Middle School Confidential 1: Be Confident in Who You Are Reviews

Great story, great production value

KilgoreTrout07

The art is wonderful and it looks great on the iPad. The story is fresh and relatable for middle schoolers. But the thing that really makes it a good deal is all the care and polish that went into making this app. The sound effects and background noises bring the frames to life, really putting you in the story. It's well worth the purchase and I can't wait for the next book to come out later this year!

Wonderful book for middle schoolers!

Zan's Mama

This book is really exceptional. It's fun, hip and something youth will relate to. It's also packed with great stories that will guide them to feel better about themselves, think more deeply about problems and understand how to be a friend not only to others but to themselves. After two decades working in youth development programs, I only wish I'd discovered this book series in print earlier. As a digital book it is well made, nicely augmented with music and hits just the right note for this age group with a graphic novel style. I review iPad picture books for younger readers at Digital-Storytime and if I were to start reviewing titles for older readers, this one would get 5 Stars!

Wonderful!

naturefaith

This is the best graphic novel I have ever seen that teaches self esteem. I got it for my daughter who struggles with all the issues covered in the story. What I really like is it presents solutions that make a great deal of sense and its written in the language of "tweeners" who have to deal with the transitions from grammar to middle school. The graphics are fantastic and the sounds extraordinary.

Helpful and Nicely Done!

Squidalicious

My middle school daughter says this is the first graphic novel-style app that she considers well done/engaging. She also says the material is really helpful for kids her age who have questions about the topics covered and might not feel comfortable approaching adults. Recommended!

Middle school issues handled with sensitivity...

BrooksJones

The Middle School Confidential app is a collection of stories presented in a graphic novel/comic book format, with appropriate sound effects and music playing in the background. Issues like bullying, self-esteem, body image and fitting in are handled in a sensitive but authentic way with no condescension. The characters are a group of friends in middle school, and the story follows their interactions with each other. The situations shown in the app rang true to me, and the artwork should appeal to tweens/early teens. At the end of each chapter the main point is repeated, but somehow an appropriate balance is achieved, so it never seems heavy-handed. This app is the first in a series, and if the next installments are as good as the first, I’d recommend Middle School Confidential as a great resource for both kids and their parents.

Late elementary to high school app at its best!

Lrichg

Middle School Confidential is so much more than just a story that you read. It’s informational, yet fun, that children of all ages from late elementary to high school will be able to relate too. What better way to reach our young adults but through a comic book. With recent events occurring locally and around the world, this particular application came at just the right time. In years past, children struggled with peer relations but dealt with it in very different ways. In today’s society as educators and parents, we are seeing more and more situations of bullying and lack of self confidence in our younger generation. A number of educators and parents are feeling as though they can’t talk to their children/students because they won’t open up to them. What can we do? DOWNLOAD Be Confident in Who You Are - TODAY!!! Andrea G.

Attn: Parents, Teachers and Club Leaders! A MUST for current or soon-to-be middle school students!

Linguipotence

This is one of those rare apps that is so packed with wonderful opportunities to engage kids, that it can be used over and over again. Read alone, it encourages self-reflection. Read as a group, this graphic novel will provide opportunities for teachers and club leaders to encourage interpersonal growth and social aptitude. The scenarios and well-developed characters help kids identify with feelings and situations that they can relate to. The clever sound effects enhance the experience without taking away from the fact that THIS APP PROMOTES LITERACY. It is also beautifully illustrated and provides a smooth and engaging experience for the reader.

Created by a true expert in building children's confidence!

shane fox

I downloaded this book app under the recommendation of someone, and found it to be expertly created, easy to understand and fun to navigate through. Especially when you double-tap on any of the "comic boxes" (for lack of a better term), it provides you with great nature-based atmospheric sound effects that can be heard very clearly. In some segments, there are children's "grunts" or children's vocalizing frustration, which is one very important teaching point for children. The author is also a highly regarded educator in the field of building confidence in "tweens" and teens, and is also well known for her involvement in the "Anti-bullying" movement. WELL DONE!!

A+ for message and functionality!

Carpathia16

The goal of this app is to raise the self confidence of middle school students in a fun and interactive way. This app teaches kids how to deal with teasing, bullying, peer pressure, insecurities and many other challenges that adolescents face. From the evaluation of the app by me and several middle school students, this app definitely achieves this goal. The app makes effective use of the iPad’s features by incorporating sound, gestures and easy navigation. The sounds are particularly effective, when you swipe to turn the page, the app makes a sound as if the page were turning. Not only did I think this was very cool, my tween testers loved this feature. The background sound effects and music enhanced the experience without being annoying. The app has easy navigation. A swipe turns the page. The app also lets you jump to different chapters, zoom in on every picture and find out more about the characters. You can even email the characters, which makes them seem more real. If you have a tween and an iPad, this app is a must have. The developers have done a great job of delivering their important message in a fun way. I hope they continue developing apps in the future!

Fantastic Conversation Starter

Teacher 5

I am using the app with a group of 5th graders, getting ready for middle school. The book is full of terrific, down to earth concepts that can be easily understood and adapted for kids of all ages.