WELL, THAT WAS AWKWARD BY RACHEL VAIL – REVIEW BY KARI RIEDEL

Middle school.  Just the words can evoke very specific images and feelings for many people. Laughter with BFFs. Drama with BFFs. Awkward first crushes. Burgeoning independence.  Added responsibility. Homework. Stress.  As the parent of a current middle schooler, I often wonder how middle school is different for kids today than it was for me. How is social media and constant connectedness though cell phones impacting kids’ social interactions? Why would you have a 100-day Snapchat streak with someone that you wouldn’t say Hello to when you see them at Starbucks? How can you have a whole conversation via text composed solely of emojis? Is that 24-7 screen in your pocket that different from the hot pink phone and personal landline number I got when I was 14?

When I read Well, That Was Awkward by Rachel Vail, I got a glimpse into the real world of today’s middle schoolers and a reminder of the timeless awkwardness of this period of life.  This book was described to me as “Cyrano de Bergerac” for middle schoolers. I was hooked from page one of this tender and funny book that is told through first person narration of events and screenshots of text conversations.

Keep reading this review on Nerdy Book Club here.