If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period

If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period
by Gennifer Choldenko

IF A TREE FALLS AT LUNCH PERIOD by

Category: Contemporary

Age Recommendation: Grades 6+

Release Date: 9/1/07

Publisher: Harcourt

Reviewed by:

Rating: 4 Stars

Kirsten McKenna's got a lot on her mind, and on her body for that matter. She gained 30 pounds over the summer,

thanks to her dysfunctional parents and their constant arguing. Maybe that's why her best friend, Rory, has stopped

hanging out with her. Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that Rory is now hanging with the popular

crowd.

Either way, Kirsten is relieved to find a new group of friends, including Walker "Walk" Jones.

Walk is new at this school and it's a whole different world from the City school he came from. Everyone knows

he's here

on scholarship, and some kids just won't let him forget it. Good thing he has one friend, Matteo, to count

on. Oh, and

there's that girl, Kirsten, too. She's pretty cool.

This was a quick read, but not because the content was simple. The plot kept the pages turning. The short chapters

alternated between Kirsten's and Walk's perspectives, which was perfect for the pace of the book. It was

portrayed as a

simple middle school read, nothing out of the ordinary, but it delivered so much more.

This book was very like something

one might find from Judy Blume, in both voice and subject matter. Smart,

insightful characters dealing with adult-world

challenges while living with everyday life at school -- the good, the

bad, and the downright nasty.