Patience is not Darla Decker's strong suit. Surviving sixth grade is tough enough with an annoying older brother, a best friend acting distant, and schoolwork. After adding instructive kissing games and the torturous wait for a real date with her biggest crush, Darla is perpetually torn between behaving like an adult and throwing temper tantrums. Games of flashlight tag, and the crazy cat lady roaming Shiloh Farms in a “demon bus,” serve as distractions during her parents’ quarrels and her anxiety about show choir auditions. Yet the more Darla waits for her adulthood to begin, the more she learns that summoning patience won’t be the hardest part of being eleven. A frank and funny look at the path to adulthood, DARLA DECKER HATES TO WAIT begins a journey of love, loss, and the nitty-gritty of growing up through Darla Decker’s eyes.

This second Coming of Age/Young Adult novel in the Darla Decker Diaries series is ideal for readers 13 and older. A week at Camp Wakonda is exactly what Darla Decker needs. Having said goodbye to sixth grade and her best childhood friend, she’s ready to create new memories and meet new people. Unfortunately, entering summer camp on a whopper of a lie and a fight with a fellow camper isn’t the best way to begin. Aided by her schoolmate Nate, Darla navigates the twists and turns of life at summer camp while pretending to be Wakonda’s only “undercover counselor.” Despite the lies, older guys, bullies, and breakdowns, Darla discovers the truth about friendship through the mayhem and magic of camp. A frank and funny look at the path to adulthood, Darla Decker Takes the Cake continues the journey of love, loss, and the nitty-gritty of growing up through Darla Decker’s eyes.

Darla Decker is still shaking from a rough year of seventh grade. Her parents barely speak to each other, her best friend Reggie is dating her lifelong crush, and Nate Young is acting like he’s allergic to the word “boyfriend.” Troubles aside, Darla is resolved to be on her best behavior and kick off eighth grade with a smile… but even the straightest paths have obstacles. Darla’s about to learn that the people she knows best can hide the most mind-blowing secrets. Will she show maturity in the face of turmoil? Can she accept the changes rippling through her life? Only time and Darla’s final days in Fairmount Middle School will tell. A frank and funny look at the path to adulthood, "Darla Decker Plays It Straight" continues the journey of love, loss, and the nitty-gritty of growing up through Darla Decker’s eyes.