orphan island laurel snyder juv snyder · the watsons go to irmingham—1963 kimberly willis holt...

Orphan Island

Laurel Snyder JUV SNYDER

On an island where one child is delivered each year while the eldest is taken away, nine children live under the leadership of new elder Jinny, who trains the latest new-comer and wonders what will happen when her own departure occurs.

Eggs

Jerry Spinelli JUV SPINELLI

Mourning the loss of his mother, nine-year-old David forms an unlikely friendship with independent, quirky thirteen-year-old Primrose, as the two help each other deal with what is missing in their lives.

Speed of Life

Carol Weston JUV CHICK-LIT WESTON

Missing her mother who died last year, fourteen-year-old Sofia finds an anonymous outlet for her personal questions and deep, dark secrets in the Dear Kate advice

columnist until, much to her horror, Sofia's father starts dating Kate.

Accepting One Another

Changing Friendships

Coping During Tough Times

Dealing With Bullies and Teasing

Family Matters

Feeling Good About Yourself

Getting Along With Others

Making Good Choices

Mourning a Loss

Accepting One Another

Wild Robot

Peter Brown JUV ADV BROWN

Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island's hostile inhabitants.

Extra Credit

Andrew Clements JUV CLEMENTS

As letters flow back and forth--between the prairies of Illinois and the mountains of Afghanistan, across cultural and religious divides--sixth-grader Abby, ten-year-old Amira, and eleven-year-old Sadeed begin to speak and listen to each other.

Sahara Special

Esmae Raji Codell JUV CHICK-LIT CODELL S1

Struggling with school and her feelings since her father left, Sahara gets a fresh start with a new and unique teacher who supports her writing talents and the individuality of each of her classmates.

Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth

Frank Cottrell-Boyce JUV COTTRELL-BOYCE

Separated from his aging caregiver grandfather and placed in a foster home, Prez forg-es an unusual friendship with an alien who appears as a dog to everyone else and en-treats Prez to help compile a list of Earth's redeeming qualities to prevent the planet from being destroyed.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

Christopher Paul Curtis JUV HIST-FIC CURTIS

The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.

Superstar

Mandy Davis JUV DAVIS

Follows space-obsessed Lester Musselbaum as he experiences the challenges of his first days of public school: making friends, facing bullies, finding his "thing," and acci-dentally learning of his autism-spectrum diagnosis.

The Last Stop on Market Street

Matt de la Pena JUV NEWBERY DeLaPENA/MULTICULTURAL DeLaPENA

A young boy rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things.

Mourning a Loss

The Thing About Jellyfish

Ali Benjamin JUV BENJAMIN

Twelve-year-old Suzy Swanson wades through her intense grief over the loss of her best friend by investigating the rare jellyfish she is convinced was responsible for her friend's death.

Summerlost

Ally Condie JUV CONDIE

Following the sudden deaths of her father and autistic younger brother, Cedar Lee spends the summer working at a Shakespearean theater festival, making a new friend, and coming to terms with her grief.

Walk Two Moons

Sharon Creech JUV NEWBERY CREECH

After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.

Lost in the Sun

Lisa Graff JUV GRAFF

As Trent Zimmerman struggles to move past a traumatic event that took place several months earlier, he befriends class outcast Fallon Little, who helps him understand that he can move on.

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel

Kimberly Willis Holt JUV CHICK-LIT HOLT

After the sudden death of her parents, Stevie, thirteen, is sent to live at a rundown motel, where she charms everyone except her estranged grandfather.

Pax

Sara Pennypacker JUV ANIMALS PENNYPAC

After being forced to give up his pet fox Pax, a young boy named Peter decides to leave home and get his best friend back.

Counting By 7s

Holly Goldberg Sloan TEEN CHICK-LIT SLOAN

Twelve-year-old genius and outsider Willow Chance must figure out how to connect with other people and find a surrogate family for herself after her parents are killed in a car accident.

11 Birthdays

Wendy Mass JUV CHICK-LIT MASS W1

After celebrating their first nine same-day birthdays together, Amanda and Leo, having fallen out on their tenth and not speaking to each other for the last year, prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthday separately but peculiar things begin to happen as the day of their birthday begins to repeat itself over and over again.

Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life

James Patterson JUV PATTERSON M1

When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the

Silent," to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct.

