Trash Can Days: A Middle School Saga by Teddy Steinkellner

Okay, I'll cut right to the chase.  I didn't like this.  I actually decided I didn't like it during the first chapter but as a member of the Maine Student Book Award committee I feel obligated to finish the 2013 books that I read.  The book was about 4 students Jacob, his sister Hannah, Dorothy, and Danny.  Hannah is in eighth grade and the rest are in seventh.  The story follows their year in middle school and is full of drama, gossip, love affairs, and gangs.

I work at a school that is currently grades 4- 6 so the book is a bit beyond the reach of my students.  I would be naive to believe that my students have never been exposed to the topics in the book but that doesn't mean I need to endorse it.  I felt there was way too much language and sexual innuendo for a book aimed at middle school  Although things mostly worked out by the end I felt there was too much angst and bad behavior.  Again I may be just naive or too straight laced but I didn't like it.  Others may disagree with me and that's fine.  

For me....croak...