Stuck in the Middle (of Middle School): A Novel in Doodles - Hardcover

Young, Karen Romano

3.33

45 ratings by Goodreads

9780312555962: Stuck in the Middle (of Middle School): A Novel in Doodles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312555962 ISBN 13: 9780312555962

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 2013

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In Stuck in the Middle (of Middle School) by Karen Romano Young, Doreen and her family had to move because of her once she got kicked out of school. She's vowed to make her new middle school work for her, but it's still a challenge, given her ADHD, her younger sister's growing popularity, and tensions between her parents, as they all adjust to a new city and new jobs. Add to that a lot of homework, a talent show, and her first [gulp!] school dance, and you'll agree that Doreen needs to work extra hard to stay focused. Good thing she has her doodle-journal!

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About the Author:

Karen Romano Young's first novel-in-doodles, Doodlebug, was praised as "Engaging, original...charming and thoughtful," by Kirkus Reviews in a starred review. She is also the author of over a dozen books for children. She lives in Bethel, Connecticut, with her family.

DOODLEBUG 2

by Doreen Bussery (the one and only TRUE Doodle bug
Yo, get away from me, birds!
IT’s not like I have nothing better to do in my life than draw a million little stripes on skinny outlines of letters.
Then why doodle?
THE PEOPLE ASK ME.
If you could see inside my head, you would understand.
Without a pen or pencil in my hand, my brain keeps on bringing up TOPICS.
Ack! Overload! Must jump up and act!
But put a pen in my hand and my big old brain can finally SHUT UP and in the new guiet, NOW! CAN HEAR BIRDS again and AIRPLANES flying over and PEOPLE sniffing and my beat and IT’S BETTER BETTER BETTER (except in MS. Farley's class) and Doodling saves lives! Is my new motto.
YEAH!! THINGS are good.
THINGS are great!
Elizabeth kaur / Colleen Callahan or, as she is known in these parts, the COOTIE CATCHER, is telling Morno's for tune with her paper-folding arts. “ You Will become a World - famous opera singer, Maureen.”
“NAH, I’m going to be a ROCK STAR.” And Mom says, “That's Morno for ya. She never Settles.” In the kitchen, Magic Marco Pinho says, “ you mean, nothing’s ever good enough for her?” (HIS CHEEKS ARE EVEN PINKER L THAN WHEN HE GOT HERE, AND THAT WAS ALREADY PRETTY PINK!) “Not a bit!” Says Dad. "She doesn’t let what anyone else says or does LIMIT her.”
And then he makes a great Proclamation: “EVERYBODY STOP SIGNS SHOULD MAKE THEIR OWN IN LIFE.”
Hooray for that idea but isn’t it time to get going?
This is the reason we are all here together at our house. All together, we are going to witness MOM’S big cottony moment:

Jolene Bussey
show us your underwear!!!
Her underwear SIGN.
AND NOW, MS.JOLENE BUSSEY BRINGS Cool, Clean, Cottony shine to the moon over S.F.!!
That’s you!
Serene as the moon
over San Francisco
We drove out of the city and came back until suddenly we saw it!!
I bopped momo on the head and said, “THAT’S MY MAMA!” She waved both hands and yelled, “THAT’S MY MAMA!” Dad sighed, “IT’S GORGEOUS, JO!” C.C. Said, “Those are the biggest un dies I’ve ever seen, Mrs. Bussey. Impressive!” Marco said, “Your very own Sign.” Mom said, “You are all very sweet.” And Smiled.
We dropped M.M. and C.C. off on our way home.
Marco lives in a tall, modern apartment house on top of the HIGEST hill.
“SWANKY!” says Mom.
“what does his father do?” asks Dad.
“Hes graphic artist,” Says Elizabeth.
“Oh, so it CAN be done!” says Mom.
Dad didn’t answer.
Elizabeth
Lives in the cutest cottage in a long row of cute cottages. “Cute, but crow ded,” she says. “If only I was an only child.”
But she has 4 sisters.
“That’s a SWEET house,” says Dad.
“It doesn’t take a lot of money to be happy,” says mom.
There was a silent space in the car. “Will, that’s good!” Said Momo. “Since we don’t have a lot of MONEY”
I said, “Yeah, well, pretty soon, TIGHTY WHITEYS will be on all the big shots in the city!!”
MOMO said, “you mean all the Big Butts!!”
Mom said, “From your to God’s.”
I asked, “ what will you buy?”
Mom said, “A SWEET little house.”
DAD said “No, a SWANKY apartment.”
Momo asked, “Can we take SVEN?”
And we all answered, “Sven is Staci’s cat.”
Momo said, “Maybe he is just a little bit outs?” If EVERTHING around here feels like it is just a little bit ours, that is because we have tried to make it so.
By now it is ALMOST our house, our apartment, our stairs, our neighborhood, our roof, out cat, our city, our school, our life. But guess what?
Staci comes home in just 3 days.
We are maybe moving into a little house near the cootie Catcher’s cute cottage. It is for rent.
Yes, sir! We are staying.
DAD is still interim manager for now.
MOM’s underwear is all over the city. Hee hee.
MOMO has a solo in the choir’s spring concert. AND ME?
I am the UNSTOPPABLE, AMAZING, TROUBLESHOOTING, BRILLIANT, THRILLING, CHILLING, KILLING …… (turn the page!)
And Seven comes out and listens to us when we talk, but still won’t let us pet him.

Copyright � 2013 by Karen Romano Young

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