Name Tags and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters

by Ginger Garrett

Fun, funny, and fully heartfelt. Everyone needs true-blue friends like Lizbeth's. SuperChicken for life.
―Kristin L. Gray, author of The Amelia Six and Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge

One of those books that explores difficult topics―divorce, a new school, being dubbed a "weirdo"―with grace and good humor.
―Rebecca Petruck, author of Boy Bites Bug and Steering Toward Normal

This hilarious and heartfelt gem is moving straight to my "favorites" shelf.
―Lisa Lewis Tyre, author of Last in a Long Line of Rebels and Hope in the Holler
Twelve-year-old Lizbeth always has a plan, and those plans have usually worked―until now. No matter what she tries, she can't get rid of her dad's new girlfriend, Claire. And when she and her mom move, Lizbeth has to join a sixth-grade class already in progress, where her teacher makes her wear a name tag and she's seated with three notorious "weirdos." When faced with mandatory participation in a school talent show, Lizbeth and the Weirdos decide to create self portraits. Reluctantly, Lizbeth finds herself becoming friends with people she thought she had nothing in common with―and coming to terms with the things she can't control.

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens

280 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2020

About the author

Ginger Garrett is the author of the middle grade titles Name Tags and Other Sixth Grade Disasters (Carolrhoda Press) and The Last Monster (Delacorte Press/Random House) as well as other titles for women.

A frequent media guest and television host, Ginger has been interviewed by Fox News, 104.7 The Fish Atlanta, and many other outlets. Ginger resides in Georgia with her husband, three children and her 27th rescue dog, Watson.

Reviews

[Kristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my 10 year old grandson when he was visiting and the libraries were still closed. He said he wanted something funny and I grabbed this from NetGalley hoping it would be just that. It worked perfectly for him. He actually quoted the book to me.

This book was a perfect mix of seriousness and humor. There were times when we both laughed out loud. I have to admit that at certain times in the book I did not find Lizbeth very likable. I actually thought she could be a bit annoying. (Sorry, Lisbeth!) I did enjoy her quirky humor, but not her determination to befriend someone that wasn't worth her time or to rid herself and her father of Claire. However, when she grew as a character in the second half of the book and began to recognize what is important, I started to like her more and more.

The characters seem very introspective and perceptive with an advanced vocabulary for their ages, so it didn't always feel true to age. But, I still enjoyed getting to know them. I do think that the more advanced language may be difficult for some kids, but it also might help with a middle schooler's vocabulary in a fun way and it made the book more enjoyable for me.

I asked my grandson what he would rate this book and he enthusiastically said 5 stars. I would probably go with at least 4. So, that means a solid 4.5 stars. Since, my grandson is really more the target age group, we will round up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Carolrhoda Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

In love. SuperChicken rocks. But…the main character was annoying and kinda mean to Tess, Paul, and Joseph in the beginning even though they were her friends. And the fact she assumed that Hailey would be friends with her just because she looked like one of Lizbeth’s old friends? Makes no sense. Lizbeth, in the beginning and even a bit in the end, is a bully.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade novel quietly snuck up on me. The main character has to deal with a lot of issues that middle schoolers go through, and we can see her maturity level develop as the book concludes. This book has the lovable "real" friends, as well as the complete jerks; in other words, all the kids that we all meet as we are growing up! Garrett has us rooting for the "pod" over the "cool" kids at every moment. We also see a glimpse of their lives outside of school, and issues that they are dealing with as well. All in all this is a slow burning, well developed middle grade novel that will make you glad that you are past that stage in life! Thank you to Netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Lizbeth is a twelve year old dealing with family issues (divorce), school issues (new one), and relationship issues (finding friends). She's offbeat and quirky and uses humor when she's nervous. At that age, other kids don't always like the different and unique. Garrett takes readers through the challenges she faces and how she learns to cope and be herself. The final drama at the school talent show is written with tenderness and encourages kindness and rising above labels.
The book starts a little slowly but once characters and settings are introduced, Garrett lets readers join the scene and be part of the characters' lives.

[Anitalia Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizbeth, a sixth-grader girl who recently moved to the other side of town related to her parents divorce. Her mother chooses to continue her life along with Lizbeth, while her father already has a new relationship with a woman, works as a lawyer, named Claire. To Lizbeth, this is a disaster, her perfect world is ruined just like that. Not to mention some difficulties where it happens in her new school. New friends, new teachers, and of course new rules. But those disasters don't make Lizbeth give up so fast. Deep down she made a mental note that “things will be doing well all together'' especially related with her parents' relationship. Without Lizbeth acknowledgments, things aren't that easy to get fixed, there are A LOT of them that need to be fixed.

