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Books in Middle School Survival Handbooks series

  • My Faith

    Kurt Johnston, Mark Oestreicher

    Paperback (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, Dec. 11, 2006)
    Deciding what you believe can be hard, especially when you’re not entirely sure what your faith is even all about. My Faith works as a reference guide to break down who God is, what the Bible says and why we believe it, how to handle doubts and questions, and what it actually means to be a Christian. With over seventy short chapters that cover twelve major topics, you’ll find honesty, understanding, advice, and wisdom to help you navigate your questions and make a decision on your own.Middle school comes with a lot of challenges, and one of the biggest can be figuring out what you believe—and why. After all, being a Christian is hard sometimes, and it’s even harder when you suddenly have questions and doubts you never had before. Thankfully, this book has answers on things like why God wants a relationship with us, what the Bible actually tells us (and exactly why people believe what it says), what to do when you have those doubts or make a “mistake,” and what exactly being a Christian means for your life. There are also some tips and ideas on finding your own connection with God and applying what you personally believe to your life—helping you navigate middle school more confidently.My Faith:is written by two youth specialists with over forty combined years of experience dealing with the issues today’s preteens and young adults face every daycontains stories from the authors that add honesty—and where appropriate, humor—to the topics being discussedcan be used as a reference guide on specific topics or read straight through for a wider experienceprovides a biblical yet candid approachis also ideal for anyone dealing with teenagers in a mentoring, teaching, or leadership environment
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  • Dealing with Bullies, Cliques, and Social Stress

    Jennifer Landau

    Paperback (Rosen Central, Dec. 15, 2012)
    Readers learn how to recognize and deal with various types of bullying, which reaches its peak in the middle school years. They get the rundown on cliques, and learn tips for taking care of their mind, body, and spirit when they encounter social pressure. A chapter is devoted to mean girlswho they are, how they got that way, how to handle them, and how to work toward a better way of communicating going forward. Cyberbullying is widespread today and very damagingthis volume also provides strategies on how teens can protect themselves and guard against hurting others. By using the tips and techniques in this handbook, students will thrive during these years.
  • Navigating a New School

    Terry Teague Meyer

    Paperback (Rosen Central, Dec. 15, 2012)
    The first day of school in a new middle school can be overwhelming and bewilderingthe maze of hallways, the hundreds of identical lockers, the locker combinations and sticky locks, the far-flung classrooms, the many teachers, the lunchroom full of unfamiliar faces. Anxiety over the strangeness and newness of all this can be running high, and making the transition from scared new student to supremely confident and self-assured middle schooler can take some time. This book helps reduce the stress, while easing and shortening the difficult transition. Full of extremely useful tips regarding orientation, locker organization, time management, choosing a lunch table, and adapting to new situations like increased homework, changing for gym in the locker rooms, and getting from class-to-class between periods, this book will turn even the most trepidatious new student into a seasoned middle school pro in no time.
  • Dealing With Bullies, Cliques, and Social Stress

    Jennifer Landau

    Library Binding (Rosen Central, Jan. 10, 2013)
    Readers learn how to recognize and deal with various types of bullying, which reaches its peak in the middle school years. They get the rundown on cliques, and learn tips for taking care of their mind, body, and spirit when they encounter social pressure. A chapter is devoted to mean girls—who they are, how they got that way, how to handle them, and how to work toward a better way of communicating going forward. Cyberbullying is widespread today and very damaging—this volume also provides strategies on how teens can protect themselves and guard against hurting others. By using the tips and techniques in this handbook, students will thrive during these years.
  • My Friends

    Kurt Johnston, Mark Oestreicher

    Paperback (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, Aug. 19, 2007)
    Don’t worry, My Friends, from the Middle School Survival Series, will give you all the tips and secrets you need to make the most of your friendships. In the pages of this book, you’ll find helpful friendship tips like:• what you can learn about friendships from the Bible• ways to be a good friend• how to deal with conflict and other tough stuff• how to make friends, and moreFrom piles of homework to understanding the variety of “interesting” people working at your school to dealing with the new challenges of changing for gymclass in front of everyone, it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed.That’s why in My School, from the Middle School Survival Series, we will tackle the things that weigh heavily on middle school students just like you. This book will address important middle school issues like:• Dealing with bullies, jocks, nerds, and every other category of student you encounter• Revealing the truth behind the urban legends of middle school• Pop quizzes, tardiness, and other survival tips
  • How Not to Choke on Tests: Achieving Academic and Testing Success

    Stephanie Watson

    Paperback (Rosen Central, Dec. 15, 2012)
    Offers strategies for studying and conquering anxieties to help students feel more comfortable when taking different types of tests in school.
  • My School

