Margin Notes

by Catherine Walker-Gilman

Byron is surrounded by alien life. Elizabeth resembles a teenaged vampire. Naledi thinks she wants to meet her birth mother. Monty just wants a pencil for second period. These stories and a collage of others explode from the pages of Margin Notes. Each character tells a different story about the challenges of surviving and thriving outside the mainstream. A celebration of the bittersweet splendor and chaos that is middle school, this collection is a source of hope, perspective, and contemplation for teenagers, teachers, and parents alike.

112 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2009

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool short story collection about what it's like to be in middle school from so many different points of view. As a middle school teacher, I'm aware of how hard a lot of the kids struggle, their hormones are flying, girls are crying one minute and mad the next, and boys are just trying to survive. Then toss in parental problems, questioning sexuality, and popularity contests, and it's just one big mess for these poor kids for three years.
Side note: Catherine Walter-Gilman makes a note about how fabulous the Colorado Writing Project course is...and I've taken it and totally agree. Anyone who's loves literature or writing should definitely take the class. Gives great lessons to get ideas flowing, of which I use yearly with my own students.
Overall--a novel that NEEDS to be in every middle school library for kids to check out!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every day we make choices, decisions about how to respond to issues that confront us. Young people of middle school age are deeply and forever affected by the choices they make, but also by the sometimes thoughtless actions their adult mentors take in response to them. Walker-Gilman has shown a sensitivity to these vulnerable children that could only come from years of working with them as a teacher. The children in these stories are a little outside the mainstream, but Walker-Gilman convincingly depicts them as unique individuals who will make the future world a better place as long as we do not nervously try to force them into some notion of comfortable conformity. A really enjoyable read, full of humor and hope.