Jojo vs. Middle School

Name: Jojo vs. Middle School
Brand: Dreamscape Media
Availability: InStock
Author: Joy McCullough
ISBN: 9781666690156

Author: Joy McCullough, Veeda Bybee

Series: Team Awkward #1

Narrator: Renee Dorian

Unabridged: 3 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Dreamscape Media

Published: 02/11/2025

Categories: Children's Fiction, Children's Social Themes, Beginner Readers, School

Synopsis

After having hilariously terrible first days of sixth grade, four girls vow to ride out the super highs and cringe-worthy lows of middle school together, no matter how awkward it gets, in this first book in the Team Awkward middle grade series. Jojo has everything planned out for the perfect first day of middle school, down to her outfit and hairstyle. But when Mom, distracted by her new live-in boyfriend, Paul, forgets to wake Jojo up, she oversleeps and has to make do with leggings, a t-shirt, and her brother’s hoodie. The day still goes okay until Jojo realizes that she has a hole in her leggings thanks to Purrito, the kitten Paul “gifted” her. Because Paul isn’t just Paul; he’s Mr. Meow, a mega-famous cat-fluencer. Nearly everything in Jojo’s life is now cat-themed—including the underwear that the hole in her leggings is now showcasing to the whole school! Embarrassed and unable to show her face in the cafeteria, Jojo spends her lunch period in an abandoned locker room. But she isn’t the only one hiding to cope with some major awkwardness. Maybe, with friends by her side, middle school won’t be so bad after all.

About Joy McCullough

Joy McCullough is not outdoorsy and has a terrible sense of direction, but she did climb a Guatemalan volcano and has hiked through Discovery Park. She much prefers to stay inside, writing books and plays. Her debut novel Blood Water Paint was longlisted for the National Book Award and was a finalist for the William C. Morris Debut Award. She currently resides with her husband and two children in the Seattle area. For more information, visit joymccullough.com.

About Veeda Bybee

Veeda Bybee is a former journalist and holds an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of Lily and the Great Quake: A San Francisco Earthquake Survival Story, Li on Angel Island, and Shining a Light: Celebrating 40 Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Who Changed the World. Veeda is also the coauthor of the Team Awkward middle grade series and part of the Rural Voices and Calling the Moon anthologies. She has a rescue golden retriever/cattle dog named Sophie (from Howl’s Moving Castle) and fluffy black cat, also from an animal shelter, named Zuko (from Avatar: The Last Airbender). Veeda lives with her family in Nevada where she reads, writes, and bakes.

About Renee Dorian

Renee Dorian is an experienced actress, voiceover artist, producer, and writer who has lent her talents to numerous projects. Her acting credits include BLACKish, Scandal, and a plethora of feature films, and she has lent her voice to numerous video games, APP games, national commercials, and audiobooks. When she's not working, she can be found chasing her toddler or teaching yoga.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sarah on February 22, 2025

Super fun and fast-paced middle grade novel about 4 girls who meet during lunch on the first day of school because they’re all hiding from embarrassment. Authentic characters and lots of funny moments.......more

Goodreads review by Mary on January 11, 2025

It is the first day of sixth grade, and everything seems to be going wrong for Jojo. Not only does she now live in her mom’s boyfriend’s house across town from her middle school, but her mom also forgets to wake Jojo up, which starts the day in utter turmoil. School does not get much better, but Joj......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on December 26, 2024

Jojo has moved into a new home and with her mother’s boyfriend, an online cat guy called Mr. Meow who drives a MeowMobile that is covered in Mr. Meow stickers! No way she’s going to start middle school by being dropped off in something that looks like that! But her mom didn’t wake her up at the requ......more

Goodreads review by Christine on April 19, 2025

Haha, this was great! I laughed multiple times while reading this. Jojo is not looking forward to middle school. Who would? It's super stressful and no doubt she will embarass herself in front of a bunch of strangers. This is of real concern as her mother has now moved herself, Jojo, and Jojo's high......more

Goodreads review by Vicky on February 05, 2025

What a fun read about starting middle school, changes, and friends. Jojo doesn’t have a good start on the first day of middle school and when she decides to hide out in the locker room bathroom she discovers another girl there. Soon there are four of them, and they start to become friends. When a bo......more