If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko Ages 9-12 224 pages Harcourt September 2007 Hardcover     At first, If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period seems like a very ordinary, conventional tale of middle-school woes. Middle school is not an easy place to spend what is not an easy time in life, and kids who are going through that difficult time in that difficult place are often grateful for books about kids they can relate to. The kids in this book have problems that seem typical for middle school. There's an overweight girl, Kristin, who is teased about her body. Kristin is also losing her best friend to the popular (in this case, mean) clique. Walker is the only black student in his class full of wealthy white kids who can afford the $18,000-a-year tuition. Kristin and Walker find each other, and their friendship is some comfort. Things get really interesting, though, when it turns out that Kristin's parents, who have been fighting and may get divorced, have a secret. Walker's mother has a secret, too, and when the reader becomes aware of all the secrecy just as the main characters do, the entire story takes on a different perspective. My favorite character is not one of the middle school kids (though I really liked Walker) but Kristin's second-grade sister, Kippy. She's adorably nerdy and often seems like the only person on Kristin's side. She is also the catalyst for the unraveling of the secret alluded to above. This book is recommended for ages 10 and up.   web reviews   Dewey/2008 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)