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"No matter how 'normal' people look, living 'ordinary' lives, everyone has a story to tell. And may be, just like you, everyone else is a misfit too." ~ Sanhita Baruah, Indian poet and novelist
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Here's How I See It: Here's How It Is by Heather HensonFiction. Every summer, aspiring actress and middle school misfit June "Junebug" Cantrell gets a chance to fit in as a member of the stage crew at her parents' theater, the Blue Moon Playhouse. But this summer, nothing is going the way it's supposed to: her parents are separated, her older sister has turned into a diva, and she's forced to work with Trace, the weird new intern. Junebug's over-the-top disappointment as real life fails to live up to her theatrical fantasies is sure to make readers (especially theater buffs) smile as they root for her dreams to edge just a bit closer to reality.
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| I Am Princess X by Cherie PriestThriller. Princess X, the sword-swinging, sneaker-clad comic book superheroine created by fifth-grade friends May and Libby, died on the day that Libby was killed in a car crash. So why is May, now 16, suddenly seeing stickers and graffiti featuring Princess X? It all leads back to a recent underground webcomic about the princess – a webcomic full of cryptic details which indicate that Libby might be alive, in danger, and purposefully leaving clues for May to find. Alternating between Princess X's illustrated exploits and May's investigation (both on the internet and in real-life Seattle), this techno-thriller is short, savvy, and satisfying. |
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| How to Speak Dolphin by Ginny RorbyFiction. Since her mom died, 12-year-old Lily spends a lot of time taking care of her four-year-old brother, Adam. Though it seems clear that Adam is on the autism spectrum, Lily's stepdad doesn't want to admit it, or seek out support for Adam. When Adam meets and bonds with Nori, a wild dolphin being treated for cancer at a local marine park, Lily is excited that Adam has found a friend. But she can't help but wonder: is continuing Adam's dolphin-assisted therapy worth keeping Nori in captivity? For another realistically complicated look at family and human-animal relationships, try Hurt Go Happy, also by Ginny Rorby. |
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| The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie SummyMystery. You'd think that the ability to see memories attached to objects would be useful when starting a new school, but it's not much help to eighth-grader Raine. She still has to put up with the school's mean-girl clique, whose bullying seems more sinister when memories reveal that they know more than they're telling about the recent disappearance of fellow student Emily. Though following Emily's memories becomes increasingly risky, Raine feels compelled to find the missing girl. Combining authentic middle school social drama with supernatural mystery, Raine's dogged search for the truth is bound to keep you turning pages. |
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Focus on: Misfits, Loners, and Outsiders
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| If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric L. GansworthHistorical Fiction. As the only American Indian kid in the gifted program at a mostly white school, seventh-grader Lewis Blake feels like he may as well be from a different planet. He's just about given up hope of making friends when he and new student George connect over their shared love of the Beatles. Still, Lewis is afraid that he can never be honest with George about his messed up family and their life on the poverty-stricken reservation. Set in 1975 against a backdrop of classic rock (there's even a playlist included), If I Ever Get Out of Here is an unhurried, authentic story of unlikely friendship. |
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| There Will Be Bears by Ryan GebhartFiction. Breaking Gramps out of the nursing home wasn't the original plan. It's just the result of several disappointments for awkward, eccentric Tyson. First, his best friend ditched him because Tyson likes Taylor Swift more than football. Then, his long-awaited hunting trip with Gramps was cancelled due to Gramps' failing health (and some recent grizzly bear attacks in the area). These setbacks only made Tyson more determined to prove his worth as an outdoorsman, which is why he and Gramps are sneaking off for some illicit elk hunting. But is Gramps' health -- or Tyson's courage -- up to the challenge? Similar to Jack Gantos or Jordan Sonnenblick, debut author Ryan Gebhart skillfully balances realistic emotions with irreverent humor. |
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13 Gifts by Wendy MassFiction. Shortly before her 13th birthday, usually timid Tara gets caught trying to steal a goat -- the school's mascot -- from the principal's office. As punishment, Tara's parents send her to spend the summer with her aunt and uncle in tiny Willow Falls rather than taking her to Madagascar with them. But instead of the boredom she expects, Tara finds mystery and a bit of magic in the charmed little town and its unusual inhabitants. While she may be shy, Tara has a lot of personality, and her wry narration is a highlight of this companion novel to 11 Birthdays and Finally. For more birthday tales full of colorful characters, but touched by a good bit more magic, check out Ingrid Law's Savvy and Scumble.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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