"Middle school can be a hot mess--especially for sixth-grader Nate Wright. Whether he's bluffing his way through an oral report about...umm...some random war, peer-reviewing a classmate's story about cats, or writing a book report on a literary gem called The Cheerleader Chronicles, Nate's usually up to his eyeballs in stress. But our hero always finds ways to cope. Like bringing Spitsy to school as an emotional support dog. Or creating a graphic...

"Snack-loving sixth-grader Nate Wright always has his hands full--of Cheez Doodles! But those delicious orange curls make his breath stink, and when he tries to quit them cold turkey, poor Nate's a hot mess. And that's not the end of his problems. Out of nowhere, Nate gets dumped by his best buddy Francis. He strikes out at the school dance. And a close encounter at the beach with a spiky-haired look-alike has everyone seeing double. Can our favorite...