GENRE 6: Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer Holm. Illustrated by Elicia Castaldi.

Bibliography
Holm, Jennifer L. 2007. Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff. Ill. by Elicia Castaldi. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780689852817

Plot Summary
Ginny Davis is a normal teenage girl getting ready to begin her seventh grade year. Determined to make it the best year ever, Ginny creates a big to-do list that she hopes to make it through. Among the items on her list are: “get a dad” (she does), “get the role of the Sugarplum Fairy” (she doesn’t), “try to be friends with Mary Catherine Kelly (not possible), and “get Henry to chill out” (he gets sent to military school). Ginny’s journey through what she believes to be the worst school year possible is told through a collage of newspaper clippings, report cards, school assignments, notes to friends, store and doctor receipts, instant messages, and cartoons drawn by her brother, Henry. As Ginny survives each humiliation, and celebrates the triumphs, she learns that perhaps seventh grade isn’t as bad as she thought it was…eighth grade might be a different story though.

Critical Analysis
Jennifer Holm crafts a humorous story of teenage angst and drama told through artifacts that are familiar to teenage girls. The female protagonist, Ginny, is a realistic portrayal of a typical seventh grade teenager trying to understand life and those around her. She has many of the same fears and worries--family issues, friendship issues, boy drama--that teenage girls experience everyday and are able to relate to. Ginny’s appeal as a character lies in the fact that she cares deeply about those around her and cannot be mean despite the hurt caused by others. She has a hard time adjusting to the step father she desperately wanted, but makes an effort to understand him. Then Ginny’s grade drop when her older brother Henry is sent to a military school due to drinking and poor behavior choices. Her concern and love for her brother is evident, and though Ginny eventually rebounds, she cannot help but worry about Henry’s future. Through it all, Ginny’s voice remains the resilient, sarcasm laced voice of a teenager traversing life’s many mysteries.

Elicia Castaldi’s beautifully rendered collages realistically depict the various means of communication we use in everyday life to tell the story of Ginny’s seventh grade year. The story flows easily from one colorful page to the other as readers are drawn into the story by studying the appealing mix of objects such as candy wrappers, receipts, bank statements, lipstick tubes, birthday cards, and other teenage paraphernalia. The visually stimulating collages are crucial to the understanding of the plot and Ginny’s motivation, thus several “readings” of the novel are necessary in order to truly take in all the details found within.

Though Holm’s novel might look like a light read due to the colorful collages and quirky title, her use of a graphic novel format with limited text and realistic artifacts forces the reader to truly focus on details and make inferences in order to comprehend the story. The use of humor is effective in balancing some of the serious issues presented in the novel. The themes of family, friendship, and growing up are evident in the novel as Ginny learns how to deal with the more difficult issues life is throwing her way. The unique format of the novel would appeal to many students looking for a new and interesting book to read; however, other students might find the busy collages and intermittent pieces of text to be overwhelming and frustrating rather than engaging.

Review Excerpt(s)
2008 ALA Notable Children’s Book

Beehive Award Master List

New York’s Charlotte Award Ballot

Publisher’s Weekly - “The punchy visuals and the sharp, funny details reel in the audience and don't let go.”

School Library Journal - “Not quite a graphic novel but not a traditional narrative either, Holm's creative book should hook readers, especially girls who want something out of the ordinary.”

Children’s Literature - “Jennifer Holm, winner of the Newbery Honor award for Our Only May Amelia and Penny from Heaven, has once again created a story permeated with creativity.”

Connections
- Have students use Elicia Castaldi’s collage format to describe a recent event in their lives through various artifacts.
- Expand on one of the events in Ginny’s life by writing a narrative that fills in the missing details for the chosen event.
- Create a list of popular songs that would be used as a soundtrack to Ginny’s life. Explain why those particular songs fit with the events in Ginny’s life.
- Predict what Ginny’s summer art class might be like by creating a comic like those drawn by her brother Henry.