A review by book_concierge
Middle School Is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm

1.0

Ginny Davis is a fairly typical 7th grader. She keeps a journal outlining her goals - #1 get a new dad, #2 get a lead role in the ballet recital, #3 look good in the school photo, etc. The book is organized as illustrations which are “snapshots” of her journals, notes on the refrigerator, report cards, notes to/from her teachers, test papers, text messages and postcards. It reminds me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid but I don’t think it’s done quite as well. Holm includes some serious issues here – accommodating a new stepdad, a brother who is “acting out,” bullying – but her format doesn’t really allow her to explore them. It might hold the interest of a middle school girl, but I don’t think my niece (age 11) would particularly like it. I was bored.