The Good, the Bad, and the Backstory

By Melissa Minery

Welcome to a day in the life of five middle school students, Ashley, Kenisha, Taara, Ryan and Andrew. Their day begins in the early morning hours when each of them is roused from slumber. Some awaken to the sound of an annoying alarm. Others are scared out of bed by Mom or Dad. Then there's Ryan, who oversleeps, again. He forgot to set his alarm clock and no one's ever at home to wake him. Ryan gets to school late. Kenisha arrives excited, but also jealous of her friend. Taara comes anxious and distracted. Andrew shows up ready to bully someone, and Ashley enters sad and sulking because of unkind gossip she heard on the bus. As they walk the hallways, attend class and navigate the dreaded lunchroom, they experience all of the messiness of middle school: The fragile friendships. The peer pressure. The fickle social hierarchy. The relationship drama. Issues at home and interactions at school influence how they relate to one another, their classmates and their teachers throughout the day. Readers soon realize that there are many layers to each young character in the story than what you first see, and by the story?s end, you?ve had the opportunity to walk in each characters shoes and understand how one simple event can impact so many different people. The story addresses important concepts, such as making friends, building relationships, showing empathy for others, building resiliency and coping mechanisms, and making and accepting apologies. Author Melissa Minery gives the reader a birds-eye view of a middle school day as it unfolds for each character, offering an unflinching look at how a child's backstory; family life, values, beliefs, triumphs and tragedies; influences his or her actions. Written for middle schoolers in grades 4 to 8, it?s a true-to-life story with a valuable message about courage, forgiveness, empathy and understanding.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1944882715
• ISBN13: 9781944882716
• Release Date: March 2021
• Publisher: Boys Town Press
• Length: 172 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 9 to 15 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 10