Derek Fallon discovers all the angst that comes with being twelve - he just wants to feel grown up, but life gets in the way with a series of mishaps that make him look like a baby.

He passes out during a worm dissection in science class, falls flat on his face in gym class and gets a fat lip that causes him to lisp all day, and his plans for a monster-truck party turn into a bouncy house disaster.

Why isn't being in middle school as great as Derek imagined?

Thankfully, with a little help from his friends - and, ironically, a Toys for Tots fundraiser - things seem like they could start shaping up at last.

About the Author

Janet Tashjian is the author of the popular My Life series including My Life as a Stuntboy, My Life as a Book, My Life as a Cartoonist, and My Life as a Gamer illustrated by her son, Jake Tashjian; as well as The Gospel According to Larry and For What It's Worth. She lives with her family in Los Angeles, California.