Trick Out My School!

Classroom #3

by Robin Mellom, Stephen Gilpin (Illustrator)

A documentary crew has descended upon Westside Middle School to detail the life of an average seventh grader named Trevor Jones and his classmates.

Using one-on-one interviews and film footage, as well as notebook drawings, blueprints, clipboard sketches, and doodles, they will tell the story of one school's tricked-out makeover. Say good-bye to those squeaky seats, and hello to beanbag chairs?

Find out what happens when a second film crew arrives and Trevor is forced to confront his no-change policy to help his best friend, Libby Gardner, trick out their school. When the paint finally dries, it will be epic.

Genres: Childrens

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2014

About the author

Robin Mellom is the author of CONFESSIONS FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S KID (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt),THE PAGES BETWEEN US (middle grade book co-written with Lindsey Leavitt; HarperCollins), THE CLASSROOM, a middle grade series (Disney-Hyperion) and a picture book series, HANNAH SPARKLES, (HarperCollins).

Robin has taught grades 5 through 8 and has a master's degree in education. She lives with her husband and son on the Central Coast of California. Visit her at http://www.robinmellombookd.com.

Reviews

[David Grandbois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished the book The Classroom: Trick Out My School, and let me say it was a great book! I have it a 5-out-of-5 stars because in life, there is no such thing as a sequel that is equal to or better than the original. Specially a third book of an already great series. Well, this book defied that theory. This book was unimaginably great. The beginning was fantastic bringing in the plot right away, no boring parts while waiting for it to fall into place. The middle was super due to it not being dull and ordinary, which is uncommon in movies, books, poems, any format of expression. That is with the exception of the book I’m writing a review on.



The fact that Libby (Gardner) invited the team makes sense because of her character in earlier books. When we find out that Kip isn’t a real designer, it makes way more sense. One thing I don’t like from the other books of this series is they say “That’s why!” like every chapter which I found annoying but the author completely patched that up and made a great book. All the characters fit into the book when I read according to the first 2 books. These are all reasons why I rated this a 5-out-of-5 book.



The funniest part in my opinion is when Corey Long helps out Trevor when he (Trevor) gets injured. This is comical because Corey has been a real problem towards Trevor in the first 2 books, and now he’s being nice. In the first book, there was this dance and Corey and Libby (Trevor’s best friend) went to it together. Later in the book Trevor gets stuck in the janitor's closet and hears Corey saying that he’s only going to the dance with Libby because she’s doing his homework. Then Trevor saves the day and yada yada yada...



I said the thing about the dance part for a reason, which will play a role in this review later. So to pay the expenses for the Kip’s makeover team’s bills and whatnot, Vice Principal Decker has to suspend art class for one year. Molly and Trevor really love art class, so they have to come up with a way to save art class and get rid of the design team. Again, the design team has fake and cheap designs that are a complete waste of money. So they come up with a plan that involves Corey Long.



They know that whatever Corey Long likes, everyone else will like. They find out Corey likes art class, so they try to trick him into saying that he loves art class into the intercom. When he says how much he likes Libby. Which makes the entire thing so funny, I literally cracked up when I read this! The book ends with Libby avoiding any contact with anybody due to clear embarrassment. This book was so enjoyable to read, I loved every part of it. The Classroom: Trick Out My School deserves every one of those 5 stars!

[Nakeya Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book it was very interesting,Their was never a dull moment in this book something was always going on. I really thought that Libby was going to choose someone else because she should know that her bsf don't like change. I really enjoyed this book it was like a regular middle school.

[Lorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trevor doesn’t like change. He also doesn’t like conflict with his two best friends Libby and Molly. When Libby wins a “Trick Out My School” makeover to be shown on the hit TV series of the same name, his two biggest fears are realized. As Kip Lee’s makeover team gets further into the process, the kids at Westside Middle School realize that this makeover isn’t at all what it was portrayed to be and must come up with a plan to stop it especially when it threatens the school’s beloved art program.

