Labels- an Editorial Opinion by Meg Y.

Uggggg. When will the twisted hierarchy of middle school end? When does it make sense that the cool kids are just the ones who wear Abercrombie and Hollister? And are thinner than a line drawn by their Tri-conderoga pencil because the standard #2 isn’t cool enough for them anymore. Never. That will never make sense. But then why does it happen? Is being “cool” that important anyway? Do you really want to be that way? Not me. And if you are one of those people, do you really like it? It is happening with boys too- I watch it as I walk down the halls every day. You walk around as the billboards you have become, advertising with every article of clothing you put on. I’ve heard every excuse for that ever invented, so don’t tell me “they're comfortable”, “they're just clothes” or “they were gifts”. Maybe that is true for some, but I have found great clothes at stores that don’t use people to market for them. This article may sound cliche. Just like in a book you’ve read. You think those stores are your style, but they’re not. And you know what, those people most likely wouldn’t read something like this anyway, so why should I write it? But I’ll finish it, because that’s happens to be my style.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins- A Book Review by Isabel F.

Warning: The Hunger Games spoilers alert!
In this rousing sequel to The Hunger Games, last year’s young adult blockbuster, Suzanne Collins crafts a gripping page-turner that continues the action-packed story of Katniss Everdeen, champion of a televised fight-to-the-death between teenage gladiators. Now that Katniss and her partner Peeta have returned from their ghastly ordeal to their Home District 12, their lives should be peaceful in the illustrious Victors’ Village. But the Capitol, the menacing government that controls Panem, is out to get Katniss for her rebellious act of defiance in the arena. President Snow threateningly instructs Katniss, while on their Victory tour, to convince the citizens of Panem her actions were all for her “true love,” Peeta. Snow is afraid of a revolt, and Katniss and her mockingjay bird emblem are now the chief symbols of defiance against the Capitol. But how can she possibly manage this when she and Peeta are barely speaking since he realized that Gale, Katniss’ childhood friend and hunting partner, is still in the picture. After the Victors’ tour has concluded, Katniss realizes she has failed to quell the brewing rebellion in the Districts, and the Capitol blames her. Meanwhile, the Seventy-Fifth Hunger Games are impending. Every twenty-fifth year the Hunger Game calls for a Quarter Quell, a special change in the Hunger Games rules. Katniss must enter the arena again. Is revolution truly rising? Will Katniss survive her second round of doom? What will happen?

Scat by Carl Hiassen- a book review by Sam W.

We all know Carl Hiaasen for writing the popular books Hoot and Flush, both exciting wildlife adventures. In Scat, Hiaasen whipped up a good book that plunges the main characters, Nick and Marta, into overlapping mysteries.

It all starts with an epic classroom showdown of the most feared teacher in the school, Ms. Starch, against a juvenile delinquent, “Smoke” (otherwise known as Duane Scrod, Jr.). The next day, on a field trip, Ms. Starch mysteriously disappears. Everyone knows Smoke has something to do with the disappearance, but no one knows what really happened that day at Black Vine Swamp.

Nick and Marta smell something fishy, or should I say, smoky, and are ready to investigate anywhere. But the two friends are in over their heads in a mystery bigger than they expected, and they’ll have to find all of their strength to save Black Vine Swamp and everything in it.

Scat is a great book about wildlife, expecting the unexpected, and not judging books by their covers. Carl Hiaasen has created another awesome novel that will keep readers intrigued until the end.

A New Sixth Grader's View on Middle School by Helen W.

My new school, Sanborn, is very flat, compared to Thoreau, where I went to elementary school. I’m used to lots of stairs and elevators, and seeing all the little kids file by and ask their teachers, “How long until I get to be in chorus?” It’s going to be interesting, being the little kid again, and asking, “When do I get to go to DC?” but it’s not like elementary school, where you haven’t been in real school before and you don’t know anyone yet.

There are lots of new people to meet in middle school, and you still have some of your friends from 5^th grade at the same school as you. You also get to take new classes, like World Languages, and band, which I will be taking next year, is more serious than in elementary school. My mom and I just went shopping for binders and such, and it’s kind of disturbing how much stuff you need for middle school! The thing that drives me crazy is that the busses come an hour earlier. Also, in elementary school, I was almost the last stop, but this year, I’m somewhere in the middle and therefore I have to get up earlier.

I didn’t really like the summer reading book for 6^th graders, Journey to Jo’burg. It was very fast-moving, so one chapter the characters are walking on the road to Jo’burg and the next, they’re riding on a bus in the city itself. I think it would have been considerably better if the author had added maybe 100 pages to it or if they gave it some more detail, like having something happen kind of like the orange farm happen before they get picked up by the truck, and then, maybe they could participate in a protest march or something? It would make it a lot more interesting and fun to read! I don’t get why the schools picked this book to be the book that everyone has to read. It’s out of print, and so very hard to get a hold of. I talked to a librarian at the Fowler library when I was trying to get hold of a copy, and she said that all the copies in the Minuteman Library network were all checked out, and since it’s and out of print book you’d probably have more trouble trying to buy it.

All in all, I’m really looking forward to middle school! I can’t wait to go and try everything that you couldn’t do in elementary school!