How to Survive Middle School [Paperback]

Donna Gephart (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 9, 2011 | Age Range: 8 and up

Eleven-year-old David Greenberg dreams of becoming a TV superstar like his idol, Jon Stewart. But in real life, David is just another kid terrified of starting his first year at Harman Middle School. With a wacky sense of humor and hilarious Top 6½ Lists, David spends his free time making TalkTime videos, which he posts on YouTube.
But when David and his best friend have a fight, David is lucky enough to make a pretty cool new friend, Sophie—who just (gulp) happens to be a girl. Sophie thinks David's videos are hilarious, and she starts sending out the links to everyone she knows. Sophie's friends tell their friends, and before David knows it, thousands of people are viewing his videos—including some of the last people he would have expected.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 5–7—As a huge fan of comedic TV anchorman Jon Stewart, David Greenberg creates original Talk Time videos starring himself and his hamster, and posts them on YouTube. His former friend, Elliott, used to collaborate on the videos, but now chooses to hang out with Tommy Murphy, an infamous bully who besets David, a lowly sixth grader. Short and scrawny, David is an easy target for Tommy's depredations, yet he simultaneously wins the friendship and loyalty of sweet Sophie, who tells all her friends to view his hilarious videos and post great comments, bringing good publicity to David, who intends to become a famous talk-show host. Then Hammy dies, and after Tommy subjects David to the ultimate indignity of a swirlie, he wonders what good is it to be famous online while being called Lameberg at school. Part of his problem is that he misses his mother, who abandoned the family for another man, as well as the fact that he insulted his older sister by mocking her acne treatments in his videos. Then there's Elliott, whose fickle behavior defies understanding, but who eventually returns to being David's friend. Things start to look up with the exciting news that David's clever videos will be aired on The Daily Show. With short chapters and broad humor, this one is for "Wimpy Kid" aficionados (Abrams).—Susan W. Hunter, Riverside Middle School, Springfield, VT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Oy, but David Greenberg has troubles: he is still missing his mother two years after she moved to another state; his longtime best friend, Elliott, has been behaving like a schmuck since hitting puberty; and even before the first day at Harmon (aka “Hormone”) Middle School, he has become a feared bully’s victim of choice. On the other hand, though his father is distant, his live-in grandmother is a reliable provider of food and support; his teenage sister Lindsey is always good for a quick hug; and he has really hit it off with new classmate Sophia—a smart, peppermint-scented, and refreshingly unselfconscious ex-homeschooler. Best of all (maybe), the Daily Show–style videos he has been posting on YouTube have gone viral, and suddenly he is a local celebrity. Readers will understand how good David really has it long before he does, and—despite a late, clumsily handled revelation that his mom won’t be coming home because she is too agoraphobic to travel—Gephart crafts for her likable protagonist an engaging, feel-good transition into adolescence that’s well stocked with tears and laughter. Grades 5-8. --John Peters --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (August 9, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375854118
• ISBN-13: 978-0375854118
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.6 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Donna Gephart's new novel, OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN, is about a girl who will do anything to appear on the TV quiz show Jeopardy! Donna's second novel, HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL, received starred reviews, landed on state reading lists and appears at Scholastic Book Fairs. Her first novel, AS IF BEING 12-3/4 ISN'T BAD ENOUGH, MY MOTHER IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award.

Donna offers presentations and writing workshops at schools, conferences, book festivals and libraries across the country.

She is an active member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and lives with her family in South Florida.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club.com April 20, 2010

By Cynthia Hudson

Format:Hardcover

David Greenburg is 11 years old and about to start middle school. He's not too worried until his older cousin Jack tells him about the horrors he may face, including a toilet-bowl swirlie on his birthday. David has other worries on his mind too: his mom left the family to live on a farm in Maine that has no electricity or phone service, his best friend Elliott no longer speaks to him, and his older sister Lindsay is hostile a lot of the time. The only good thing he has going is his grandmother, Bubbe, the TalkTime videos he records and posts on YouTube, and his pet hamster.

Things start to look up when he meets Sophie on his first day of school. Sophie is just starting public school after being taught at home by her mom, and she loves David's videos. When she spreads the word about TalkTime through her homeschool network, David's videos suddenly become way more popular than he is, leading to consequences both good and bad.

