TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND COUNT TO SIXTY

From talented debut author Kathleen Lane comes The Best Worst Thing, an engaging and deeply perceptive novel about what growing up really feels like. Maggie is about to start middle school and is worried about pretty much everything--growing apart from her older sister, not seeing her father as much as she'd like, the fate of the cute little rabbits next door, the threat of the dangerous bully in her neighborhood, and, to top it all off, there's an actual murderer on the loose in her small town. Her helplessness in the face of the chaos of her world drives her to seek control in other ways--saying things twice (saying things twice), only eating an even number of snacks, and holding her breath and counting to 60. It's when she devises a pretty ambitious plan for keeping her and her loved ones safe, though, that things really start get out of hand. Will Maggie ever manage to feel like everything will turn out alright in the end?

Somehow Lane takes her readers into the mind of a preteen with anxiety-driven obsessive-compulsive tendencies and explores some fairly intense topics while managing to keep the tone relatively light and ultimately hopeful. Maggie's voice rings true and will certainly offer assurance to readers trying to find their place in a rapidly-changing world. 

An engrossing read best for 5th to 8th graders. 

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE

Georges (the S is silent) just moved into an apartment from a beautiful house that his father designed because his dad lost his job.  His mom, who is a nurse, is always at the hospital and Georges hasn't seen her in weeks.  At school, Georges is getting bullied and is having a hard time making and keeping friends in 7th grade when his best friend suddenly abandons him for the cool kids.

One day, Georges and his dad see a notice for a "Spy Club" meeting in the basement of their apartment building and Georges' dad makes him go check it out.  Hanging out in the basement is super creepy and when he opens the door all he sees is a little girl sitting cross-legged on the table.  He discovers her name is Candy and she's scouting the location for her brother, Safer.  The two boys don't fall into an instant friendship - Georges needs someone to hang out with and Safer doesn't seem to give him much choice.  Safer teaches Georges the ins and outs of becoming a spy which include surveillance tactics and being more observant.  Much of the time, though, it feels like Safer is lying, or at least with holding the truth from Georges, which Georges definitely doesn't like. The spying becomes all too real with Safer convinces Georges that their neighbor, Mr. X is up to something very secretive - but what they really discover is that Mr. X isn't the only one with secrets.

Join Georges and Safer's Spy Club in Rebecca Stead's novel for Grades 6-8, Liar and Spy.

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL SAFE

Gemma has a rough life. Going from foster parents to family she didn't know existed, she is thrown into the world of her mother, who abandoned her at a young age. She is tormented by dreams of "Redboy," has an interesting yet distant relationship with her new-found twin brother, and a strained relationship with her new family. Typical life of a young girl, right? Gemma does have hope - and she hopes to get back to her foster family as soon as possible. Her life may be upside down, but she ends up right where she should be. I'll Sing You One-O by Nan Gregory is for grades 6 and up.

August 2012

BUDDING BOY BUD

This is a story about Bud, NOT Buddy. His mother insisted that he tell everyone to call him Bud. It's been four years since Bud's mom died, and he's bounced from orphanage to foster home and back again. His latest foster family is awful! He narrowly escapes her clutches and runs away to search for his father. Bud has his suitcase full of mementoes, which also serve as clues to where Bud's father may live. An adventurous journey ensues, taking Bud through many aspects of society during the late 1930s. Bud finds the man he is looking for, but he is really surprised to learn who that man really is! BUD, NOT BUDDY by Christopher Paul Curtis takes place many years ago, but everything that happens to Bud could happen to you too. Grades 4 and up.

JULY 2012

BEANS, GOD, MOM & DAD

One day everything is fine. The next day, her mother decides to live with the Redeemers and her parents are splitting up. Well, she's not going to become one and she's going to scientifically prove that the Redeemers were wrong about God and everything, then her mom would go back to the way she was before.

So this is Octavia's science experiment.

Hypothesis: If there is a God, prayer must work.

Experiment: Plant eight pots of beans. Use the same soil, water and light. Pray for only four bean plants, asking God to make them grow enormous like the beans from Jack and the Beanstalk. The other four bean would not be prayed for.

Conclusion: Read Octavia Boone's Big Questions About Life, the Universe, and Everything by Rebecca Rupp.

For readers in 6th-8th.

GEORGE CLOONEY FOR A FATHER?!

Her parents divorced and are now living separate lives. Her father has moved on and is living the good life in L.A. with a whole new family while she is left with her lonely mother, who has a knack for always picking the wrong guy.