After I finished reading this book, what came to my mind was “why do children always have to be victims for adult problems?” And instantly forced them to enter the real world of an adult, they don't have a choice to enjoy their own world. Luckily, some children got lucky to survive this kind of problem by always staying positive and doing great things. Lizbeth here, is a VERY positive girl. She is always trying to find a bright side of a problem. This happens during her school life, where she witnessed and experienced it by herself what it looks like to be bullied/calling names, what she has to do when her friend is being bullied, even she made a commitment to pull out one of the students who apparently got stuck in a wrong group of students.

This story is recommended to any readers, especially middle-grade readers who are dealing with change themselves. It's wrapped with difficult topics such as divorce, bullied, broken relationships, but with humor, positive words, teamwork, and the important ones...kindness.
I adore Lizbeth with her positive attitude and brave enough to stand up for everyone that she loves.

Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group, I received the digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange with an honest review.

4 stars.

[Erica Sonzogni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving to a new school is hard for any middle schooler, but being bullied upon arrival makes the situation even worse. Lizbeth is having a difficult time adjusting to her move after her parents’ divorce. Her dad has been dating and Lizabeth despised every girlfriend that he has brought home. On top of all this, the art department is getting shut down at the school and all of the students have to participate in a mandatory talent show to save the program. Lizbeth meets a group of three friends who are labeled as “outcasts” who want to create self-portraits for the talent show. These friends help Lizbeth as she is getting bullied, assist her to overcome her fears regarding her art, and show her what is involved in a true friendship. Similarly, Lizbeth helps them with their problems and learns how to be a good friend in return all while saving the art program for the school.

Name Tag and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters is filled with humor, relatable experiences, and heartwarming lessons. Young readers will laugh out loud at the sayings that Lizbeth conjures. From potty humor to more mature sarcasm, even adults readers will enjoy the one-liners sprinkled throughout. While the story line focuses on bullying, a problem discussed in many current novels for this age group, the plot in this particular book is different than most. Lizbeth’s group of friends work together to stop the issues they are having with different groups within the school, get a teacher and the school involved, and stand up to the bullies. This will show students that there are people who will help stop abuse. Themes of perseverance, family dynamics, and peer pressure are mixed throughout. Even though Lizbeth has to confront a variety of problems in all aspects of life, young readers will be given hope that things will get better.

[Jennifer Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two years later Lizbeth is still having trouble accepting her parents' divorce, and now she has to adjust to moving and starting a new school. Lizbeth has two goals: (1) make lots of new friends, and (2) get rid of Claire, her father's new girlfriend. However, none of her plans quite work out, though along the way she learns about true friendship, forgiveness, acceptance, and helps a friend dealing with bullying.

This is a very well-paced story with great characters, though it could have been a little more intentional with including diversity. Lizbeth is very funny and clever, though people don't always get her humor and she is often misunderstood. She can be very creative, though she doesn't always use her cleverness and creativity constructively, which causes conflict between her and her father (and his new girlfriend), and between her parents. The reader will laugh at some of her antics, cringe at her missteps, and empathize with her difficulties adjusting and mourning her old life, but will also cheer as she begins to deal with her emotions and build a new life. The supporting cast of characters is also well-done, especially the character of Paul.

This story encompasses many issues - divorce, moving to a new area and school, making friends, bullying, repairing relationships - and would be relatable and enjoyable to many readers, but particularly those who are dealing with change themselves. I would recommend it to readers aged 9-13 who enjoy contemporary realistic fiction with children their age dealing with typical issues.

[I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Name Tags and Other Six-Grade Disasters was very moving, and I think a lot of readers in the target age range will really be able to relate to Lizbeth and the struggles she's dealing with. Lizbeth wants to be funny and be everyone's friend, but she doesn't understand why the popular kids don't like her (and it's not anything she specifically does - it's because she's placed in a group with the "uncool" kids, and that marks her as uncool, too). She gets in trouble at school and doesn't know why that's happened, either, because she wasn't trying to be bad. She hates that her father is dating, because she just wants her parents to get back together, and it doesn't make sense to her that they can be happy without each other when her world has been torn apart. And she learns that true friends are there for you and don't make fun of you or make you prove yourself to them, and tries to pass that on to other kids, too.

My only real issue with this book is that Lizbeth's teacher really doesn't treat her well when she first starts school, forcing her to wear a name tag for days, which is clearly really embarrassing for Lizbeth, and getting mad at her for reasons she doesn't explain. There's really only one short scene that deals with the teacher apologizing for this and basically saying it's because she's sleep deprived (ie excuse instead of true apology), and I thought it needed a little bit more than that. But there's enough good in this book that I think it's a worthwhile read for kids close to Lizbeth's age who may be dealing with many of the same things as her.

