I ... I liked this a great deal, but didn't love it. I wanted to love it. But as great as I think the bulk of the book was, as realistic as it was that August found a couple of good friends and many classmates were still jerks, it took a turn for the twee toward the end. 
 I liked the multiple POV, though I'd have been happier if it had just been August and his sister, but this may be because I'm more interested in the high school experience than middle school/middle grades.