|
|
"Before you write me off as a delusional psycho, think about what it's like to be thrown into a situation where everyone knows everyone . . . and no one knows you." ~ from Ayun Halliday's Peanut
|
|
| Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh BaskinFiction. At a busy airport, four American middle schoolers cross paths: math genius Sergio is flying home to his grandma in Brooklyn; Naheed is waiting for relatives to arrive from Iran; Aimee's going to L.A. while her mom travels to New York; and grief-stricken Will is returning to Pennsylvania. The date? It's September 9, 2001 -- two days before the September 11 attacks shake the United States. By following all four characters before, during, and after 9/11, this tense slice-of-life offers you a peek into the powerful emotions of that time, and encourages you to think about how 9/11 shaped the world we live in now. |
|
| Lucky Strikes by Louis BayardHistorical Fiction. Convincing a hobo to impersonate her father might be a bad idea, but with her mama dead, her pa in jail, and two siblings to feed, 14-year-old Melia is out of options. The Great Depression is in full swing, and Melia needs at least the appearance of a parent if she wants to avoid the Virginia state orphanage and save the family gas station from a greedy tycoon. So when Hiram Watts arrives in town, Melia sees not a drunken drifter, but an opportunity. If you like fast-paced, folksy historical fiction filled with you-are-there details, don't miss Lucky Strikes. |
|
| When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul GriffinFiction. After years of moving around in foster care, 12-year-old Ben is reluctant when it comes to friendship. He spends his afternoons reading at the public library, alone. It's at the library, however, that friends find him -- namely Flip, a scrappy stray dog, and Halley, a fellow reader who's between chemotherapy treatments. Will Flip's face-licking enthusiasm and Halley's creative spirit be enough to help Ben cope with painful changes ahead? Similar to Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now, this heart-twisting tale features characters so likable that they'll "win over even the most hardened skeptics" (Publishers Weekly). |
|
| Every Single Second by Tricia SpringstubbFiction. Can one horrifying moment shatter an entire community? Nella Sabatini is afraid that it can, and that the cracks are showing in her own backyard. Already worried about her familiar Catholic school closing and upset that she's no longer "secret sisters" with her childhood friend Angela, Nella's turmoil only increases after an act of violence ignites the race and class tensions in her close-knit neighborhood, revealing shameful secrets from her own family's past. Divided into "then" and "now" sections, this gripping, multi-layered tale is sure to get people talking about loyalty, history, and the difference one moment can make. |
|
Packed with misfit characters and offbeat situations, these books will appeal to readers who know what it's like to feel awkward or embarrassed (so, basically everyone).
|
|
| Awkward by Svetlana ChmakovaGraphic Fiction. On her first day at Berrybrook Middle School, Peppi Torres is determined to control her social anxiety. If she can just avoid attention long enough to blend in, she'll be okay. Unfortunately, she does exactly the opposite when she collides with -- and then pushes -- quiet, geeky Jaime. Too embarrassed to apologize, Peppi ignores Jaime, instead looking for friends in the art club. But Jaime is hard to ignore, especially since he's a member of the science club, the art club's main rival. If you're hooked on the realistically diverse characters, quirky humor, and cartoony artwork in Raina Telgemeier's books, you should be sure to check out Awkward. |
|
| Falling In by Frances O'Roark DowellFantasy. When she is sent to the principal's office one day for daydreaming in class, awkward sixth-grader Isabelle Bean opens a supply-closet door...and falls into a completely different world! More curious than frightened, she begins exploring and meets a group of children who are fleeing from a supposedly murderous witch. Isabelle, intrigued, marches off in the exact direction that the children warned her to avoid, hoping that she'll meet the witch. Suspenseful, often funny, and (like Isabelle) surprising, Falling In is a novel that even those who don't typically like fantasy might enjoy. |
|
| Word Nerd by Susin NielsenFiction. A scary incident with a trio of school bullies prompts "friendless nerd" Ambrose to begin homeschooling with his protective mom. While his mom works nights, Ambrose pesters their landlords' grown son, Cosmo, for lack of anything better to do. When Ambrose, who loves Scrabble and is constantly re-arranging letter combinations in his head, cons Cosmo into accompanying him to the weekly meetings of a Scrabble Club (without his mom's consent), neither of them has any idea of the misadventures ahead of them. Ambrose is a quirky, unforgettable character, and while anyone who likes a good laugh will enjoy this story, word nerds will love it. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|