Criss Cross

Lynn Rae Perkins JUV NEWBERY PERKINS A2

Teenagers in a small town in the 1960s experience new thoughts and feelings, ques-tion their identities, connect, and disconnect as they search for the meaning of life and love.

Holes

Louis Sachar JUV NEWBERY SACHAR

As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a

distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas

desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.

The Wednesday Wars

Gary Schmidt JUV SCHMIDT

During the 1967 school year, on Wednesday afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood stays in Mrs. Baker's classroom where they read the plays of William Shakespeare and Holling learns much of value about the world he lives in.

Out of My Mind

Sharon M. Draper JUV DRAPER

Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.

The View from Saturday

E.L. Konigsburg JUV NEWBERY KONIGSBU

Four students, with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic, who choses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

Rain Reign

Ann M. Martin JUV CHICK-LIT MARTIN

Struggling with Asperger's, Rose shares a bond with her beloved dog, but when the dog goes missing during a storm, Rose is forced to confront the limits of her comfort levels, even if it means leaving her routines in order to search for her pet.

Every Soul a Star

Wendy Mass JUV CHICK-LIT MASS

Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at the one place the Great Eclipse can be seen in totality, each carrying the burden of different personal problems, which become dim when compared to the task they embark upon and the friendship they find.

Wonder

R.J. Palacio JUV PALACIO

Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.

Project Mulberry

Linda Sue Park JUV PARK

While working on a project for an after-school club, Julia, a Korean American girl, and her friend Patrick learn not just about silkworms, but also about tolerance, prejudice, friendship, patience, and more. Between the chapters are short dialogues between the author and main character about the writing of the book.

Esperanza Rising

Pam Munoz Ryan JUV HIST-FIC RYAN

Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in

Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great

Depression.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary

Laura Shovan JUV SHOVAN

A story told in verse from multiple perspectives of the graduating fifth grade class of Emerson Elementary. The kids join together to try to save their school from being torn down to make way for a supermarket.

Short

Holly Goldberg Sloan JUV SLOAN

Very short for her age, Julia grows into her sense of self while playing a munchkin in a

summer regional theater production of The Wizard of Oz.

Liar & Spy

Rebecca Stead JUV STEAD

Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father's efforts to start a business, his mother's extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident.

Save Me a Seat

Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan JUV WEEKS

Ravi has just moved to the United States from India and has always been at the top of his class; Joe has lived in the same town his whole life and has learning problems. When their lives intersect in the first week of fifth grade they are brought together by a common enemy (the bully in their class) and the need to take control of their lives.

Changing Friendships

My Last Best Friend

Julie Bowe JUV CHICK-LIT BOWE F1

After her best friend moves away, fourth-grader Ida May is determined not to make another best friend, despite the efforts of a new girl in her class.

All Alone in the Universe

Lynn Rae Perkins JUV CHICK-LIT PERKINS A1

Debbie is dismayed when her best friend Maureen starts spending time with Glenna.

Goodbye Stranger

Rebecca Stead TEEN STEAD

As Bridge makes her way through seventh grade on Manhattan's Upper West Side with her best friends, curvaceous Em, crusader Tab, and a curious new friend--or more than friend--Sherm, she finds the answer she has been seeking since she barely survived an accident at age eight: "What is my purpose?"

Well That Was Awkward

Rachel Vail JUV VAIL

There are unexpected consequences when thirteen-year-old Gracie sends texts pre-

tending to be her bashful best friend, Sienna, and their friend Emmett starts texting

back pretending to be shy A.J.

Making Good Choices

I Kill the Mockingbird

Paul Acampora JUV ACAMPORA

When best friends Lucy, Elena, and Michael receive their summer reading list, they are excited to see To Kill A Mockingbird included. Since their classmates do not agree, they hatch a plot to get the entire town talking about the well-known Harper Lee classic.

The Crossover

Kwame Alexander JUV NEWBERY ALEXANDER

Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.

The Terrible Two

Mac Barnett JUV HUMOR BARNETT T1

When master prankster Miles Murphy moves to sleepy Yawnee Valley, he challenges the local, mystery prankster in an epic battle of tricks but soon the two join forces to pull off the biggest prank ever seen.

The Lemonade War

Jacqueline Davies JUV DAVIES L1

Evan and his younger sister, Jessie, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for fourth grade and as the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars. Includes mathematical calculations and tips for running a successful lemonade stand.

Dead End in Norvelt

Jack Gantos JUV NEWBERY GANTOS

In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses.

