Book Review by Aarene Storms: Trash Can Days

Trash Can Days : a middle school saga by Teddy Steinkellner

It's like a whole season of Glee: the junior high years, without the music.

In one school year at a California middle school, readers encounter all the stereotypical characters from Central Casting: the rich, popular girl. Her younger brother, the undersized geek. The misunderstood brown-skinned guy. The quirky asian girl. The earnest-but-clueless young teacher. The disconnected principal. And rarely a parent in sight.

This book is intended to be a quick, funny, possibly inspirational read, but much of the story and dialogue fell flat. Even the painfully funny parts (there were lots of those) are going to have a difficult time finding an audience: middle school kids will be too close to the action to recognize the humor, and high school students won't want to read about middle school kids.

Rating:

Shrug. Not recommended.

The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS