"Managing Middle School Madness" is a compilation of tips, advice, and information to help parents prepare for the behavioral, social, and academic adjustments that students may encounter. It includes worksheets for parents and children and resources that can be used throughout the middle school years.

"The French have a name for the uniquely hellish years between elementary school and high school: "l'ãage ingrat" or "The Ugly Age." Characterized by a perfect storm of developmental changes-physical, psychological, and social-the middle-school years are a time of great distress for parents and children alike, marked by hurt, isolation, exclusion, competition, anxiety, and often outright cruelty. Some of this is inevitable; there are intrinsic challenges to early adolescence. But these years are harder than they need to be, and Judith Warner believes that adults are complicit.With piercing insight, compassion, and humor, Warner walks us through a new understanding of the role that middle school plays in all our lives. Part intellectual investigation and part call to action, this timely book unpacks one of life's most formative periods and shows how we can help our children not only survive it, but thrive"--

In this new novel from Greg Howard, an enterprising boy starts his own junior talent agency and signs a thirteen-year-old aspiring drag queen as his first client. Now in paperback. Twelve-year-old Mikey Pruitt is a budding entrepreneur. Inspired by his grandfather Pap Pruitt, who successfully ran all sorts of businesses, Mikey is still looking for his million-dollar idea. Unfortunately, most of his ideas--from a roadside general store to croquet lessons--haven't taken off. It isn't until kid drag queen Coco Caliente, Mistress of Madness and Mayhem (aka eighth grader Julian Vasquez) walks into his office (aka his family's storage/laundry room) looking for a talent agent that Mikey thinks he's finally found a business that will put him on the map, and the Anything Talent and Pizzazz Agency is born! Soon, Mikey has a whole roster of kid clients looking to hit it big or at least win the middle school talent show's hundred-dollar prize. As newly out Mikey prepares Julian for the gig of a lifetime, he realizes there's no rulebook for being gay--and if Julian can be openly gay at school, maybe Mikey can, too, and tell his crush, the dreamy Colton Sanford, how he feels. Full of laughs, sass, and hijinks, this hilarious, heartfelt story shows that with a little effort and a lot of love, anything is possible.

Middle school doesn't have to be a scary experience. Read about strategies and tips to help you transition from elementary to middle school. Get advise for a successful school year and middle school experience from a middle school counselor.