Orphan Island

Laurel Snyder JUV SNYDER

On an island where one child is delivered each year while the eldest is taken away, nine children live under the leadership of new elder Jinny, who trains the latest newcomer and wonders what will happen when her own departure occurs

Ungifted

Gordon Korman JUV KORMAN

Due to an administrative mix-up, troublemaker Donovan Curtis is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students.

Wish

Barbara O’Connor JUV O’CONNOR

Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is until she meets Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and

Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways.

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

James Patterson JUV PATTERSON M1

When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the

Silent," to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct.

Okay for Now

Gary Schmidt JUV SCHMIDT

As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with an abusive father, and a mean brother, Doug Swieteck has all the stats stacked against him until he finds an ally in Lil Spicer. Together, they find a haven in the local library, inspiration in learning about the plates of Audubon's birds, and a hilarious adventure on a Broadway stage.

Surviving the Applewhites

Stephanie Tolan JUV TOLAN

Jake, a budding juvenile delinquent, is sent for home schooling to the arty and

eccentric Applewhite family's Creative Academy, where he discovers talents and

interests he never knew he had.

Hundred Percent

Karen Romano Young JUV YOUNG

Christine Gouda, called Tink, and her best friend Jackie are entering sixth grade, and suddenly everything seems awkward and just plain wrong--boys are behaving

differently, clothes do not fit the way they should, long term friendships suddenly seem tenuous, and most of all she needs a new nickname because "Tink" just does not fit anymore.

Coping During Tough Times

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Judy Blume JUV NEWBERY CLEARY

In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.

The War That Saved My Life

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley JUV HIST-FIC BRADLEY W1

A young disabled girl and her brother are evacuated from London to the English coun-

tryside during World War II, where they find life to be much sweeter away from their

abusive mother.

Bubble

Stewart Foster JUV FOSTER

Orphaned eleven-year-old Joe lives in a hospital due to his immunodeficiency disorder, interacting only with his sister, an American boy with the same illness, and medical staff while dreaming of being a superhero.

Lost in the Sun



One Half from the East

Nadia Hashimi JUV HASHIMI

In modern-day Afghanistan, 10-year-old Obayda is a bacha posh, a girl dressed as a boy. She has more freedom than she would as a girl, and makes a friend of another bacha posh, but must find a way to remain free when she returns to life as a girl.

Restart


Chase does not remember falling off the roof, in fact he does not remember anything

about himself, and when he gets back to middle school he begins to learn who he was

through the reactions of the other kids--trouble is, he really is not sure he likes the

Chase that is being revealed, but can he take the opportunity amnesia has provided

and restart his life?

Inside Out and Back Again

Thanhha Lai JUV HIST-FIC LAI

Through a series of poems, a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in Alabama.

A Long Walk to Water

Linda Sue Park JUV HIST-FIC PARK

When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985, eleven-year-old Salva

becomes separated from his family and must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based on the life of Salva Dut, who, after emigrating to America in 1996, began a project to dig water wells in Sudan.

Hatchet

Gary Paulsen TEEN ADV PAULSEN B1

After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to survive initially with only the aid of a hatchet given to him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.

Echo

Pam Muňoz Ryan JUV HIST-FIC RYAN

Lost in the Black Forest, Otto meets three sisters and finds himself entwined in a

prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, three children-- Friedrich in

Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California-- find themselves caught up in the same thread of destiny in the darkest days of the twentieth century, struggling to keep their families intact and tied together by the music of the same harmonica.

Paper Wishes

Lois Sepanban JUV HIST-FIC SEPANBAN

Near the start of World War II, young Manami, her parents, and Grandfather are

evacuated from their home and sent to Manzanar, an ugly, dreary internment camp in the desert for Japanese-American citizens.

The Warden’s Daughter

Jerry Spinelli JUV HIST-FIC SPINELLI

Living with her warden father in an apartment above a 1950s prison, Cammie O'Reilly struggles to come to terms with the loss of her mother, who died saving her from harm when she was a baby, and interacts with some of the reformed inmates.

Goldfish Boy

Lisa Thompson JUV MYSTERY THOMPSON

Emotionally crippled by his obsessive-compulsive disorder, teenager Matthew Corbin rarely leaves his room on a cul-de-sac in London, and he passes the day observing and writing down his neighbors doings from his window. But when a toddler staying next door disappears, Matt is the key to solving a mystery and possibly saving a child's life, if he can only manage to expose himself and his secret guilt to the outside world.

