Tripping Over the Lunch Lady and Other School Stories by Nancy E. Mercado (editor) Date of Publication: 2004 ISBN: 0-14-240624-4 Number of Pages: 177

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Junior: Average/High Intermediate: Low
GENRES: Humour
THEMES : Coming of Age

SUMMARY:
This anthology features a collection of 10 short stories depicting some of the trials and tribulations of school life for students aged 9 to 12. Filled with humour and realism, each story will entertain readers of all ages.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...
- loves school stories
- likes reading short stories as opposed to longer texts
- is aged 9–12
- remembers what it feels like to be aged 9-12

WHAT ELSE?
This may be a good book to use to start Literature Circles in a whole class setting. Each group of students could read one of the short stories in the anthology. It would be a very manageable way to introduce the routines and expectations of Literature Circles, while maintaining a common theme (school life) in the discussions.

The writers contributing to the anthology include Avi, David Lubar, Susan Shreve, Sarah Weeks, and others.