Josh Baxter Levels Up

About this book

7th grade video game lover Josh Baxter is not afraid to level up and win at his new school!

Josh Baxter is sick and tired of hitting the reset button. It’s not easy being the new kid for the third time in two years. One mistake and now the middle school football star is out to get him. And Josh’s sister keeps offering him lame advice about how to make friends, as if he needs her help finding allies!

Josh knows that his best bet is to keep his head down and stay under the radar. If no one notices him, nothing can touch him, right? But when Josh’s mom sees his terrible grades and takes away his video games, it’s clear his strategy has failed. Josh needs a new plan, or he’ll never make it to the next level, let alone the next grade.

He’s been playing not to lose. It’s time to play to win.

Reviews

Advance Praise for Josh Baxter Levels Up:

* "Smartly paced and emotionally engaging, a book even those who have never held a controller will enjoy." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Brown includes countless gaming references that will delight in-the-know readers... It’s a light, fun approach to typical middle-school struggles from an author who gets his audience and knows his games." -- Publishers Weekly

"The gamer theme and the inclusion of various digital diversions add a charge to this upbeat fitting-in story." -- Booklist

"Readers will be engaged in this likable lead's quest to solidify burgeoning friendships via a school video game decathlon. Secondary peer characters of both genders and diverse backgrounds add texture... VERDICT Recommended as an enticing addition, especially for middle school gamers and reluctant readers." -- School Library Journal

"Gamers will appreciate that each chapter ends with a full-page recap of Josh's current experience level, health, lives remaining, and new skills unlocked (clever summaries of major events he successfully navigated). Even non-gamer kids will likely appreciate Josh, however, as he is earnestly interested in but not always adept at navigating the often baffling social flow of middle school." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Josh Baxter Levels Up is an epic boss battle of a book. Set in a terrain more intense than any video game -- middle school -- it deploys a triumphant combo of humor, high-stakes, and heart. Read this book: It's a winning move!" -- Michael Northrup, New York Times bestselling author of the Tombquest series