E-ARC provided by NetGalley and Lerner Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

[Dusti Falgoust · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a digital arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was interested in reading Name Tags because it seemed like a cute middle grade that would keep my attention.

However, I was pretty disappointed right from the beginning. The way the kids, but especially Lizbeth, interact with the adults just throws me off. She bullies her dad's girlfriends and says and does awful things. I can understand a kid being upset and acting out, but Lizbeth's actions seem a little extreme and make me uncomfortable. I also think this would've made twelve years old me uncomfortable. I mean, what 6th grader randomly references someone sounding like "Elmo if Elmo had sustained multiple blunt-force traumas to the head" and high kill animal shelters? I'm sure some would, but I just find it odd and off-putting.

It did get a bit better once our main character started to learn more about herself and her relationships and had some character growth. But even at that point, it was just okay.

I can see how this might be an entertaining book for some kids, but it won't be one I recommend. I gave it 2/5 stars.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

3.5 stars - Good+
Rough start to this one for me. Lizbeth is a bully to her dad's girlfriends which makes her very hard to like or empathize with. Every endearing thing she does with her friends at school is undone by the hateful things she does out of her anger at her parents' divorce. I was pretty disappointed in how little her parents did to address her antics, too.

Thankfully, Lizbeth does start to change. She learns some empathy, starts to grow up a little. There are hints of insightfulness.

The art pieces of the story, the climax of larger school story, and the other kids in Lizbeth's pod at school really made this book for me. I loved the ending; I loved how Lizbeth and her dad help out one of the other kids. There are lots of fantastic pieces to this, which help offset some of Lizbeth's awful choices early on.

[Gailanne Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

As if starting a new school isn’t enough change for one optimistic girl, throw in divorced parents who frustratingly don’t want to get back together, new friends who don’t understand what it means to be a friend no matter how much one tries to explain, new classmates who want to be friends even when one has other friends in mind, and teachers who just don’t understand one’s sense of humor, and you’ve got a sometimes funny, sometimes painful story. Many parts of this story were relatable and well-written, such as Lizbeth’s struggles with mean girls, but some sections were a little unbelievable, like letting herself get sick to make her dad’s girlfriend embarrassed. Middle school students will most likely enjoy the story, though, especially the uplifting ending. This is one to recommend to reluctant readers.

[Jacque Stengel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book about learning about yourself, even when you think you know yourself well. It is a realistic fiction middle grade read that will have you trying to help Lizbeth and her new situation in life. There are some great hidden gems of quotes throughout this book that I thoroughly appreciated.

Being a person who doesn't always get the laughs that I think I should, I totally got Lizbeth and wanted her to learn about friendship and family and differences and all the things!

Finding your way in a group, be it a family or friends is always hard for anyone, but especially those in the 6th grade. Highly recommend this book for all middle graders and anyone else who wants a feel good story!

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of Name Tags and Other Sixth-Grade Disasters is strong and the humor laced throughout is a bonus, but it wasn’t as good as I had hoped.

While Lizbeth is supposed to be a sympathetic character, dealing with her parents’ divorce and bullies at school, she’s no gem herself. In fact, her interactions with the adults in her life make her just as much a bully. Her behavior is so off-putting, I almost walked away from the book. She does grow and learn more about herself as the book progresses, but it’s not a book I’d pass on to my own child when she’s old enough to read it.

Ginger Garrett is a solid writer, and I can see how this book may appeal to some middle-graders, but with so many other good options, I’d call this a library read at best.

[Aislynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
I gave this book four out of five stars because I am not the intended audience. My personal liking of the book would have been 2.5-3 stars. Lizbeth is quite the main character. She's busy trying to force her way into a new best-friendship, eliminate her father's new girl friend, and sort out her own feelings. As an adult reader I found Lizbeth to be annoying and over-the-top, but as a former sixth grader I could sympathize with her antics. This would be a good one to read to the class, the kids will find it humorous and relatable.

[Yannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

First of all, I want to say that I did not finish the book because I lost interest halfway. I don't like the way the character treats her mother. I don't agree with the way she acted just because she was going through something. I tried to read it more but I felt very uncomfortable so I dropped it. Maybe some would want this type story and maybe there will be a character development here that will make her likeable.

[Calli (Borrowing Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10⭐️

This was a super cute middle grades novel. I definitely will be purchasing it for my school library. The main character’s (Lizbeth) parents are divorced, and she moves across town with her mom. When Lizbeth is forced to start at a new school and make all new friends, she is forced to sit at “the weirdos’ pod.” Through an art project for the school talent show, Lizbeth discovers a lot about herself and who her real friends are. I just really enjoyed this, and I think it would be a good book to share with new students.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like “Name Tags”, which I received from Net Galley, and it was cute enough, but it just missed the mark. It appeared that almost every single character in this book was a bully of some sort, including the classroom teacher. 6th graders, for the most part, are in middle school, not elementary school. I get what the author was trying to get across, but I just can’t support how she did it. Needless to say, I won’t be recommending this to my school-age kiddos at the library.

