middle school students

Features stories from three complete episodes. In ''Til Death Do We Rock,' Big Nate and his Fear The Mollusk bandmates are destined for superstardom; that is, if they can do something about the earsplitting vocals of their lead singer. Nate's always been the front man, but he might have to swallow his ego if he wants his friends to shine.

"Middle-schooler Ruby and her friend Scout join together to stop a real-estate mogul from tearing down their historied New York City apartment building, called Umbrella House. In a contest for a news network, Ruby and Scout use their creativity and video-editing skills to show the value of both their building and their East Village neighborhood. Once they discover the identity of the anonymous Midnight Muralist, Ruby convinces the famed East Village artist to paint the front of Umbrella House to make it too valuable to tear down."--.

Karla and her little brother Benny accompany their uncle Bill on a scientific expedition to study unidentified species on a remote island, but a little "bad luck" promises unimaginable horrors, including Benny getting bit by a scary swamp snake.

Big Nate. Revenge of the Cream Puffs: A reprinting of the "Big Nate" comic strip, that follows the adventures of eleven-year-old Nate Wright and his baseball team the Cream Puffs.

"VIctoria has always loved horses. But riding in competitions is high stakes, high stress, and shockingly expensive. And even though Victoria's best friend Taylor loves competing, Victoria has lost her taste for it. After a heartbreaking fight with Taylor, Victoria needs a new start--at a new stables. A place where she doesn't have to worry about anything other than riding. No competition, no drama, no friends. Just horses. Edgewood Stables seems ideal. There are plenty of horses to ride, and Victoria is perfectly happy giving the other riders the cold shoulder. But can she truly be happy with no friends?"--Provided by publisher.

"A grab bag of . . . dark short fiction set in middle school that explores anxieties and twists them into funny, resonant, and reassuring psychological thrills"--Provided by publisher.

"The adventurous antics of sixth grader Nate Wright are on full display in this special collection, which includes all the comics from classic titles 'Big Nate and Friends' and 'Big Nate Makes the Grade.' Joining Nate in the fun at P.S. 38 are his best pals, Francis and Teddy. Whether he's setting the school record for detentions, earning an A for annoying teacher's pet Gina, or inventing new ways to trash talk during a chess tournament, Nate's talent for making mischief is second to none"--Provided by publisher.

"When Mackenzie Miller's aunt needs a foster home for one of the dogs at her shelter, Mackenzie jumps at the chance. Buster is so sweet and cuddly, and Mackenzie is sure he'll cheer up her stressed-out mom. And helping Buster find a forever home? Mackenzie loves a project! Buster is an older dog who acts like a puppy--which, it turns out, means he's a lot of work. Mackenzie wants to be the best foster mom ever, but she also has school; and her best friend, Sheera, needs help reconciling with her cousin, Yasmin; and her mom has just gone from overworked to unemployed. And Buster just keeps--well, busting up Mackenzie's plans! Can she make it work, like she always does? Or has Mackenzie bitten off more than she can chew?"--Provided by publisher.

"When Jay starts eighth grade with a few pimples he doesn't think much of it.But when his acne goes from bad to worse, Jay's prescribed a powerful medication that comes with some serious side effects. Meanwhile, school isn't going exactly as planned. All of Jay's friends are in different classes; he has no one to sit with at lunch; his best friend, Brace, is avoiding him"--Provided by publisher.

"Ever since her freestyle rapping video went viral, Lay Lay has been adjusting to her newfound fame. She loves the spotlight, but she's also just a normal kid who likes to hang out with her friends. When her middle school announces its upcoming talent show, Lay Lay and her squad are excited to sign up together. They know they can each bring something special to it―they could even win! But everyone at school assumes that only Lay Lay will be the star. Lay Lay hates that her crew has been pushed to the sidelines since she got famous. Can she make sure that everyone gets a chance to shine during the big show?"--Amazon.