Getting Along with Others

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Tom Angleberger JUV ANGLEBERGER O1

Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger

puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out

whether or not the puppet can predict the future. Includes instructions for making

Origami Yoda.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Gennifer Choldenko JUV HIST-FIC CHOLDENKO T1

A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new

environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.

Harriet the Spy

Louise Fitzhugh JUV CHICK-LIT FITZHUGH

Eleven-year-old Harriet keeps notes on her classmates and neighbors in a secret

notebook, but when some of the students read the notebook, they seek revenge.

Jubilee

Patricia Reilly Giff JUV GIFF

Judith stopped talking long ago when Mom left her in the care of beloved Aunt Cora. Going back into a regular fifth-grade classroom won't be easy, but she has her Dog and new friend who will help her through.

The Great Treehouse Wars


Fifth-grader Winnie, with notes from her friends, writes of turning her treehouse into

an embassy after her newly-divorced parents become unreasonable, where she is

joined by nine others with complaints.

Real Friends

Shannon Hale JUV HALE

When her best friend Adrienne hangs out with the most popular girl in class, Shannon questions whether she and Adrienne will stay friends, and if she is part of the clique.

Ida B:..And Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World

Katherine Hannigan JUV CHICK-LIT HANNIGAN

Fourth-grader Ida B loves being home-schooled and playing in her family's orchard, until her parents are forced to sell part of the orchard and send her to public school.

Rules

Cynthia Lord JUV LORD

Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.

Smile

Rania Telgemeier JUV CHICK-LIT TELGEMEI S1

From sixth grade through tenth, Raina copes with a variety of dental problems that affect her appearance and how she feels about herself.

The Paperboy

Vince Vawter JUV HIST-FIC VAWTER

When an eleven-year-old boy takes over a friend's newspaper route in July, 1959, in Memphis, his debilitating stutter makes for a memorable month.

Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom

Booki Vivat JUV CHICK-LIT VIVAT

Nervous about middle school because her family does not “get” her, and because her friends know exactly what they want to do, Abbie Wu searches for her own passion before discovering a knack for leadership when injustices in the cafeteria come to light.

Hundred Percent

Karen Romano Young JUV YOUNG

Christine Gouda, called Tink, and her best friend Jackie are entering sixth grade, and suddenly everything seems awkward--boys are behaving differently, clothes do not fit the way they should, long term friendships suddenly seem tenuous, and most of all she needs a new nickname because "Tink" just does not fit anymore.

Dealing with Bullies & Teasing

Macaroni Boy

Katherine Ayers JUV HIST-FIC AYRES

In Pittsburgh in 1933, sixth-grader Mike Costa notices a connection between several strange occurrences, but the only way he can find out the truth about what's

happening is to be nice to the class bully. Includes historical facts.

Blubber

Judy Blume JUV BLUME

Jill goes along with the rest of the fifth-grade class in tormenting a classmate and then finds out what it is like when she, too, becomes a target.

Vive la Paris

Esmé Raji Codell JUV CHICK-LIT CODELL S2

Fifth-grader Paris learns some lessons about dealing with bullies of all kinds as she wonders how to stop a classmate from beating up her brother at school and as she learns about the Holocaust from her piano teacher, Mrs. Rosen.

How to Survive Middle School

Donna Gephart JUV GEPHART

When thirteen-year-old David Greenberg's best friend makes the start of middle school even worse than he feared it could be, David becomes friends with Sophie, who shares his love of television shows and posts one of their skits on YouTube, making them wild-ly popular--online, at least.

The Song From Somewhere Else

A.F. Harrold JUV HARROLD

Saved from bullies by the class misfit, Nick, Frank is drawn to Nick's house by strange music, discovers he has incredible secrets that bring danger, and decides to help him as he helped her.

Hoot

Carl Hiaasen JUV HIAASEN

Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.

Hello, Universe

Erin Estrada Kelly JUV KELLY

Lives of four misfits are intertwined when a bully's prank lands shy Virgil at the bottom of a well and Valencia, Kaori, and Gen band together in an epic quest to find and

rescue him.

Restart


Chase does not remember falling off the roof, in fact he does not remember anything about himself, and when he gets back to middle school he begins to learn who he was through the reactions of the other kids--trouble is, he really is not sure he likes the Chase that is being revealed, but can he take this opportunity to restart his life?

