Cultivating Positive Peer Groups and Friendships

Gr 5–8—This timely series, complete with up-to-date photos, aims to calm the fears of incoming and current students. Peer Group and Bullies go into depth about navigating the treacherous waters of middle-school social circles. While Peer Groups mentions bullying, it focuses mainly on making smart choices about friends, in social networking, in attending parties, and more. A poignant section in Bullies addresses "bullycide," incidents where students are bullied to the point that they try to end their lives. New School provides excellent advice on everything from selecting electives to choosing friends. Tests provides insight into developing effective study habits, including examples of how to take notes; and explains how to get help from teachers, parents, friends, and other resources. The texts are targeted at kids but would also be good resources for parents or caregivers looking for advice. Teachers might want to use these books as examples of informational texts for students to navigate and analyze. Relevant, smart choices for school and public libraries.—Sarah Knutson, American Canyon Middle School, CA