Kid Konnection: Middle School Survival Guides & Giveaway

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you some fabulous books for middle school girls. Plus, I'll be giving away a set of these books to one lucky reader.

FRIENDSHIP HARDSHIP 
Summary: She knows everything about you...she'd never tell your secrets...she's your biggest fan. Who doesn't want a friend like that? True friendship is a gift...but it can be hard to find. Whether you're stuck in a fading friendship, caught in the popularity trap, or dealing with mean girls, we'll break down the solutions to your problems step by step. Best of all, we'll teach you how to free yourself from poisonous friendships forever and be the best friend you can be. Soon, you'll be meeting new people and making friends who truly respect and understand you...because you deserve first-rate friendships. -- Discovery Girls

STICKY SITUATIONS... AND HOW TO GET THROUGH THEM
Summary: Getting Unstuck! Remember when you got the courage to tell your crush you liked him...and found out he didn't like you back? Didn't you wish you knew someone who had all the answers? Well, have no fear! Not only do we know exactly how to handle your crush, but we also know dow to deal with a gazillion other sticky situations. Like when your BFF blabs your deepest secret to the entire school...or when you make a total fool of yourself onstage. We'll also tell you how to handle being cornered by a mean dog...or stranded at the mall...and much, much more! By the last page, you'll be ready to deal with anything! -- Discovery Girls

ASK ALI: ALL THE ADVICE YOU'LL EVER NEED
Summary: When did life get so complicated? Stuck between friends? Tired of your siblings? Self conscious of your body? Crushing big time? You are not alone! Every month, girls write to Discovery Girls magazine to ask Ali, our advice columinst, for help with issues like these. When it comes to girls' most troublesome questions, Ali has all the answers you need. She tackles your questions on everything from family to friendship to school to boys...and much, much more. No matter what you're going through, you'll find answers to your problems inside. Ali is here to help! -- Discovery Girls

MY WORSE DAY... AND HOW I SURVIVED IT
Summary: In these amazing true stories, girls just like you share their private struggles, hoping to help you through your most difficult times. You'll find comfort, encouragement, and inspiration here...and best of all, you'll know that whatever life throws at you, you are never alone. -- Discovery Girls

Once again, the folks at Discovery Girls have put together a set of books which are an excellent tool for middle school girls! This time it's the Discovery Girls Middle School Survival Guide series, and it's made up of four books that are chock full of sound advice for girls. I sure wish there had been something like this available for me when I was navigating the shark infested waters of middle school.

These books provide girls with strategies for handling friendship troubles, embarrassing moments, body image issues, peer pressure, school problems, and more. The information is provided in a simple and easy-to-understand format that makes these books fun to read too. There are a variety of quizzes, along with advice and real-life scenarios; and I have no doubt that middle school girls will be able to relate to many of the examples.

As a mom, I can't rave enough about everything that Discovery Girls publishes. Discovery Girls stresses the same values that I try to incorporate into Booking Daughter's life. All of their messages are extremely positive and focus on overcoming setbacks and learning from failures. In addition, they stress that girls should have a positive body image and openly communicate with their parents and/or other responsible adults. It's so refreshing to know that there are books out there that help girls deal with their problems in a positive light!

Of course, I adored the Discovery Girls Middle School Survival Guides, but what do I really know? I'm a 43 year-old mom. So I thought I'd go to an expert -- Booking Daughter. She absolutely devoured these books! She loved the quizzes and the advice, and I think some of the concepts really hit close to home for her. Here are her thoughts:

I really enjoyed the Discovery Girls books. All the books had great advice for any situation a middle school might find herself in. When I was reading the books, I compared the solutions in the book to what I normally did. The answers helped me see how I can handle problems better. The books really inspired me and I definitely recommend these books.

Thanks to Discovery Girls for providing review copies of these books and the set for giveaway.

Giveaway alert: I have a set of the Discovery Girls Middle School Survival Guide series to share with one lucky reader. To enter just fill out the form below before August 24th at 11:59 p.m. ET. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!