Here Today


In 1963, when her flamboyant mother abandons the family to pursue acting, eleven-year-old Ellie Dingman takes charge of her younger siblings, while also trying to deal with her outcast status in school and acts of prejudice toward her neighbors.

Agnes Parker…Girl in Progress

Kathleen O’Dell JUV CHICK-LIT O’DELL A1

As she starts the sixth grade, Agnes faces challenges with her old best friend, a long-time bully, a wonderful new classmate and neighbor, and herself.

Wonder

R.J. Palacio JUV PALACIO

Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Man-hattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates.

The Fourth Stall

Chris Rylander JUV RYLANDER F1

Sixth-graders Mac and Vince operate a business charging schoolmates for protection from bullies and for help to negotiate conflicts, with amazing challenges and results.

Smile

Rania Telgemeier JUV CHICK-LIT TELGEMEI S1

From sixth grade through tenth, Raina copes with a variety of dental problems that affect her appearance and how she feels about herself.

Shredderman: Secret Identity

Wendolin van Draanen JUV VAN DRAANEN S1

Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity--Shredderman!

Warp Speed

Lisa Yee JUV YEE M4

Marley Sandelski has always felt invisible at school when he is not facing bullies, but a series of unexpected events gives him a taste of popularity and insights into some classmates, well-liked or greatly-feared.

True (--Sort Of)

Katherine Hannigan JUV CHICK-LIT HANNIGAN

For most of her eleven years, Delly has been in trouble without knowing why, until her little brother, R.B., and a strange, silent new friend, Ferris, help her find a way to be good and happy again.

My Louisiana Sky

Kimberly Willis Holt JUV CHICK-LIT HOLT

Growing up in Saitter, Louisiana, twelve-year-old Tiger Ann struggles with her feelings about her stern grandmother, her mentally slow parents, and her good friend Jesse.

Fish in a Tree

Linda Mullaly Hunt JUV HUNT

Ally's greatest fear is that everyone will find out she is as dumb as they think she is

because she still doesn't know how to read.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Jacqueline Kelly JUV HIST-FIC KELLY

In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee Tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love from the older three of her six brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, the latter of which leads to an important discovery.

The Great Gilly Hopkins

Katherine Paterson JUV PATERSON

An eleven-year-old foster child tries to cope with her longings and fears as she schemes against everyone who tries to be friendly.

Jacky Ha-Ha

James Patterson JUV HUMOR PATTERSO

Twelve-year-old Jacky "Ha-Ha" Hart is a class clown with a penchant for pranking--and when she's required to act in the school play she must conquer her stutter.

Loser

Jerry Spinelli JUV SPINELLI

Even though his classmates from first grade on have considered him strange and a

loser, Daniel Zinkoff's optimism and exuberance and the support of his loving family do not allow him to feel that way about himself.

My Life as a Book

Janet Tashjian JUV TASHJIAN M1

Dubbed a "reluctant reader" by his teacher, twelve-year-old Derek spends summer learning important lessons even though he does not complete his summer reading list.

Feeling Good About Yourself

El Deafo

Cece Bell JUV BELL

Going to school and making friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a hearing aid strapped to your chest? The Phonic Ear allows Cece to hear, but also isolates her from her classmates. After some trouble, Cece is able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become "El Deafo, Listener for All" and, more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find a true friend.

The War That Saved My Life

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley JUV HIST-FIC BRADLEY W1

A young disabled girl and her brother are evacuated from London to the countryside during WW II, where they find life to be sweeter away from their abusive mother.

Agnes Parker…Girl in Progress

Kathleen O’Dell JUV CHICK-LIT O’DELL A1

As she starts the sixth grade, Agnes faces challenges with her old best friend, a long-time bully, a wonderful new classmate and neighbor, and herself.

About Average

Andrew Clements JUV CLEMENTS

As the end of sixth grade nears, Jordan Johnson, unhappy that she is only average in appearance, intelligence, and athletic ability, reveals her special skills when disaster strikes her central Illinois elementary school.

Because of Winn Dixie

Kate DiCamillo JUV ANIMALS DiCAMILLO

Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Jack Gantos JUV GANTOS J1

To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble

paying attention or controlling his mood swings when his prescription meds wear off and he starts getting worked up and acting wired.

Absolutely Almost


Ten-year-old Albie has never been the smartest, tallest, best at gym, greatest artist, or most musical in his class, as his parents keep reminding him, but new nanny Calista helps him uncover his strengths and take pride in himself.

