First-Day Fail - Gail Herman

Thirteen-year-old Jacob Waters is dreading his first day at his new school. Not only has he transferred in the middle of the school year, but he’s also just moved from balmy Florida to icy upstate New York, thanks to his parents’ new jobs. Now, instead of getting to hang outside year-round and shoot hoops with his friends, Jake has to figure out how to survive the cold and why everyone’s so pumped about hockey.

Fortunately, he has a three-point plan to fit in: Impress the basketball coach during gym class. Get permission to join the team, even though the season has already started. Befriend all his new teammates. But when things go horribly, embarrassingly wrong, Jake makes a fateful wish:

I wish I could do this day all over again—and not feel embarrassed.

To his shock, it works, and he wakes up to start his first day at school fresh. Now all he needs to do is get through the day without feeling embarrassed. But is not feeling embarrassed even possible in middle school?

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.