Dudley Wiener is just the absolute last straw. How can her mother possibly date a man with that name, plus his jokes are horrible. It is time for Violet to take action and get the perfect man for them... George Clooney.

Dear George Clooney Please Marry My Mom by Susin Nielsen is a funny and heartfelt story about the messiness of love and family for readers in 6th-8th.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Griffin comes from a big family. But suddenly, things around his family really change. He is forced to go to public school, rather than be home schooled by his mother. In fact, his mother hasn't even been home - not since she went to the hospital to have another baby. Griffin can't wait to name the new baby, even though he knows it will make his family sad. Read THE NAMING OF TISHKIN SILK by Glenda Millard to find out why, especially if you are a 3rd, 4th or 5th grader. Also good for older readers that need a quick read.

MEET DYAMONDE

It's not easy to get separated from your dad, move away from friends and family and start living a brand new life with just a mother. But that is precisely what Dyamonde Daniel did. She is a precocious little girl who refuses to let anything bad affect her mood or her life. She doesn't really like to brag about how smart she is either, but at the same time she can't figure out why she doesn't have any friends...
She has gone through a lot of changes in her short life and is eager to find some sort of peace and comfort.
She makes a friend whose name is Reed. Reed likes to read. He gets teased a lot because here is Reed who likes to read. However, Dyamonde is not like the others, she becomes best of friends with Reed and together not only they read but start many new adventures. MAKE WAY FOR DYAMONDE DANIEL is by NIKKI GRIMES and the pictures are by R. GREGORY CHRISTIE.



For grades 2nd-4th.

A HORSE TO LOVE

Chancey is an albino Appaloosa horse that's getting old. His vision is clouded with tumors and he's having trouble seeing. Now, his owner has to sell her farm and Chancey may end up at the glue factory! But luck is on his side when he ends up with a loving farm owner and discovers a girl who needs him as much as he needs her. CHANCEY OF THE MAURY RIVER by Gigi Amateau Together they beat many odds and excel in the little things while learning how to love with their whole heart. For 5th grade and up.

THE TRUTH BEHIND JUNIOR HIGH

It's not all fun and games. Junior high, middle school - whatever you call it - is about survival. STUCK IN THE MIDDLE, compiled by illustrator Ariel Schrag, is a collection of junior high experiences from different animators and illustrators. There's close to twenty stories, and I'd be willing to bet everyone can relate to at least two, if not more. It doesn't paint the prettiest picture of the "tween" years, but it shows a glimmer of hope in each that despite what happens, you make it out alive. For 6th grade and up ONLY.

CAUGHT BETWEEN GIRL AND GROWN-UP

Alice has turned thirteen and is in-between. In between childhood and woman-hood, that is. She and her two best friends still act silly sometimes, but more talk of boys, boobs, and bothersome brothers shows that they're not little girls any more. Alice lives with her father and brother, as her mother died of leukemia when she was five years old. Now Alice is the "woman of the house," her friends are changing all around her, and she seems stuck between being a kid and growing up. ALICE-IN-BETWEEN by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is the fifth in the "Alice" series. There are over twenty books in the series, but you can start anywhere and still understand what's going on in Alice's world. For fourth grade and up.

21st CENTURY LITTLE WOMEN

When you're in middle school, friendships come and go like the passing of day to night. What's even worse is parents all of a sudden decide to become VERY embarrassing! Put the two together and you get THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB by Heather Vogel Frederick. Emma and Jess are best friends. They used to be friends with Megan until she joined up with the "popular" girls. And Cassidy has just moved into town with the force of a tornado. When the moms decide to start a monthly book club, the girls aren't thrilled at the prospect of being forced to spend time with one another. But as they read through Little Women together, they begin to notice themselves in the characters of the book they are reading, and they begin to see each other in new ways as well. A surprisingly enjoyable book that strays from the typical pre-teen girl theme in many ways. Great for 5th graders and older.

A GREAT SUMMER READ FOR ALL

1 Box + 4 keys = the meaning of life.

Jeremy's life consists of his mom, Lizzzy, his best friend and neighbor, and grandma. He eats the same thing everyday. No kidding. He stays in his neighborhood where he knows where everything is. You see, Jeremy doesn't like changes. And he thought the summer of his 13th birthday would be no different. Things are fine the way they are, except that he misses his father.

His father died at the age of 39, just like the fortune teller predicted. Out of nowhere he gets this unexpected box from the past. What could his father have put in this box so many years ago? Jeremy is deteremined to find the missing keys and unlock the secrets and wisdom his father has left for him.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass is perfect for middle school boys looking for a meaningful summer read.