Fall Scavenger Hunt // Worst Broommate Ever!

Here we are with my third scavenger hunt pick! This time I read a book with a witch to fit my Halloween costume. I originally planned to read The Dark Witch by Nora Roberts (the only one of her books that my mom convinced me to be interested in) but halfway through it got a little stale with the fast-paced romance. Such is the dilemma with me and romances... sigh. So I picked up this middle grade novel instead and enjoyed it so much that I read the second book in the series too. Find more of my thoughts below. And stay tuned as I attempt to finish all the books on my fall scavenger hunt list. 

Heidi Hecklebeck is moving away from her family and friends to live and study at Broomsfield Academy where she will start her witch training. She reunites with old friends, makes new ones, and develops a new crush. She has such high hopes for her first middle school year but then she finds out that her roommate is none other than her elementary school rival, Melanie Maplethorpe. As Heidi's and Melanie's rivalry heats up, everyone around them faces the consequences. Will Heidi and Melanie be able to set aside their differences or will they always be foes?

Positives: Middle School and Other Disasters is the series continuation of the popular Heidi Hecklebeck early chapter series. Having no knowledge of what happened in the previous books, I was happy to find Worst Broommate Ever! easy to dive into. The main plot centers around Heidi going to a magical boarding school and being roommates with her elementary school rival, Melanie Maplethorpe. Melanie is the pretty typical bully who comments negatively on what Heidi is wearing or how her hair looks. Heidi doesn't even understand why Melanie is mean to her. Through her inner thoughts at one point Heidi thinks just because someone's style isn't your own doesn't mean you should be rude to someone else. She might not like Melanie's clothing but she doesn't tell her that which I think is a really great lesson for kids. Not everyone has the same thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes. There is no need to go out of your way to make someone feel bad just because it is a thought in your head.

This is a drama-filled book that also serves the purpose of modeling to kids how to learn from their mistakes, own them, and do better. When Heidi's friends point out to her that she's going too far with her rivalry, she reevaluates her actions and makes changes. 

Negatives: There was very little magic involved. There is some but it's just the main magic done to move the plot forward. I wish there was more, especially since Heidi and her friends are witches but I still very much enjoyed Worst Broommate Ever! So much so that I read the second book soon after.

Final Thoughts: Worth the read and an easy recommendation for middle schoolers who like books with drama in school settings. I can see Dork Diaries fans liking this one, especially with the varied font sizes and black-and-white illustrations throughout.