Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life

In order to become a sixth-grader, Rafe had to successfully complete elementary school. Is it really the case that middle school students have more odious rules to follow than elementary kids, and if so, why?

From the first day of class, Rafe endures bullying from Miller, who won’t even allow him to take a seat. Should Rafe have sounded the alarm on that first day by telling the teacher he was being bullied? Why did he not? What are some other strategies for dealing with a bully like Miller?

Why did Miller single out Rafe? Was there something about Rafe in particular that brought about Miller’s cruel behavior? What was going on in Miller’s life that caused him to bully smaller, weaker kids?

Should it matter to Jules that neither Rafe nor Georgia really likes Bear? What is there about him that Jules would find loveable? Should Rafe and Georgia conceal their obvious dislike of Bear in order to be more supportive of their mother?

Everyone who has been to middle school knows that the sort of groups Rafe describes—the popular kids, the high achievers, the bullies, the unpopular kids, and so on—have always been present and always will be. Once they finish school, do the kids in each group continue to have the same sort of groups, friends, and expectations? Can someone who is not popular ever become a successful grownup? Do popular, high achievers always become successful as grownups?

Considering that Rafe has much to lose and little to gain by drawing his large mural all over the outside wall of HVMS, one could say he is trying to send a great, prophetic message to everyone. What is Rafe trying to say through his mural?

The authors of this series have written 15 middle school books but zero high school or elementary school novels. Why have they focused exclusively on middle school? What might readers assume about middle school strictly from the authors’ focus on it rather than the grades and ages of kids above and below it?

Ultimately, the concerned adults decide that Rafe might do better in a non-traditional school, Airbrook, where he may focus more on his artistic ability than at HVMS. Are there some students who cannot succeed, according to traditional standards, in an ordinary educational setting? Is it better to make special schools for these students or to design education differently so those students can still have the “mainstream” experience?