About The Book

Ginny has ten items on her big to-do list for seventh grade. None of them, however, include accidentally turning her hair pink. Or getting sent to detention for throwing frogs in class. Or losing the lead role in the ballet recital to her ex-best friend. Or the thousand other things that can go wrong between September and June. But it looks like it’s shaping up to be that kind of a year!

As readers follow Ginny throughout the story of her year, told entirely through her stuff—notes from classmates, school reports, emails, poems, receipts, and cartoons from her perpetually-in-trouble older brother Harry—a portrait emerges of a funny, loveable, thoughtful girl struggling to be herself…whoever that person turns out to be.

About The Author

Photo courtesy of the author

Jennifer L. Holm

Jenni Holm is the Newbery Honor-winning author of Our Only May Amelia, Penny from Heaven, Turtle in Paradise, and the BabyMouse graphic novel series. She lives in Northern California with her family.

About The Illustrator

Elicia Castaldi

Product Details

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (June 28, 2011)
Length: 128 pages
ISBN13: 9781442436701
Ages: 8 - 12

Awards and Honors

ALA Notable Children's Books
South Carolina Picture Book Award Nominee
NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Beehive Award Master List (UT)
NAPPA Gold Award Winner
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award Master List (VT)
Charlotte Award Ballot (NY)
West Virginia Children's Book Award Master List

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

Book Cover Image (jpg): Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf
Fixed Layout eBook 9781442436701

Author Photo (jpg): Jennifer L. Holm
Photo courtesy of the author

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Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf

A Year Told Through Stuff

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