# Control Freaks

**Author:** J.E. Thomas
**Grade range:** Grades 6–8
**Age range:** 11–14
**First published:** 2023
**Genre:** Middle Grade Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9781646143054`
**ISBN-10:** `1646143051`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/control-freaks
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Seventh-grader Frederick Douglass Zezzmer is sure he can win his school's epic STEM-arts-sports competition — until he's paired with four middle-school misfits no one else wants. With a week to go, Doug sets out to turn a team of outcasts into winners, and maybe friends. J.E. Thomas's warm grades 6-8 novel is a 2025-2026 Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Florida) nominee.

## Themes

- friendship
- perseverance
- school
- identity

## Where this book is assigned

### Sunshine State Young Readers Award

- **recommended** · 6th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 6-8)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-6-8.html)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 6-8)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-6-8.html)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Florida — [source: Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 6-8)](https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra-6-8.html)

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