Coming back to school to a new year, meeting new people and new teachers while coping with the age´s typical growing up crisis is far from easy. It looks good in books or movies aimed at teenagers, but, in fact, going through all the changes is very demanding both emotionally and physically.
Middle School - Mayhem 1 - Down the the Dance is the back-to-school or summer-holiday read one teenager will enjoy as it relates to everyday problems for this age category. Through the adventures of Austin Davenport and his brother Derek, both in the classroom - once in a while there are some problems with teachers and other colleagues and plus, there is also a girl Austin would love to dance with too - but also while trying to stand up bullies.
The story reads relatively fast - exact length for the distracted teenage attention - and is both adventurous and suspenseful. It has a drop of romance, and relatable characters of all kinds. However, layers after layers of humour and action, there are some human lessons that can be very helpful for both the midgrade reader and his/her parents. Building self-awareness and taking the right decision against bullies are just two of the most important inspirational behaviors that the readers can easily emulate while following the characters on the move towards the middle school life. The author, C.T. Walsh, succeeded to avoid the lecturing tone by creating a story tailored to the tastes and expectations of this generation. In addition to the story, the language is relatable and so are the black-and-white graphic insertions which allows a visualisation of the story.
As Down with the Dance is only the first book in the series, it offers also the possibility of following up the characters and their adventures, building up a certain intimacy between the reader and the book.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered part of the blog book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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