Student Council Smackdown! (The Classroom Series)

by Robin Mellom, Stephen Gilpin

Overview

Libby Gardner and Cindy Applegate are smile-without-teeth friends, but they are fierce rivals when it comes to politics. Cindy owned the student council elections in fourth and sixth grades, while Libby came out on top in fifth. Now, they both hunger for the prestigious title of seventh grade class president. But middle school elections have their own rules...and pressures. When Trevor Jones is forced to join the presidential race, he devises a plan to make sure his best friend Libby wins. That all changes when he discovers that Libby has oh-so-sneakily gone behind his back by hiring Molly Decker to be her campaign manager. Now, he's in it to win it. And things are going to get ugly. Join Trevor, Libby, Cindy, and the whole Westside contingency (along with the documentary film crew) as they explore the ugly underbelly of middle school politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423181125
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	06/25/2013
Series:	Classroom Series
Sold by:	DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE -EBKS
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	750L (what's this?)
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Robin Mellom (www.robinmellom.com) has taught grades five through eight and has a master's degree in education. She is the author of The Classroom: The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet Epic Kid, as well as the young adult novel Ditched: A Love Story. She lives with her husband and son on the Central Coast of California. Follow her on Twitter (@robinmellom).

Stephen Gilpin (www.sgilpin.com) is the illustrator of more than 30 children's books, including the Who Shrunk Daniel Funk? and Super Chicken Nugget Boy series. He lives in Hiawatha, Kansas with his genius wife, Angie, and a whole bunch of kids. Follw him on Twitter (@Sparkgilpin).

Editorial Reviews

Gr 5-7 Seventh-grader Trevor Jones is back, a few days after dousing his nemesis, Corey, with soda at a school dance in The Classroom (Hyperion, 2012). The stunt instantly makes Trevor popular. After a series of mishaps, his status plummets, which makes him think he's the perfect candidate to run for class president, confident he'll lose so that his friend Libby will win. The extremely slow pace will discourage reluctant readers: the first half of the book spans one day, with lots of conversation and internal musings among the characters but not much action. Trevor is such an Everyman that he lacks distinguishing qualities that would make him a protagonist engaging enough to lead a book series. He finally gains some depth when he stands up to Corey in a realistic confrontation that also demonstrates a practical way to handle a bully. The rest of the students are characters readers have seen before and the school staff, with the exception of the janitor, are stereotypical dolts. Gilpin's detailed illustrations add interest, varying from full-page scenes to amusing sketches from characters' notebooks. Readers who enjoy silly middle school fiction will find some laughs; otherwise purchase only where the first book is popular. Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY—SLJ

From the Publisher

01/01/2014
Gr 5–7—Seventh-grader Trevor Jones is back, a few days after dousing his nemesis, Corey, with soda at a school dance in The Classroom (Hyperion, 2012). The stunt instantly makes Trevor popular. After a series of mishaps, his status plummets, which makes him think he's the perfect candidate to run for class president, confident he'll lose so that his friend Libby will win. The extremely slow pace will discourage reluctant readers: the first half of the book spans one day, with lots of conversation and internal musings among the characters but not much action. Trevor is such an Everyman that he lacks distinguishing qualities that would make him a protagonist engaging enough to lead a book series. He finally gains some depth when he stands up to Corey in a realistic confrontation that also demonstrates a practical way to handle a bully. The rest of the students are characters readers have seen before and the school staff, with the exception of the janitor, are stereotypical dolts. Gilpin's detailed illustrations add interest, varying from full-page scenes to amusing sketches from characters' notebooks. Readers who enjoy silly middle school fiction will find some laughs; otherwise purchase only where the first book is popular.—Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

School Library Journal