Free Lunch is the story of Rex Ogle’s first semester in sixth grade. Rex and his baby brother often went hungry, wore secondhand clothes, and were short of school supplies, and Rex was on his school’s free lunch program. Grounded in the immediacy of physical hunger and the humiliation of having to announce it every day in the school lunch line, Rex’s is a compelling story of a more profound hunger—that of a child for his parents’ love and care. Compulsively readable, beautifully crafted, and authentically told with the voice and point of view of a 6th-grade kid, Free Lunch is a remarkable debut by a gifted storyteller.
This collection features biography and memoir titles that introduce middle school readers to a wide range of real people and personal stories—from familiar historical figures and individuals shaping the world today to lesser-known people with compelling lives and contributions. Selections emphasize narrative-driven approaches, including visual and illustrated storytelling, that help readers connect personal experiences to history, culture, science, and innovation.