I Can't Believe I Have to Do This

Book excerpt: When Dean Matthews gets a journal as a 12th birthday present from his mom, he's sure he'll never have anything exciting to write about. But that year in his life turns out to be a real roller-coaster ride. Dean ends up writing about having his ear pierced, getting stuffed into a locker on the first day of junior high, his dog's accident, and the time he ends up in the police station for getting into a car with a guy who'd been drinking. He mostly writes about his best friend Aaron and how their friendship changes after Aaron starts getting into lots of trouble -- sometimes with Dean along.