Say the words âmiddle school,â and people everywhere will get a chill down their spine. Those two words conjure visions of pop quizzes, body spray and rubbery cafeteria food. Middle schoolers of today could really use a guide! These years can be difficult, confusing and sometimes painfully awkward. The six middle-grade books we have selected here remind young readers that theyâre not alone in their struggles and reassure them they can make it through. âJust Add Magicâ by Cindy Callaghan (Aladdin Books) I, like many of my middle school counterparts, had no idea how to talk to boys my age. At a time when crushes and dating meant everything, rejection felt like the end of the world! In Cindy Callaghanâs âJust Add Magic,â Kelly Quinn is going through the same predicament.