How to Survive Middle School by Donna Gephart is a funny and poignant look at a trying time of life for most adolescents. The comforts of elementary school are gone, some kids are maturing way faster than others, teachers are stricter, and new friendships are forming while old ones may be falling away. Bullies may be more of a problem. Gephart does a great job of showing how conflicted David feels about so much going on around him.

Mother-daughter book clubs with girls aged 9 to 12 will find a lot to talk about here--friendships, family relationships, relating to parents after divorce, pets, YouTube, and both the rewards and pitfalls of growing up. You may also want to serve Bubbe's Jewish Apple Cake (recipe included at the back of the book) when you get together to talk about this book.

I laughed a lot and cried a little while reading How to Survice Middle School, and I highly recommend it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, touching -- excellent book December 18, 2010

By Jennifer Donovan TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

***** This review is spoiler-free!! DON'T read the "editorial reviews" on the book's page, unless you want major spoilers!! ******

This was seriously laugh out loud funny. And then by the end, I was hit with the heart. That's the kind of one-two punch that makes for a knockout of a read.

I'm not crazy about the cover, because it just doesn't live up to what's inside the pages, but that little guy is Hammy, David Greenberg's hamster who he features in the Talk Time videos he makes for You Tube, in the style of his hero Jon Stewart. Middle school (6th grade) is not easy for him. His longtime best friend teams up with the school bully, he is dealing with the loss of his mother, who ran out on them a while ago, and he's getting bullied and nicknamed "Lameberg." On the upside, he befriends Sophie, who is new to the school after being homeschooled, and he learns to develop some of his strengths and talents.

My 12-year-old daughter and I both loved this book. It's a perfect book for an older middle school reader (5th - 7th grade).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Book for Middle Graders May 29, 2010

By Julie Peterson

Format:Hardcover

HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL (WITHOUT GETTING YOUR HEAD FLUSHED) AND DEAL WITH AN EX-BEST FRIEND, ...UM, GIRLS, AND A HEARTBREAKING HAMSTER by Donna Gephart is an extremely fun book that kids are guaranteed to love. It is the story of David Greenberg, a pre-teen boy who aspires to be the next Jon Stewart! In the meantime, he attends middle school where he's not exactly in the cool crowd and he makes videos with his pet hamster Hammy for fun. When he and his best friend have a falling out, he finds himself friends with the new girl Sophie. David learns that his life is full of changes, and with Sophie's help, he suddenly becomes famous!

I so enjoyed this very funny novel. There is no doubt that Ms. Gephart has a wonderful sense of humor. At times, I even laughed out loud while reading this book. David is just a fantastic character, and I couldn't help but fall a little in love with him. He was so smart and creative (and a little naive), and he had great insight into life. But what I really found funny was his ability to laugh at himself. He was such a great kid, and I think lots of readers are going to be able to relate to him!

While this novel was extremely entertaining, it was also very touching and tender. David's mother left the family and moved away. She has little contact with David except for letters, and it's obvious that David misses her dearly. My heart really went out to him over and over again for the pain he felt from being abandoned. In addition, I also felt compassion towards David because of his insecurities. He was worried about starting middle school (he had many of the same feelings that my daughter currently has) and he actually feared some of the bullies at school. I also think David's pre-teen anxieties are going to resonate with many young readers.

I also loved the cover of this book too! Hammy is just too cute and definitely deserves to be the cover boy, but I also liked how the entire cover looks like a video (with play and volume buttons!) I thought this cover absolutely captured the fun feel of this novel and fit perfectly with David's Talk Time videos, and you can't help love little Hammy.

Almost two years ago, I reviewed another book by Ms. Gephart -- AS IF BEING 12 3/4 ISN'T BAD ENOUGH, MY MOTHER IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. While both Booking Daughter and I really liked it, I think I enjoyed HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL even more! Ms. Gephart is definitely a force to be reckoned with in middle grade fiction. She has the great ability to tell a good story while also making the reader laugh -- it's a great combination of fun! I also love that her books appeal to both boys and girls and that they have wonderful messages!

I would consider HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL for a future mother-daughter book club pick. However, I think it would a fantastic choice for a mother-son (or father-son) group because the main character is a tween boy! The book gives the reader such an honest look at a pre-teen boy -- the insecurities as well as the hormones -- and I think there is a great deal to discuss. Some of the topics you might want to explore include loyalty, bullying, family dynamics, loss, crushes, creativity, change, and the big one - friendship.