It was a good book, my son liked it, but it wasn’t at all what we were expecting and that left us both disappointed. This would be great for a middle school/late elementary school kid who is going through a family separation but that isn’t what we needed and it definitely wasn’t what we were expecting. The story did have a wonderful plot line regarding bullying and friendship which I loved.
Overall though it wasn’t a bad book just not what we hoped for. ( )

Authentic read -- Mahoney really gets what starting middle school is like, the challenge of finding "your people" and the self-discovery that goes on at this age. ( )

Augusta is writing a letter to her 4th grade sister, Louisa about what middle school is like and what she should expect when she gets there. She starts by sharing her generic middle school problems such as opening a combination lock, changing classes, and getting to know a new building with new people in it. Later in "the letter," the story of Gus's middle school experience gets more and more personal as we find out about her parents' divorce, her troubles with some of the popular students, and several embarrassing events that occur during her first year in middle school.
The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School chronicles many of the real problems that arise as a student enters middle school for the first time. The book is cute and funny as well as poignant. The theme of dealing with change is well developed as the story progresses. Overall, a very good middle grade novel. ( )