    Kurt Johnston, Mark Oestreicher

    Paperback (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, Aug. 19, 2007)
    Middle school is like a roller coaster, filled with ups and downs, twists and turns; it’s exhilarating and scary all at the same time! From piles of homework, to understanding the variety of “interesting” people working at your school, and dealing with the new challenges of changing for gym class in front of everyone, it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed. That’s why in My School, from the Middle School Survival Series, we will tackle the things that weigh heavily on middle school students just like you. This book will address important middle school issues like: dealing with bullies, jocks, nerds, and every other category of student you encounter revealing the truth behind the urban legends of middle school pop quizzes, tardiness, and other survival tips This book is filled with short and easy-to-read tips, along with funny stories from the authors (who, believe it or not, used to be middle school morons!), and quotes and questions from students just like you. After reading My School, you’ll be able to walk the halls like the confident student you want to be.
  • Cultivating Positive Peer Groups and Friendships

    Adam Furgang, Kathy Furgang

    Library Binding (Rosen Central, Dec. 15, 2012)
    Middle school is the ultimate transitional time in a young person's life. Amidst all the other changes—physical, emotional, academic, social—one's friendships are also growing, evolving, expanding, and sometimes ending. Students from several different elementary schools are suddenly thrown together and new peer and friendship groups form. During a period of such momentous change and flux, the shifting and expanding of friendships and acquaintanceships can be unsettling and disorienting. This book provides a wise and reassuring guide to the seeming chaos, offering insightful and gentle advice on how to make new friends, maintain old friendships, get along and work well with new classmates, and confront the end of friendships that no longer work with compassion and empathy. Full of useful strategies for spotting and dealing potentially toxic friendships, "bad crowds," and bullies, this book provides all the tools a young person needs to surround him or herself with kind, dynamic, engaged, and mutually supportive and nurturing friends-for-life.
  • My Family

    Kurt Johnston, Mark Oestreicher

    Paperback (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, Dec. 11, 2006)
    Families can be complicated, and this reference guide is here to help you get through whatever issue you might face—from frustrations with your parents to what to do if your family is breaking apart from divorce, or even if there’s been abuse in your home. With seventy-five short chapters that cover almost twenty major topics, there’s plenty of understanding, advice, and wisdom to help you navigate issues with your family AND strengthen the bonds that matter most.Middle school is tough, and figuring out who you are during this time can sometimes mean more issues with your family members—from not feeling understood to wondering why you can’t have a little more freedom and trust now that you’re not a little kid anymore. And maybe your family itself is changing in ways you never thought could happen. In this book, everything from dealing with small frustrations to dating, getting more privacy, handling issues with siblings, and what to do when a parent lets you down or even hurts you physically is discussed and explored, giving you advice and ideas on how to navigate the issues in your family today.My Family: is written by two youth specialists with over forty combined years of experience dealing with the issues today’s preteens and young adults face every daycontains stories from the authors that add honesty—and where appropriate, humor—to the topics being discussedcan be used as a reference guide on specific topics or read straight through for a wider experienceprovides a biblical yet candid approachis also ideal for anyone dealing with teenagers in a mentoring, teaching, or leadership environment
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  • How Not to Choke on Tests: Achieving Academic and Testing Success

    Stephanie Watson

    Library Binding (Rosen Central, Dec. 15, 2012)
    This guide for middle school students will instill confidence for test taking. TheyÂ’ll find proven tips to help prepare for each test and learn how to beat test anxiety before it can beat them. Topics include how to get motivated, take notes, organize time and thoughts, and win at studying. Readers discover where to turn for help and how to tackle different kinds of tests. Common test mistakes and how to avoid them are also explored, as well as what to do after a test is graded and returned.
  • My Changes

    Mark Oestreicher, Scott Rubin

    Paperback (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, Aug. 24, 2008)
    In My Changes, you’ll discover the reasons behind a lot of your changes, and get tips on how to survive all of them. You’ll find valuable insights on changes happening in your body, your brain and thoughts, your identity, your emotions, your gender, and more.After reading the books in the Middle School Survival Series, you’ll be ready to take on the rest of middle school with the confidence and knowledge youneed to survive (and thrive) as a young teen.
  • My Future

    Mark Oestreicher, Scott Rubin

    Paperback (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, Aug. 24, 2008)
    In My Future, you’ll think about the next years of your life and get advice to survive each phase of your future. You’ll get helpful tips to help you survive high school, dating, and life after your teenage years.After reading the books in the Middle School Survival Series, you’ll be ready to take on the rest of middle school with the confidence and knowledge you need to survive (and thrive) as a young teen.