Project: Lunch

Maya Quinn expected sixth grade to be different. Bigger hallways, new teachers, no problem. But when her old best friend begins saving seats for other girls, Maya suddenly has no idea where she belongs. Then she is assigned to a yearlong school project with four girls she barely knows: Avery, whose plans have plans; Jade, who says exactly what she thinks; Abigail, who seems to have everything figured out; and Sophie, the new girl trying much too hard to fit in. Their assignment is supposed to solve a problem at Maple Grove Middle School. Instead, it reveals the biggest problem of all: lunch can be lonely. As the five girls work to create a welcoming space for students who need it, they must survive awkward meetings, shifting friendships, embarrassing mistakes, and one very public decision about who gets included. Can five unlikely teammates build a club that makes room for everyone-including themselves? Project: Lunch is the warm, funny first book in The Lunch Table Club, a contemporary middle-grade collection about friendship, belonging, and growing up.