Not Much Just Chillin': The Hidden Lives of Middle Schoolers

First of all, everyone that says this book isn't accurate is retarded. I go to WSMS and this book is so right it's like it was written by an eighth grader. She does a great job, perhaps you people don't have the insight to realise this book goes deeper. This book even helped me understand myself, I recommend it to girls and boys my age (eighth grade) who are looking to see through the eyes of another. It's hard being who we are, and this kinda makes it easier. :)

Middle school kids often receive far too little attention by way of study and research. Perhaps some believe that middle school kids are not worth studying separately from adolescence since it is such a brief period of time. Yet, at the same time, there is probably no age group that goes through such a significant and dramatic set of developmental changes in a few short years than middle schoolers. I applaud Linda Perlstein's efforts to capture the essence of middle school kids and to represent the trials and tribulations of this age. In her study, Perlstein spent a year's time becoming a part of a real middle school. Rather than study these kids from an academic perspective, Perlstein took a much more holistic and anthropological approach. She talked to the kids, she watched the kids, she spoke to their parents, and she observed their relational interactions and their highs and lows and she spent a lot of time with their teachers. The result of Linda Perlstein's efforts is a significant book for educators, parents and kids on the struggles of middle school years. While some might attack this as a study less scientific or quantitative than rigorous academics might prefer, I believe that she is right on the mark in reporting on these kids through her experience of them. This is a tough age and my belief is that it grows even more stressful on kids as our society continues to change and as kids mature faster on a physical level. I believe this is a book that should be read by a number of different groups and that it could be a foundation for some wonderful discussions among teachers and between teachers and parents. An understudied subject most interestingly presented. Highly Recommended. James J. Maloney Saint Paul, Minnesota USA

Middle school kids often receive far too little attention by way of study and research. Perhaps some believe that middle school kids are not worth studying separately from adolescence since it is such a brief period of time. Yet, at the same time, there is probably no age group that goes through such a significant and dramatic set of developmental changes in a few short years than middle schoolers. I applaud Linda Perlstein's efforts to capture the essence of middle school kids and to represent the trials and tribulations of this age. In her study, Perlstein spent a year's time becoming a part of a real middle school. Rather than study these kids from an academic perspective, Perlstein took a much more holistic and anthropological approach. She talked to the kids, she watched the kids, she spoke to their parents, and she observed their relational interactions and their highs and lows and she spent a lot of time with their teachers. The result of Linda Perlstein's efforts is a significant book for educators, parents and kids on the struggles of middle school years. While some might attack this as a study less scientific or quantitative than rigorous academics might prefer, I believe that she is right on the mark in reporting on these kids through her experience of them. This is a tough age and my belief is that it grows even more stressful on kids as our society continues to change and as kids mature faster on a physical level. I believe this is a book that should be read by a number of different groups and that it could be a foundation for some wonderful discussions among teachers and between teachers and parents. An understudied subject most interestingly presented. High Recommended. James J. Maloney Saint Paul, Minnesota USA

Persltein has provided an excellent and informative portrayal of the lives of middle school students in this important book. All too often, pre-teen and early adolescent children are overlooked as subjects of both popular and academic literature. This book offers a multi-faceted window into the worlds of these kids at a critical time in their social/behavioral, academic, and organizational development. As a social worker at a public middle school, I found Perlstein's observations to be accurate and insightful. She has expertly woven a narrative of the lives of these students with child development theory in a manner that is digestible to all audiences. I have recommended this book to education and social work colleagues, as well as parents and students. It is both an enjoyable and informative read.

In Not Much Just Chillin', Linda Perlstein illustrates some of the important themes of the critical 11-13 age group through five frustrating, endearing and ultimately fascinating kids at Wilde Lake Middle School. Everybody can relate to the complex feelings and relationships revealed through Jackie, Eric, Elizabeth, Jimmy and Lily, but what parents will find most fascinating is what is going on in the lives of their middle-schoolers that the kids believe is "too much" for their parents to deal with. Perlstein effectively weaves in advice for parents and other adult figures in kids' lives and includes interesting notes from psychologists, teachers, sociologists, and other experts on "tweens". Written with humor and compassion, "Not Much Just Chillin'" is a must-read for anybody who deals with this age group.