How Do You Spell G-E-E-K?

Reach for this book when your child is grappling with the complicated intersection of friendship and competition. It is a perfect fit for the middle-schooler who feels like their social circle is shifting or who is struggling to be happy for a peer's success when it feels like their own failure. The story follows best friends Ann and Kimberly as their shared dream of reaching the National Spelling Bee is disrupted by the arrival of Lurlene, a talented newcomer. Through the lens of a high-stakes academic competition, the book explores the messy reality of jealousy, the pressure to conform to a 'geek' or 'cool' identity, and the guilt that comes from being caught between old loyalties and new friendships. It is a realistic, humorous, and deeply relatable look at the growing pains of thirteen-year-olds as they learn that winning isn't just about spelling the word correctly, it is about how you treat the people standing next to you on stage.