So… Eighth Grade Happened: A Year That Shaped Me
About this audiobook
Experience So… Eighth Grade Happened through Cole’s honest and reflective voice—bringing to life the friendships, challenges, and defining moments of one unforgettable school year.
With a natural, conversational tone, this coming-of-age story captures the real rhythm of middle school life—from lighthearted moments with friends to the quieter struggles of self-doubt, pressure, and figuring things out along the way.
As grades slip and expectations rise, Cole begins to understand that the most meaningful growth doesn’t come from getting everything right—it comes from learning, adjusting, and continuing to move forward.
Blending humor, sincerity, and emotional insight, this audiobook offers an engaging and relatable listening experience for middle-grade listeners and beyond.
Whether you’re navigating your own journey or reflecting on the one that shaped you, this story is a reminder that growth takes time—and that even uncertain moments have purpose.
Because sometimes one school year can change everything.
And sometimes the best advice is simple:
Lock In.
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About the author
Cole K. Larksen is a reflective young writer who captures the quiet, often overlooked moments of growing up—the thoughts we don’t always say out loud, but feel deeply.
He began writing So... Eighth Grade Happened, as he was finishing 8th grade, documenting his experiences with identity, peer pressure, and the challenge of trying to find where he fit in. Now in high school, he carries a slightly different perspective—one that allows him to look back and recognize moments he didn’t fully understand at the time.
Cole’s writing lives in that space between then and now—blending real-time emotion with subtle reflection. His voice is simple, honest, and observant, shaped by someone who noticed more than he said.
He writes about the in-between moments:
pretending something didn’t bother him,
laughing when it actually did,
and trying to be who he thought he was supposed to be.
He isn’t writing to teach lessons or offer answers.
He’s writing so readers can see themselves in the story—and feel a little less alone while they figure things out.
Ben Hauck works as an audiobook narrator and voice actor in New York City. To date, he has produced over 100 titles. In addition to voice work, Ben works on camera as a performer and has earned recognition multiple times from the Television Academy for his contributions to the Emmy Award-winning television series "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," where he has stood in for the host for over a decade.
