Middle School Confidential 2: Real Friends vs. the Other Kind
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The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Middle School Confidential 2: Real Friends vs the Other Kind is the second in a three-part series of app-based graphic novels about the trials and tribulations of middle school. It features a large cast of kids: Jack, Jen, Abby, Mateo, Chris, and Michelle, plus a new popular girl, Monique (who asks Jack out even though Chris likes her). The focus is solidly on how to handle and keep friends, but issues such as dating, eating disorders, and going along with popular kids are used as context. Since none of the story lines provides inappropriate details -- only solid tools to handle the issues -- this resource is actually most ideal for kids on the younger side of adolescence.
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What's it about?
Through eight, four-page chapters, the gang encounters personal and friend-related challenges followed by morals and three quizzes that teach strategies such as standing your ground or avoiding hurting other people's feelings. Pages are swipe-able and zoom-able, but tapping to advance is still a bit slow and sometimes unresponsive. The information button at the bottom right leads to a main menu page with navigation hints and chapter navigation as well as access to cast profiles, credits, and author and illustrator profiles.
Is it any good?
MIDDLE SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL: REAL FRIENDS VS THE OTHER KIND is a great tool to catalyze discussion about tricky topics such as interrupting conversations with texts, bossiness, hurt feelings, using people, crush rejections, popularity, dating, problems at home, and breaking up. Real teen issues are presented with respect and emotional authenticity. Characters are alternately tough yet vulnerable, admirable yet fallible. The addition of quizzes -- a sort of mix between social studies class and a teen mag sidebar -- adds tons of engagement value to the experience. As with so many social-skills teaching tools, teens may feel this one is a bit babyish -- and the watercolor illustrations are a far cry from the more popular manga style -- but tweens looking into the abyss of middle school will eat it up. Audio of teen voices and some comic relief would boost the experience, and more content and slightly less preachy dialogue would pull kids in even more.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can discuss the quiz questions and responses plus the given "right" answers. Your kids might come up with alternate answers that work better for your families or for their individual styles.
Explore the whole series and ask if there are any parallel situations in your kids' lives. Offer up some age-appropriate stories from your own teen years as well (but make sure they're actually interested first!).
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook HD
- Subjects: Language & Reading: discussion, forming arguments, reading
Social Studies: citizenship - Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: asking questions, decision-making, problem solving
Self-Direction: identifying strengths and weaknesses, personal growth, self-reflection
Emotional Development: developing resilience, empathy, handling stress, identifying emotions, labeling feelings, moving beyond obstacles, persevering, perspective taking, self-awareness
Communication: asking questions, conveying messages effectively, friendship building, listening
Collaboration: meeting challenges together, respecting other viewpoints - Pricing structure: Paid ($2.99)
- Release date: December 4, 2017
- Category: Books
- Topics: Friendship, High School
- Size: 56.30 MB
- Publisher: Electric Eggplant
- Version: 2.0
- Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 8.0 or later.
- Last updated: November 11, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love healthy teen life
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.