Sixth-grader and self-proclaimed genius Nate Wright faces his all-time enemy, Gina, when they are paired to work on a research paper together and she also gets a position on his intramural team.

Homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television, tasted a pizza, or even heard of a wedgie. But when his grandmother lands in the hospital, Cap is forced to move in with a guidance counselor and attend the local middle school. While Cap knows a lot about tie-dyeing and Zen Buddhism, no education could prepare him for the politics of public school.

When Rafe Khatchadorian enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the Silent, " to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct.

Self-described genius, aspiring cartoonist, and sixth-grade detention record holder Big Nate navigates the trials and tribulations of life in the halls of P.S. 38 with his classmates Gina, Artur, Francis, Jenny and Teddy.

Kenny Wright is a kid with a secret identity. In his mind, he's Stainlezz Steel, super-powered defender of the weak. In reality, he's a chess club devotee known as a "grandma's boy, " a label that makes him an easy target for bullies. Kenny wants to bring a little more Steel to the real world, but can he recognize his own true strength before peer pressure forces him to make the worst choice of his life?

"To sixth-grader Nate Wright, life is one big game. So when he suits up for any sport, he does it with an unmistakable swagger. From fine-tuning his trash-talking skills on the basketball court to his cocky 'tude in the soccer goal, Nate can be a bigger challenge to his teammates than their opponents"--Page 4 of cover.

As he grieves his best friend Benny's death, Mason and his friend Calvin, who are targeted by the neighborhood bullies, create an underground haven for themselves, but when Calvin goes missing Mason finds himself in trouble.

"Sixth grade can be a tension convention for Nate Wright. His baseball team's just been given the lamest name in Little League history; he's on the verge of becoming know-it-all Gina's personal servant for a day; and Spitsy, the closest thing he has to a dog of his own, is in love with a cat. Yup, Nate's up to his ears in stress. Luckily, the perfect remedy is close at hand: an empty plastic soda bottle"--Page 4 of cover.

"A story about being your truest self--and trusting your truest friends. Cliques. Crushes. Comics. Middle school. Ever since Tyler started getting into art and hanging out with Emmie, his friends and teammates have been giving him a hard time. He wonders why can't he nerd out on drawing and play ball? Emmie is psyched that she gets to work on a comics project with her crush, Tyler. But she gets the feeling that his friends don't think she's cool enough....

"You've got to know where you stand to survive sixth grade, and Nate Wright's found the perfect spot: right next to Sherman, the class gerbil. Can Nate's furry friend bail him out of his latest homework jam with Mrs. Godfrey? Or will there be a paper trail leading straight to detention?"--Provided by publisher.