Word Spelunking

During my last Middle-Grade March Madness, I had thepleasure of reading and reviewing Robin Mellom’s hilarious The Classroom and I’m back today to review the equally enjoyable sequel, The Classroom: Student Council Smackdown. Mellom returns to Westside Middle School, a few weeks after Trevor Jones’ brief foray into epicness, as the documentary crew continues to film middle-school life. The events at the dance have left Trevor with some unexpected popularity; popularity he hopes to use to help Libby win the job of Student Council President. Libby has some stiff competition in the form of her frenemy Cindy Applegate and the tweens learn that middle-school campaigns are a whole new ballgame.I really enjoyed The Classroom and am happy to report that this sequel does not disappoint. Mellom returns with even more laughs, fun, and heart, and has once again crafted a wonderfully written middle-school romp with that pitch-perfect voice I always look for and storytelling that sparkles.The refreshingly unique format of the book, with its mix of third person prose and first person documentary interviews, makes for a really captivating and entertaining story. Let’s face it, there’s no place filled with more drama, romance, and excitement than a middle-school, so this documentary premise makes total sense. And the middle-school environment Mellom has created is super realistic and believable. Like book one, The Classroom: Student Council Smackdown is brimming with laugh-out-loud humor and surprising heart. The race for seventh grade student council president is full of tough obstacles, crazy situations, and some important life lessons, all of which will enthrall and amuse young readers from beginning to end.Mellom’s story sparkles and her characters really shine. With a mix of over-the-top, shy, and endearing personalities, these books offer a character for every reader to love and relate to. Trevor Jones is such a lovable, relatable main character and I just love journeying through middle-school with him. Trevor is surrounded by the kind of kids you’d expect to find in a middle-school (the jocks, the over-achievers, the bullies, the rebels, etc) and yet, they’re continuously surprising and impressing me with their wit, humor, and heart.MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Classroom: Student Council, with its laughs, relatable characters, and fun storytelling is a wonderful and worthy sequel to The Classroom. Both books in this series are great reads for the middle-grade readers in your life!