Family Matters

Crenshaw

Katherine Applegate JUV APPLEGATE

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent, and not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again. Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He's been gone for four years, but has come back into Jackson's life to help him. Can an imaginary friend be enough to save this family from losing everything?

Forever Or a Long Long Time

Caela Carter JUV CARTER

Flora and her brother, Julian, don't believe they were born. They've lived in so many foster homes, they can't remember where they came from. And even now that they've been adopted, Flora still struggles to believe in forever. So along with their new moth-er, Flora and Julian begin a journey to go back and discover their past, for only then can they really begin to build their future.

Pashmina

Nidhi Chanani JUV CHICK-LIT PASHMINA

Indian-American teen, Priyanka "Pri" Das, attempts to reconnect with her mother's homeland through a magical pashmina shawl. Presented in comic book format.

See You In the Cosmos

Jack Cheng JUV CHENG

Eleven-year-old Alex Petroski, along with his dog, Carl Sagan, makes big discoveries about his family on a road trip and he records it all on a golden iPod he intends to launch into space.

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog

Gennifer Choldenko JUV CHOLDENK

Eleven-year-old Ant, stuck in a family that she does not like, copes by pretending that her "real" parents are coming to rescue her, by loving her dog Pistachio, by

volunteering at the zoo, and by bending the truth and telling lies.

Chasing Redbird

Sharon Creech JUV CHICK-LIT CREECH

Thirteen-year-old Zinnia Taylor uncovers family secrets and self-truths while clearing a mysterious settler trail that begins on her family's farm in Kentucky.

Replay: A New Book

Sharon Creech JUV CREECH

While preparing for a role in the school play, twelve-year-old Leo finds an autobiog-raphy that his father wrote as a teenager and ponders the ways people change as they grow up. Includes the text for the play, "Rumpopo's Porch."

Raymie Nightengale

Kate DiCamillo JUV DiCAMILLO

Hoping that if she wins a local beauty pageant her father will come home, Raymie practices twirling a baton and performing good deeds as she is drawn into an unlikely friendship with a drama queen and a saboteur.

The Lotterys Plus One

Emma Donaghue JUV DONAGHUE

Once upon a time, two couples with Jamaican, Mohawk, Indian, and Scottish ethnic roots won the lottery and bought a big house where all of them, four adults and seven adopted and biological children, could live together in harmony--but change is inevita-ble, especially when a disagreeable grandfather comes to stay.

Great Treehouse War


Fifth-grader Winnie, with notes from her friends, writes of turning her treehouse into an embassy after her newly-divorced parents become unreasonable, where she is joined by nine others with complaints.

Lost in the Sun



A Corner of the Universe


The summer that Hattie turns twelve, she meets the childlike uncle she never knew and becomes friends with a girl who works at the carnival that comes to Hattie's town.

Binny for Short

Hilary McKay JUV CHICK-LIT McKAY B1

Eleven-year-old Binny struggles to cope with her father's death and the loss of her

beloved dog while she adjusts to a new home that might be haunted by her horrible Aunt Violet.

Saffy’s Angel

Hilary McKay JUV CHICK-LIT McKAY C1

After learning that she was adopted, thirteen-year-old Saffron's relationship with her eccentric, artistic family changes, until they help her go back to Italy where she was born to find a special memento of her past.

All the Answers

Kate Messner JUV MESSNER

Twelve-year-old Ava finds an old pencil in her family's junk drawer and discovers,

during a math test, that it will answer factual questions, so she and her best friend

Sophie have a great time--and Ava grows in self-confidence--until the pencil reveals a truth about her family that Ava would rather not know.

Hatchet

Gary Paulsen TEEN ADV PAULSEN B1

After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to survive initially with only the aid of a hatchet given to him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.

First Light

Rebecca Stead JUV STEAD

When twelve-year-old Peter and his family arrive in Greenland for his father's research, he stumbles upon a secret his mother has been hiding from him all his life, and begins an adventure he never imagines possible.

The Diary of Melanie Martin, Or, How I Survived Matt the Brat, Michelangelo, and the Leaning Tower of Pizza

Carol Weston JUV CHICK-LIT WESTON M1

Fourth-grader Melanie Martin writes in her diary, describing her family's trip to Italy and all that she learned.

orphan island laurel snyder juv snyder · the watsons go to irmingham—1963 kimberly willis holt...

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