Face-Off: Candy Apple and How I Survived Middle School
This morning I tied a bright pink scarf around my neck to brace against the autumn weather that's (sort of) descended upon New York City. When I got to work and glanced at the towering stacks of books that are slowly taking over my office, I realized something: my scarf is the same exact shade of pink as the Candy Apple logo.
Fate? Maybe. I was, after all, about to write this very blog post about how much I love tween books like Life, Starring Me! and Accidentally Famous and, of course, the entire How I Survived Middle School (HISMS) series. And then as I took off my scarf (it's kind of warm in here in the mornings) I got to thinking, wow, the Candy Apple and HISMS books are similar in a lot of ways, with characters I can relate to, school problems I totally remember, and plot lines that make me stay up late reading. And THEN, readers, I decided to compare the two series in a one-on-one competition.
I've narrowed down the choices in this first ever face-off between these two favorite series. Take a look, and let me know in the comments which ones get your vote!
Funniest Title:
Candy Apple's Confessions of a Bitter Secret Santa |
HISMS #1: Can You Get an F in Lunch? |
Most Eye-Catching Cover Art:
Candy Apple's Miss Popularity Goes Camping |
HISMS #9: Caught in the Web |
Aubrey from Candy Apple's Making Waves |
Jenny McAfee from HISMS |
Juiciest Plot Line:
Candy Apple's Callie for President |
HISMS #10: Into the Woods |
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| Andie and Caitlin in Candy Apple's The Sister Switch | Madame X in HISMS #3: I Heard a Rumor |
As for me, it's a toss-up. I can't decide! Luckily, there's enough intrigue, drama, hilarity and homework in all of them!
— Morgan, Scholastic staffer
I love both series. They both make you want to keep reading
Comment #1 | Posted by: Kaitlin on September 30, 2009 at 10:34 AM
HISMS all the way! No offense, but the CA books are kinda original and they didn't grab my attention as mush as HISMS did
Comment #2 | Posted by: Madison on September 30, 2009 at 12:42 PM
I never read how i survived middle school series , but i have read the candy apple books and love them!So i guess i can say i like the candy apple series better .
Comment #3 | Posted by: Mandogirl on September 30, 2009 at 01:42 PM
middle school rules
Comment #4 | Posted by: tls9 on September 30, 2009 at 04:16 PM
I like how I survived Middle SChool I read it and loved it
Comment #5 | Posted by: mss jonas on September 30, 2009 at 04:31 PM
Funniest Title: Confessions of a Bitter Secret Santa
Most Eye-Catching Cover Art: Caught on the Web
Coolest Character: Jenny McAfee
Juciest Plot Line: Callie for President
Best Secret Identity: Andie and Caitlin in The Sister Switch
Comment #6 | Posted by: Readingstar5 on September 30, 2009 at 06:14 PM
cool!!!
Comment #7 | Posted by: manga eyes on September 30, 2009 at 08:55 PM
I've read the book Babysitting Wars from the Candy apple series and I loved it. It was one of the best books I have ever read. Next time I get a chance I'm reading how I Survived Middle School. I think you should read at least 1 of the Candy apple books then you will want to read another.
Comment #8 | Posted by: STACKSFan on September 30, 2009 at 09:29 PM
i think there all bunk
Comment #9 | Posted by: Summergreen61 on September 30, 2009 at 09:45 PM
you kno the way u compare them i think the book is good it just needs a different topic each time the title is the only thing that makes it good a bad book good title i always say or the other way around
Comment #10 | Posted by: Summergreen61 on September 30, 2009 at 09:49 PM
cool books
Comment #11 | Posted by: hayley on September 30, 2009 at 10:13 PM
HI MY NAME IS DESTINEE, I THINK YOU SHOULD PICK HOW I SURVIVED MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE NEXT YEAR I AM GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO READ.BELIEVE ME ITS AWESOME:)
Comment #12 | Posted by: DESTINEE on September 30, 2009 at 11:06 PM
i have only read how i survived middle school and i would like to read them all but i dont know what there called? Can u help me?
