Annabelle is the new kid at Birchwood Middle School, which is very different from her old all-girls elementary school.  Now, Annabelle has to figure out how to juxtapose being the new girl, being in a school with boys, being in a new family, and being a new dog/puppy owner!  She thinks boys are like wild animals!

Fortunately, Annabelle quickly makes some new friends and enjoys training her new puppy, Stripe.  However, the boys in her classroom make her quite miserable with their behavior.  Boys behave so differently from the girls at her old elementary school!  She needs to find some way to deal with their behavior because ignoring their bad behavior is not working.  What can she do?

Leslie Margolis has an immediately sympathetic character in Annabelle.  Kids will enjoy learning how Annabelle applies her lessons with Stripe to other problems in her life.  This is really a laugh-out-loud, book!  Boys are Dogs (AR 6.0, level 4.2) and Girls Acting Catty, (AR 5.0, Level 4.2) the sequel, are best read together.