This is the third book in the series The Classroom: The Epic Documentary of a Not Yet Epic Kid in which a documentary crew films Trevor and his classmates at school. The book contains narrative chapters moving the action forward and written transcripts of the film captured by the documentary crew in which the students and staff of the school reveal their personal confessions about the events of the school makeover. Since I had not read the first two books of the series, I was briefly confused by the fact that there were two camera crews filming the action, the documenatry and the make-over crew, and it was hard to know which one the kids and staff were talking to in the confessional sections. I believe that reading the series from the begining would alleviate this confusion.

The series would appeal to middle grade readers (8-12 years of age), especially ones who enjoy confessional stories like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The kids tackle real issues that middle school students face like friendship, popularity and bullying in a practical way that a reader can relate to and appreciate. The humourous approach to telling the story will also appeal to readers.

I would recommend this book for purchase by school and public libraries.

This book was provided by the publisher and was reviewed by SWON Libraries.

[Jaden Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Classroom Trick Out My School!
Robin Mellom
This book is about the life at Westside Middle School when the student council president Libby Gardner wins a contest to get a makeover for the school. However, when the makeover doesn't go to plan the students rebel and the makeover is canceled at the end. With the test of paying all the expenses even after the makeover is canceled they somehow find a way by selling all the stuff that was used for the makeover!
This book was written in a very unique style. The book was written from the perspective of a documentary film crew documenting the everyday lives of people inside the school, shown be the font and background of certain pages. I think that this book's humor mixed with it's seriousness very well like when Trevor gets noodles in his shoes, he laughs but is serious as well. The book has a few illustrations that help the reader visualize the story and characters, but not too much that it turns the book into a lower reading level. This book is perfect for anyone looking for light humor and good morals. I this book is for both boys and girls and provides something for almost all middle schoolers. I think all middle schoolers should give this book a try and remember that THIS IS THE THIRD BOOK IN THE SERIES! Start by reading The Classroom.

[Merrilyn Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

At number three in The Classroom series, the setting is a middle school, the kids are worried about their status, friendships, and fashion, and the adults are somewhat minor characters. Prefaced to each character's chapter (told in alternating voices), is an image and current status of the character, e.g., "Trevor Jones, pacing the hall, pretty ticked." It is a clever way to introduce what the character is thinking. In this episode, Westside Middle School has won the Trick Your School contest. Students and adults all react in various ways: ecstatic, frustrated, angry, opportunity-seeking. As the school is tricked-out, it seems like it was more of a trick than an honor. Kids and teachers come together and solve the problem! Funny and engaging, I think that higher readers may like this (somewhat) realistic view into the life of middle school students.

[PakTung · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book, Trick Out My School by Robin Mellom, was pretty intriguing because Trevor Jones and his friends had to figure out how to pay off the expenses (stated in the Trick Out My School contract that Libby Gardner and Vice Principal Decker skipped over because they were too excited) of the film crew that arrived to "trick out" (renovate) their school. But in the end, they all managed to solve the problem by getting everyone to sign a petition against the "Trick Out" crew and sell off the unneeded renovation items in order to pay back the money, therefore kicking the crew out. This was a great book to laugh at and I would recommend this book to others as well. Needless to say, you will need to read the first two books as well, The Classroom: The Epic Documentary of a Not-Yet-Epic Kid and The Classroom: Student Council Smackdown!

[Peter DeHaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin Mellom continues to delight in book three of The Classroom trilogy. As we laugh and cringe at the hijinks of our favorite Junior High posse, their story unfolds further, with growing friendships and increased understanding and...

Of course, having a common enemy helps pull everyone together.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now there's two film crews at Westside Middle -- one documenting the general ups and downs of middle school life, one capturing the "reality" of a TV show about school makeovers. Things are going to get tricky.

[Jenny Derochemont · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. it never fails to make me laugh. Can't wait for the next one. Hopefully Libbey and Molly's newfound friendship will stick. And maybe Corey won't be such a jerk.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is awesome.it even has a little friendship twist in it

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is awesome.there's even a little friendship twist in here