From the author of the Project (Un)Popular series and Too Cool For This School, a funny, authentic story about fitting in, growing up, and making it in middle school! After an unfortunate incident at the hair salon, Bessica is not allowed to see her best friend, Sylvie. That means she's going to start middle school a-l-o-n-e. Bessica feels like such a loser. She wants friends. She's just not sure how to make them. It doesn't help that her beloved grandma is off on some crazy road trip and has zero time to listen to Bessica. Or that Bessica has a ton of homework. Or that gorgeous Noll Beck thinks she's just a kid. Or that there are some serious psycho-bullies in her classes. Bessica doesn't care about being popular. She just wants to survive—and look cute. Is that too much to ask when you're eleven? "Funny, goofy, anxious, and absolutely emotionally authentic." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review "Many a middle school girl will find a piece of herself in Bessica Lefter." --VOYA

Bessica Lefter is back in this hilarious, all-too-relatable middle school novel that "will have readers laughing aloud" (Booklist). Now that Bessica’s the half mascot at her middle school and made some new friends, she finally feels like she’s fitting in. But Alice, the other half mascot, hates her. And after some mean texts, Bessica’s friendship with Sylvie might be over. Bessica doesn’t want drama. She’s got her first big game to worry about. Not even taking care of gorgeous Noll Beck’s lizard or deciding whether to crash Sylvie’s party can distract her. Bessica will be facing off as mascot against T.J. the Tiger, who has a reputation for embarrassing the competition. Letting him make fun of her would be like letting him humiliate her whole school. Bessica’s worked hard to have some social status. And she’ll work even harder to keep it. . . . "[Bessica's] endearing qualities keep one rooting for her." --School Library Journal "A fun story." --Midwest Book Review "Informative and worthwhile." --VOYA

Twelve-year-old Lane Cisco has good friends, a secret boyfriend, and the position of sixth-grade captain at Rio Chama Middle School, but life gets complicated when her off-beat cousin Angelina arrives for an extended visit.

After Sarah Trestle botches a simple shoplifting attempt, she is worried that she will get kicked out of her clique of friends, which is made up of three other girls named Sarah whose main summer activities are volunteer work and the occasional petty crime.

Bessica Lefter is back in this hilarious, all-too-relatable middle school novel that "will have readers laughing aloud" (Booklist). Now that Bessica’s the half mascot at her middle school and made some new friends, she finally feels like she’s fitting in. But Alice, the other half mascot, hates her. And after some mean texts, Bessica’s friendship with Sylvie might be over. Bessica doesn’t want drama. She’s got her first big game to worry about. Not even taking care of gorgeous Noll Beck’s lizard or deciding whether to crash Sylvie’s party can distract her. Bessica will be facing off as mascot against T.J. the Tiger, who has a reputation for embarrassing the competition. Letting him make fun of her would be like letting him humiliate her whole school. Bessica’s worked hard to have some social status. And she’ll work even harder to keep it. . . . "[Bessica's] endearing qualities keep one rooting for her." --School Library Journal "A fun story." --Midwest Book Review "Informative and worthwhile." --VOYA

An irrepressible ten-year-old must reconcile her fantasies with reality in this beautifully written novel about facing the future. Although eleven-year-old Kobi's parents sailed into a storm at sea five years ago, she knows they are alive. If she says "Avanti!" she can see them. Now that her wealthy Parisian Grandmama is sending Kobi and her sister away to live with Uncle Wim in Iowa, she will need the magic words her mother left her more than ever. To fit in at her new American school , Kobi tells lies that soon catch up with her, and leans heavily on her magic. In a heart-wrenching climax, she must confront not only the untruths she has told others but the stories she has made herself believe. Only then will she be able to grieve for her parents and move on with her life.

Sixth-graders Perry and Venice, photographers for their middle-school yearbook, are frustrated to learn that only pictures of popular students are welcome, but when Venice gets involved with a boy Perry doesn't like, Perry puts their friendship at risk by siding with Anya, the editor-in-chief.