[Sharon Pegram · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully fresh take on the perennial middle grade themes of bullying and adjusting to divorce! Lizbeth is funny and flawed, and her friends and family are fully developed with problems of their own. This book is wise without being preachy, humorous without being shallow, and unflinchingly realistic without being depressing. One of the best contemporary, realistic middle grade novels I've read in a long time.

[The Marvelous Ms. Kaia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, in the beginning of this book I disliked Lizbeth. She was pushy, slightly rude, and didn’t understand social cues. However, throughout the book, she grows, and I love what she does in the end with her painting. This book will make you open up your eyes about yourself if you let it, and has a wonderful message. Contains bullying and divorce. 10+

[Rebecca Petruck]

Name Tags & Other Sixth-Grade Disasters is a kind book that explores difficult topics--divorce, new school, being dubbed a "weirdo"-- with grace and good humor. Lizbeth Murphy's antics will make readers giggle and groan, likely both in the same breath!

[Mel Brannen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made me tear up. Ginger Garret has a way of presenting real-life relationship issues with humor and solid solutions. Targeted at middle schoolers most adults would both enjoy and learn valuable life lessons

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is laugh-out-loud, read parts to your husband funny! But the real punchline is when you get hit with a left hook of seriousness. Lizbeth is one of my favorite characters ever!

[Viharsh Jain · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 20 percent through the book. The starting was really good, but as the story progressed it felt more unrealistic. Also the jokes were really annoying.

[Ellie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was funny and had a good message, but I just couldn't sympathize with the main character. She seemed unnecessarily rude and like she tried to be "weird" on purpose at school.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story about the struggles of dealing with divorce and acceptance in a new school and new life. It also shows how bullying can impact the bullied as well as peer pressures that students face

[Emory]

It was incredible, I couldn't put the book down!

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining middle grade novel with many thoughtful moments. Lizbeth's struggle to accept her parents' divorce and a new school engrossed me. Very enjoyable read.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Link to my book talk: https://youtu.be/cqVLBgQo08U

Divorced parents, bullies, being the new kid at school; those are only some of the problems that Lizbeth has. The book is her journey of finding herself. I love this book because there are always so many problems to solve and encounter. Lizabeth is strong and full of amazing ideas and thoughts. This is a great book about finding yourself and not be limited by labels or other people's views. I would recommend it to you all!

Thank you to NetGalley and Carolrhoda Books for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lizz Axnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be mandatory reading in schools. Lizbeth is quirky character who may be off putting to some people, she was a bit to me at first. However, I came to find her extremely endearing and I came to appreciate her attitude as self-confidence. Why shouldn't people like her?

Unfortunately, this book addresses many of the issues surrounding kids today - divorce and bullying. Lizbeth's parents just got divorced and she is forced to leave behind her friends, her school and her home: Essentially everything she loves, to move across town with her mom. Lizbeth, however, strides into the school like she owns the place and zeroes in on one girl to become her new best friend.

I found myself enjoying the interactions between the characters more and more, especially Joseph, Lizbeth, Paul and Tess. In the classroom they are labeled "the Weirdos" but they are hardly that. They are genuine people who take in Lizbeth right away as one of their own. Being different = being weird has not seemed to change since my elementary years 20 years ago.

I appreciated the way this book addressed the bullying, especially the ending. I think it was handled with grace. This is a must read for every kid who has had to start over. I genuinely liked this book and I would read it again. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader's copy. My opinions are my own.

[Sarai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lizbeth moves to a new city with her mom after her parent’s divorce and must learn to adjust to her new school, life, and dad’s new girlfriend. At first, she refuses to accept this new way of life. She plans to make it all better; from her choice in friends to her dad’s choice in girlfriends. Nothing goes well and disaster after disaster unfolds. Lizbeth learns to navigate this new life and along the way discovers newfound friendships, awesome teachers, and life lessons that lead her to understand that the twist and turns of life make the journey all the better.
This book was a really enjoyable read. As an educator🧑‍🏫, I loved how the book spoke about the struggles of funding art programs🎨 or any extracurricular activities🎭🎶⚽ for that matter. The biggest plus➕ for me was the whole bullying topic. At this age so many students feel that more violence is the answer to violence and that bullying requires showdowns and competition. These characters found creative ways to deal with the violence and bullying. Such a great message for the middle grade audience. This book dealt with real life school🏫 issues and even divorce and broken family💔 situations. I appreciated Lizbeth’s maturity by the end of the book.