Middle school years can be hard for students, parents, and others to navigate. In Surviving the Middle School Years, Dr. Noel Schmidt leverages his 40-plus years of experience as a teacher, coach, school psychologist, principal, and superintendent to offer a truly empathetic approach to solving typical problems.

Schmidt presents scenarios involving common challenges experienced during this time of life, including difficult shared custody situations, different types of bullying, problems with poor teachers, etc. He breaks each situation down into segments that offer particular points of view, including those of the middle school student, parents, teacher and/or administrator. He then offers a step-by-step solution.

For example, when discussing a troubled shared custody situation, Schmidt describes fictional student John’s frustration with his parents’ divorce and explains that John wants to move in with his father (who has fewer rules). He offers each parent’s viewpoint and includes comments from frustrated teachers concerned that John isn’t doing as well in school as previously. The author’s four-point solution involves understanding the true underlying problem (that the parents disagree on how John should be raised); having the parents get help setting rules and expectations for their son; establishing better communication between the parents and school; and helping John develop a support network.

Schmidt’s narrative is clear, well-organized and offers relevant scenarios, with real-world details (such as noting that John likes that his father lets him play X-Box “whenever he wants to”). Most of all, readers will appreciate the author’s empathetic approach that doesn’t make anyone the “bad guy.” Instead, all of the personas are depicted as relatable with challenges of their own.

Although aimed at adults, the text is written in a straightforward, conversational manner that would allow middle school students to also glean insights. Appropriate audiences for this book would include parents, school counselors, administrators, Parent-Teacher Organizations, and more—all of whom will find this a valuable, easy-to-read resource.