns that middle school is nothing like a perfect lab experiment--and that she now has to find the cure for her newly messed-up life"--

Aspiring special effects wizard Desmond Pucket carries his pranks too far, putting his field trip to Mountain Full of Monsters at Crab Shell Pier in jeopardy.

"Twelve-year-old Tad navigates a year filled with girl problems, school antics, and the worst summer job in history, all told in the form of hilarious, illustrated blog entries"--

Georgia Khatchadorian plans to excel at Hills Village Middle School in all the places her troublemaking brother failed.