Click Here: To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade [Hardcover]

Denise Vega (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: 5 and up

magine if all your personal thoughts about crushes, fears, enemies, and even kissing practice ended up on the internet for everyone to read! That's what happens to Erin Swift when her secret blog lands on the school Web site. As if navigating the treacherous waters of seventh grade weren't enough! Writing with warm, knowing humor, first-time novelist Denise Vega perfectly captures life from a seventh grade girl's point of view.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7–Erin Swift, who is beginning middle school, keeps a diary on her own private Web page, which she never intends to post on the Internet. The year gets off to a rough start when she discovers that she and her best friend, Jilly, will not have any classes together. Then Erin punches her archenemy, Serena, for calling her Jilly's puppet. Worst of all, Erin begins to wonder if she does follow Jilly's wishes instead of her own and resolves to make some new friends and pursue her own interests. Things become more difficult when the boy Erin secretly likes becomes infatuated with Jilly. The only bright spot is the Intranet Club, where her computer skills earn her a lead role in designing the school's new Web site. Then disaster strikes when Erin's secret Web page is accidentally posted on the school Intranet for everyone to read. Suddenly, she is faced with her biggest problem yet. The characters and situations are believable, and readers will relate to and sympathize with Erin's dilemmas. Entries from the diary supplement the first-person narrative, an approach that works well with the story. The Erin at the end of the semester is hardly recognizable from the earlier Erin, and the result is pleasing to everyone.–Linda L. Plevak, Saint Mary's Hall, San Antonio, TX
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Review

"The blog segments and first-person narration are immediate and funny." (Kirkus )

"Readers will relate to and sympathize with Erin's dilemma." (School Library Journal )

"A heartfelt book." (Publishers Weekly ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (April 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316985600
• ISBN-13: 978-0316985604
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,523,440 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I love reading, camping, hiking, music of all kinds except country, french fries, chocolate, and guacamole (separately, not together). I can't stand cheese of any kind--that means I don't like pizza, lasagna, and lots of other things that most normal people like. I live in Colorado and love hanging out with my family and friends.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you there, blog? It's me, Erin..., July 18, 2005

By 

Christine Louise Hohlbaum "award-winning auth... (near Munich, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Click Here: To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade (Hardcover)

Denise Vega's "Click Here" is narrated by seventh grader Web geek, Erin Swift. The book begins with her pre-teen angst as she discovers that her best friend, Jilly, and she will not be on the same track when they begin middle school in the fall. Erin undergoes many changes during the book: from being at odds with her best friend to falling in deep like with Cute Boy aka Mark Sacks. Along the way, she pounds the class bully, ignores her own feelings to please Jilly by being in a ridiculous Thanksgiving play, and heads up the school's Intranet team.

Ms. Vega cleverly taps into her protagonist's psyche by using a personal blog which only Erin is supposed to see. She keeps her reader informed by listing what makes her happy and sad. The reader is the proverbial fly on the wall, peering into Erin's inner world with the click of a mouse.

What used to be the school newspaper committee has turned into the Intranet Club in the 21st century. Ms. Vega masters the esprit de corps of today's middle school environment, complete with embarassing moments of self-revelation, awkward almost kisses, and love-sick nerds who leave bad poetry in other people's lockers. She equally captures the timeless essence of pubescent moodiness. She portrays good-natured adults such as the Intranet Club's leading teacher, Ms. Moreno, and the janitor who divvies out lollipops and lessons to Erin along the way, people the reader might wish were as uncomplicated and wholeheartedly loving in real life.

The reader will recognize her own twelve-year-old self in this book, reminding us all of the pain we went through in growing up. While Ms. Vega depicts a rather mature (and at times unbelievable) Erin Swift, her book is so ejoyable that the reader will forgive her for it. Denise Vega is to today's teens what Judy Blume was to the teens of the 70's and 80's. The only difference is the question Erin asks: "Are there blog? It's me, Erin..."

I highly recommend "Click Here". It is a timely, funny, can't-put-down read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent novel, wonderful characters, April 15, 2005

By 

Colin M (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Click Here: To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade (Hardcover)

Fans of the Alice series (Naylor) will love this book. In 7th grade, embarrassment is the worst thing that can happen to you, and Erin Swift suffers the mother of all embarrassments when her private blog journal is accidently posted to school's intranet. Imagine having the whole school know you practice kissing your pillow, or that your best friend makes you sniff her armpits to check for BO. Not only does Erin's blog humiliate her, it also causes similar problems for 4 of her classmates, who are understandably hurt and angry.

Her situation is so painful, it was almost too stressful to read. But she is a courageous and resourceful girl, and applies these to help her out of this difficult situation.

Make sure you have several hours to devote to reading this book. It will be hard to put it down.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CLICK HERE To Find Out How Good This Book Was!, March 23, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Click Here: To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade (Hardcover)

This was such a good book! I could not put it down for two days straight and even stayed up to midnight to finish it. I really enjoyed the character of Erin and how she goes through a lot of trouble, but somehow deals with all the embarassment that it causes. She meets and boy, and a new friend that helps her get through seventh grade without her best friend. The story ends wonderfully and I hope there's a sequel or something because it was so good!