Exit Strategy — Lauren Allbright

Twelve-year-old Ross tries to discover the formula for being funny and getting his new classmates to like him in this laugh-out-loud debut novel!

Ross Stevens has changed schools twelve times in the last three years but when his beloved Pops becomes ill, Ross and his mom must plant roots -- which means no more school moves. And no more moves mean no more school exits, and Ross has perfected the science of leaving a school with an epic prank. Worse, it means he will actually have to learn how to make friends and do a science project, two things he's never had to do before.

Then Ross hits on a hypothesis: if pranks are cool because they are funny then maybe he could discover the formula for funny! If his nerdy “peer review” partner doesn't cramp his style and if the embarrassing notebook full of his “research” doesn't get out, then maybe Ross can actually be happy staying in one place.

But can he really figure out the formula for ultimate middle school happiness?