The Classroom (The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet-Epic Kid)

( 1 )

Overview

A documentary crew has descended upon Westside Middle School to detail the life of an average seventh grader and his classmates.

What they uncover, though, is far from average. Mostly, it is upper average along with moments of extreme average, highlighted by severalminutes of total epicness.

Trevor Jones has been preparing for the start of seventh grade his entire summer. But he is NOT ready for the news his best friend, Libby, drops on him at ...

See more details below
Hardcover
$11.51
BN.com price
(Save 11%)$12.99 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (Hardcover)
  • All (26) from $2.92   
  • New (19) from $6.24   
  • Used (7) from $2.92   
The Classroom: The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet-Epic Kid

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for Windows 8 Tablet
  • NOOK for iOS
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK for Windows 8
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for Web

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (eBook)
$10.52
BN.com price
(Save 19%)$12.99 List Price
Note: Kids' Club Eligible. See More Details.

More About This Book

Overview

A documentary crew has descended upon Westside Middle School to detail the life of an average seventh grader and his classmates.

What they uncover, though, is far from average. Mostly, it is upper average along with moments of extreme average, highlighted by severalminutes of total epicness.

Trevor Jones has been preparing for the start of seventh grade his entire summer. But he is NOT ready for the news his best friend, Libby, drops on him at the bus stop: he needs to branch out and make new friends. Oh, and he must ask a girl to the fall dance. By the end of the day.

Trevor decides that he would rather squirt hot sauce in his eyes than attend the dance. Everything changes, though, when he meets mysterious new student Molly. Trevor starts to think that going to the dance maybe wouldn't be the worst thing ever. But with detention-wielding teachers, school gossips, and, worst of all, eighth graders conspiring against him, Trevor will have to do the one thing he wasn't prepared to do: be epic.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

Trevor Jones is up against a wall. Not only does he have to deal with the new troubles and travails of seventh grade; he must cope with demanding teachers, bully eighth graders; and, worst, worst of all, the prospect of inviting a mysterious new student to the fall dance. Has life ever been more difficult? Editor's recommendation.

Publishers Weekly
“This documentary set out to show the real story of Trevor, along with his normal, everyday, average classmates.... Westside is their middle school. And these are their stories.” With an introduction like that (and the subtitle), readers may expect more of a documentary-style novel than what Mellom (Ditched: A Love Story) actually delivers in her first middle-grade novel. Most of her story unfolds through good old third-person omniscient narration, interspersed with occasional “interviews” with seventh-grader Trevor Jones and his classmates. Fortunately, Mellom has a gift for school-days humor, and her novel is very entertaining. Trevor, a consummate worrier, and Libby, a consummate planner, have been best friends for years, but as they begin the school year, Libby, tired of covering for Trevor’s (many) gaffes, believes it is time for them to make new friends. Gilpin’s spot art (not all seen by PW) is a mix of notes, cartoons, and other “found materials” that add to the book’s sense of fun as romantic entanglements and misunderstandings proliferate in the days leading up to the school dance. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jill Corcoran, the Herman Agency. (June)
Children's Literature - Justina Engebretson
There is elementary school; there is high school. Then there is middle school, the pivotal moment of it all. What has happened prior to this moment of an individual's academic social life and what will happen in the future is much less as defining as what will happen during these short sandwiched years. No wonder seventh grade student Trevor Jones is all in a panic, especially when Libby Gardner, his best friend since diapers and personal social director, decides it will be easier for them to improve their social lives apart. To make matters worse, Libby assigns Trevor the task of finding himself a date for the school dance by the end of his first day of middle school, and Trevor never misses a deadline. With dread and great trepidation, Trevor steps onto the bus only to meet with disaster, which seems to be a minor foreshadowing of the doom that awaits him. Is Trevor destined to leave middle school as the kid who always ends up on the floor or will a stroke of luck change his seemingly doomed social destiny? The story is written mainly from Trevor's point of view; however, the character interviews give readers unique perspectives into the plot. The pencil sketches throughout the pages further develop the characters and add subtle humor to the text. Slightly predictable but still humorous, this middle reader will most likely capture the interest of elementary children. Reviewer: Justina Engebretson
Kirkus Reviews
A documentary crew descends upon Westside Middle School to reveal what middle-school students' lives are really like. At the heart of the story is Trevor Jones, just starting middle school. He's a worrier and a "pre-thinker," and, despite his claim that he's not worried about seventh grade, he has it all planned. He's got brand-new clothes, and his yogurt stick is frozen just right to be the perfect temperature by lunchtime. Unfortunately, his best friend forever, Libby, shakes his cool at the bus stop when she informs him about the upcoming dance and how he must ask a girl by the end of the day. The whole novel revolves around the dance and the attendant social drama of middle-school life. Though readers never find out much about the making of the documentary itself, it's a clever contrivance. A third-person narration alternates with interviews with the major players. There's Trevor, Libby, eighth-grader Corey Long, Wilson the custodian, and seventh-grade gossip Cindy Applegate among the several main players. Illustrations add appeal to the story, including cartoonish drawings found in Trevor's notebook, a "Social Skills Training" pamphlet found in Counselor Plimp's office and drawings from Libby's Hola! Kitty Cat! sketchpad. All in all, a silly but appealing story for readers approaching the middle-school years. (Fiction. 9-12)
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781423150633
  • Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
  • Publication date: 6/19/2012
  • Pages: 288
  • Sales rank: 228,635
  • Age range: 9 - 12 Years
  • Lexile: 720L (what's this?)
  • Product dimensions: 5.60 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Robin Mellom

Robin Mellom used to teach middle schoolers and now she writes about them. (Any fictional characters that resemble her previous real-life students is purely coincidental. Probably.) She is also the author of Ditched: A Love Story. She lives with her husband and son on the Central Coast of California. Learn more at www.robinmellom.com and follow her on Twitter (@robinmellom).

Through a freak incident involving a school bus, a Labrador retriever, and twenty-four rolls of toilet paper, Stephen Gilpin knew that someday he would be an artist. He applied himself diligently and many years later, he has found himself the illustrator of around thirty children's books. He lives in Hiawatha, Kansas with his genius wife, Angie and a whole bunch of kids. Visit his Web site at www.sgilpin.com.

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 1 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 24, 2012

    :) This is a really good book :)

    :) This is a really good book :)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)