It's Better When You're Older

This is my standard response when people ask how I could possibly teach middle school.  It's better when you're older, when you're not living it.  I don't think anybody looks back with fondness on their middle school years but I honestly love working with middle schoolers.

Make no mistake it's still a hard time.  Your feelings change all the time, your friends are also changing and all of the sudden there is all this pressure to be who you are when you don't even know who you are.  Everyone starts expecting you to act like an adult and if that wasn't enough you also start wanting a little romance but have no idea how to make that happen.

Wendelin Van Draanen's Flipped captures all of these feelings perfectly.  The story is told from the perspective of both Julianna and Bryce, two eighth graders who also happen to be neighbors and they couldn't be more different.  But Flipped is about so much more than the awkward relationship between young teens who can't decide if they like each other, hate each other, or like like each other-even though that aspect of the story was incredibly entertaining and I definitely felt my middle school self relating to Julianna.

Flipped also tackles hard issues surrounding families and abilities but it is never preachy.  Instead it's honest and real and Van Draanen lets the reader make all the judgements.  I loved Flipped and will definitely be recommending it to many students this year.  But even though I loved the story I do not envy Julianna and Bryce.  I would tell them exactly what I tell my students, "It's better when you're older."

Righting yourself when you've flipped...that's kids stuff