Girlfriend Material by: Melissa Kantor

Kate is bummed to find out that her mother is dragging her away to Cape Code for the summer when all she wants to do is spend time with all of her friends. The only positive side Kate sees in leaving is that they will be staying with her mom’s best friend, whose daughter, Sarah, is the same age as her.

Once they arrive in Cape Cod, Kate realizes that Sarah couldn’t be less interested in her and she feels like the beginning of her summer is destined for disaster and lonely days. However, things start looking up for Kate, especially when she bumps into a boy named Adam at the town bookstore.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a quick read, and I could relate to the main character, Kate. Although this author, Melissa Kantor, is quite popular, this is the first book I had read of hers. I look forward to reading more by her. Out of a possible 5 stars, I would rate this book a 4, and I would highly recommend it, especially for the female reader.

How to Survive Middle School by: Donna Gephart

We all remember the first day of junior high because it’s a big day in the life of any teen. David, the main character, does not start out his first day on the right foot. His believed best friend tells him that everyone is going to come to school the first day in t-shirts instead of following their strict private school dress code. However, when David shows up the first day of school, he is shocked to see that he is the only one not wearing the uniform. This is just the beginning of David’s problems in middle school. With a best friend who is turning on him and a school bully who he fears will give him his first swirly, David finds that middle school is not going so well.

With his school life going down the tubes, David finds his joy from making U-Tube videos at home with his hamster. It may sound pathetic, but David’s videos are actually gaining recognition from people on the Web. Will David’s life at school get any better? Will he really get a swirly from the creepy school bully? Will David’s videos change his life?

Looking at the cover of this book, I thought it looked kind of silly, especially with the hamster singing in the microphone. Despite my initial impression, I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry, and I think anyone who has ever been through middle school can relate to David. I would give this book 4 stars out of 5 and would highly recommend it.