Comment #13 | Posted by: kyra on October 01, 2009 at 01:16 AM
I like all of the books they are all cool to me
Comment #14 | Posted by: B on October 01, 2009 at 08:06 AM
I think this is a good book and i realy think that i could relate to it in so many ways and i also think that this book probabaly be the book that i would be up reading all night.
Comment #15 | Posted by: safiya on October 01, 2009 at 09:10 AM
I think the books are going to be the same and different in a lot of ways.Both of the books look good and interesting.I wish i had one of those books now.
Comment #16 | Posted by: Siani on October 01, 2009 at 09:15 AM
Wow! Candy Apple v.s. How to Survive Middle School! That's a hard one and I can't even say which one is my favorite and which one wins the contest! To me, they both are equal.
I really thought you came up with a good idea to blog on these two books. They both rock! And once again- my opinion on who wins the contest is a tie because both of the books are totally awesome!
Comment #17 | Posted by: NaTasja on October 01, 2009 at 09:15 AM
Why did you want to match with the apple candy logo. The series i chose is the (HISMS) because the other title was to long for some people that need help with reading a book......
Comment #18 | Posted by: Tyesha on October 01, 2009 at 09:17 AM
I LOVE candy apple books, even though I had never read How I Survived Middle School the collection looks very interesting though. My first book was How to be a Girly girl in just 10 days. I loved it and then I found me another and that one was called The boy next door now that was very good it told you how girls are when a there is a cute boy next door that you like very much and you tell your friends about it and at the end he becomes your friend and there is another I read but we would just talk about that one later!
Comment #19 | Posted by: Kynisha on October 01, 2009 at 09:19 AM
OMG!!! These sound like such good books.I think that getting a F in lunch is horrible that's not even possible. the other books i think are good and i would read them are...Miss Popularity Goes Camping, Making Waves, Into The Woods, I Heard A Rumor.
Comment #20 | Posted by: tatyannna on October 01, 2009 at 09:20 AM
How I Survive Middle School seems to me as if it's going to be a good book because it tells the life of Candy in Middle School and that it tells the way to be out of elementary school and that your teachers will be getting serious with you and that you have to try best to go through it
Comment #21 | Posted by: cycee on October 01, 2009 at 09:21 AM
I like all of the book becuse it tells you stuff about real life.
Comment #22 | Posted by: april on October 01, 2009 at 09:22 AM
I think How I Survive Middle School Cheat sheet, Looks like it would be good because the covers tells you that a girl might or might not cheat on a test
Comment #23 | Posted by: javee on October 01, 2009 at 12:33 PM
BOTH BOOKS ARE SO GOOD TO READ BUT I HAVE TO SAY MY FAVE BOOKS TO READ IS HOW I SURVIVED MIDDLE SCHOOL.I JUST CAN'T STOP READING IT. BUT BASICLLY BOTH BOOK MAKE YOU (ME TOO) WANNA KEEP ON READING. THE REASON I PICK HOW I SURVIVED MIDDLE SCHOOL IS BECAUSE I CAN RELATE TO MOST NOT ALL BUT MOST OF THE PROBLEMS THEY TALK ABOUT IN THE BOOK (HISMS) ANYWAY BOTH BOOKS ARE THE BOMB. :-)
Comment #24 | Posted by: jamiyah on October 01, 2009 at 12:34 PM
The Candy Apple and HISM books are very similar. These books are very great for middle school children. For funniest title HISM gets my vote. HISM is most eye catching cover because it has a lot of bright covers. Aubrey gets my vote because she looks like a fun energetic girl. Callie For President as the juiciest plot line because it shows what the story is about when you look at it. Heard A Rumor has the best secret identity.
Comment #25 | Posted by: Kareemah on October 01, 2009 at 12:39 PM