Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Relatable tale of girl finding her voice at new school.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In PROJECT MIDDLE SCHOOL: HOPE: BOOK 1, young Hope Roberts is smart, driven, funny, compassionate -- and trying to make it through the start of middle school without her best friend at her side. Hope was accepted to the advanced program at JFK Middle, but her best friend Sam wasn't. Sam has a whole new set of friends, and Hope has to face things alone, figuring out how to deal with the boys in her classes talking over the girls and sidelining them. Hope knows she belongs there academically, but she doesn't see how she'll fit in if she keeps sticking her foot in her mouth. When the robotics competition comes around, she has the chance to save the day, if only she can figure out the right way to ask for help.
Is It Any Good?
The message here -- about navigating new situations, owning up to mistakes, being true to yourself -- starts out a little heavy handed, but the storytelling evens out as the book progresses. There's a surprising amount packed into Project Middle School: Hope: Book 1: STEM-focused kids of all backgrounds working hard to do well at a new school, old friendships changing and new ones beginning, robots, and rescue dogs. It's all fast-paced with an eye for the feelings and outlook of young middle schoolers who are overwhelmed by the bigness of a new school and feeling out of sorts themselves. Hope is a bright star to navigate their changing world with humor, honesty, and dog treats.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how girls in the classes get talked over or ignored in Project Middle School: Hope: Book 1. Have you ever seen that happen? How have the teachers, adults, and others responded to the situation?
Why do kids feel anxiety about starting middle school? How is it different from elementary school? Have you ever felt worried about making friends at a new school? How did it turn out?
What other books about middle school have you read? Do you see yourself in any of the characters?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrator : Erik. S Keyes
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : STEM , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
- Publication date : October 15, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 208
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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