EBOOK
About
Your friends on one side. This weird kid on the other. A great plan in the making. A new friendship growing. What would *you* do?
How strange is Carlos? REALLY strange. He scratches himself all the time, and he talks about aliens in this weird shaky voice, and he breaks up the class and gets everyone else in trouble when it's *his* fault he's such a freak.So Trina, Donte, Thea, Sara, and Frankie decide to use the upcoming 7th-grade class trip to "get" Carlos and scare him into acting normal. But when Trina has to work with Carlos on a class project, she discovers both his sweetness and the full extent of his troubles. Will she pull out of the plan or go through with it? And what will happen if--when--Carlos gets it? "The jungle of middle-school peer pressure is the setting of this gripping story.... The author is a middle-grade teacher, and he perfectly captures the classroom power struggles of friends and enemies, as well as the terror of being an outsider if you don't go along with the group. The dialogue is right on, as is the hurt of betrayal and the guilt that cannot be resolved." -- BOOKLIST, starred review"Emerson's ability to write realistic dialogue and his understanding of the dynamics of middle-school cliques and their inherent power struggles are evident here. The detailed, original and somewhat mysterious nature of Carlos's idiosyncrasies adds a real spark to this now familiar tale of bullying." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS"Even when she's in the wrong, Trina's authentic voice and good (but fallible) nature keep her endeared to readers." -- SEATTLE TIMES"Emerson makes the tug-of-war within Trina-between her growing empathy for Carlos and her desire to fit in with her friends-realistic and compelling.... Trina's narration is authentic, and dialogue involving parents, teachers and classmates feels lifelike, too." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY"This examination of what real friendship entails would make a good choice for middle school book discussion groups." -- KLIATT"Emerson deftly juggles a collection of motivations and inclinations, both positive and negative, for Trina and sets into motion a complicated classroom dynamic . . . The book also creates a vivid world for Trina and her classmates: they're a believable contingent for an urban public school, and Trina's voice is lively and individual, with her taste for making idiosyncratic lists (Number 1 on 'Problems That Carlos Has': 'He's too small all the time') adding readerly interest as well as personality.... Readers will find much to discuss here, and they may recognize analogous dynamics at play in their own peer groups." -- BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS Kevin Emerson is not currently a vampire, but he does live in Seattle. He taught in elementary schools for several years and now works at a writing center called 826 Seattle and sings and plays drums in a few bands. He's been writing stories since he was a kid. Visit Kevin online at www.kevinemerson.net. "The jungle of middle-school peer pressure is the setting of this gripping story.... The author is a middle-grade teacher, and he perfectly captures the classroom power struggles of friends and enemies, as well as the terror of being an outsider if you don't go along with the group. The dialogue is right on, as is the hurt of betrayal and the guilt that cannot be resolved." -- BOOKLIST, starred review"Emerson's ability to write realistic dialogue and his understanding of the dynamics of middle-school cliques and their inherent power struggles are evident here. The detailed, original and somewhat mysterious nature of Carlos's idiosyncrasies adds a real spark to this now familiar tale of bullying." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS"Even when she's in the wrong, Trina's authentic voice and good (but fallible) nature keep her endeared to readers." -- SEATTLE TIMES"Emerson makes the tug-of-war within Trina-between her growing empathy for Carlos and her desire to fit in with her friends-realistic and
How strange is Carlos? REALLY strange. He scratches himself all the time, and he talks about aliens in this weird shaky voice, and he breaks up the class and gets everyone else in trouble when it's *his* fault he's such a freak.So Trina, Donte, Thea, Sara, and Frankie decide to use the upcoming 7th-grade class trip to "get" Carlos and scare him into acting normal. But when Trina has to work with Carlos on a class project, she discovers both his sweetness and the full extent of his troubles. Will she pull out of the plan or go through with it? And what will happen if--when--Carlos gets it? "The jungle of middle-school peer pressure is the setting of this gripping story.... The author is a middle-grade teacher, and he perfectly captures the classroom power struggles of friends and enemies, as well as the terror of being an outsider if you don't go along with the group. The dialogue is right on, as is the hurt of betrayal and the guilt that cannot be resolved." -- BOOKLIST, starred review"Emerson's ability to write realistic dialogue and his understanding of the dynamics of middle-school cliques and their inherent power struggles are evident here. The detailed, original and somewhat mysterious nature of Carlos's idiosyncrasies adds a real spark to this now familiar tale of bullying." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS"Even when she's in the wrong, Trina's authentic voice and good (but fallible) nature keep her endeared to readers." -- SEATTLE TIMES"Emerson makes the tug-of-war within Trina-between her growing empathy for Carlos and her desire to fit in with her friends-realistic and compelling.... Trina's narration is authentic, and dialogue involving parents, teachers and classmates feels lifelike, too." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY"This examination of what real friendship entails would make a good choice for middle school book discussion groups." -- KLIATT"Emerson deftly juggles a collection of motivations and inclinations, both positive and negative, for Trina and sets into motion a complicated classroom dynamic . . . The book also creates a vivid world for Trina and her classmates: they're a believable contingent for an urban public school, and Trina's voice is lively and individual, with her taste for making idiosyncratic lists (Number 1 on 'Problems That Carlos Has': 'He's too small all the time') adding readerly interest as well as personality.... Readers will find much to discuss here, and they may recognize analogous dynamics at play in their own peer groups." -- BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS Kevin Emerson is not currently a vampire, but he does live in Seattle. He taught in elementary schools for several years and now works at a writing center called 826 Seattle and sings and plays drums in a few bands. He's been writing stories since he was a kid. Visit Kevin online at www.kevinemerson.net. "The jungle of middle-school peer pressure is the setting of this gripping story.... The author is a middle-grade teacher, and he perfectly captures the classroom power struggles of friends and enemies, as well as the terror of being an outsider if you don't go along with the group. The dialogue is right on, as is the hurt of betrayal and the guilt that cannot be resolved." -- BOOKLIST, starred review"Emerson's ability to write realistic dialogue and his understanding of the dynamics of middle-school cliques and their inherent power struggles are evident here. The detailed, original and somewhat mysterious nature of Carlos's idiosyncrasies adds a real spark to this now familiar tale of bullying." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS"Even when she's in the wrong, Trina's authentic voice and good (but fallible) nature keep her endeared to readers." -- SEATTLE TIMES"Emerson makes the tug-of-war within Trina-between her growing empathy for Carlos and her desire to fit in with her friends-realistic and