No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis

Valli spends her days just trying to survive in her village of Jharia, India. She gets by, as long as she stays away from the "monsters" that live on the other side of the tracks. Her life takes an unexpected twist when she runs away from her village and starts living on the streets - and learns that she doesn't need much to survive, as long as she can beg or steal enough food to get by.  Then she meets Dr. Indra - who recognizes , and her life is changed forever. This is a compelling story of a young girl who lives in the most dire of circumstances and comes to realize that, as difficult as it is, it is ok to accept help.  Valli's strength and empathy rings through the entire book - you can't help but cheer for her!

Little Man by Elizabeth Mann

This is a light story of a middle school boy who is struggling with being small in stature - especially when his brothers are all quite tall. He has lost his best friend and getting teased at school and is feeling quite out of sorts with everything when his bus driver takes him under his wing and teaches him to be a "Mocko Jumbie" - or a stilt walker. Albert learns quickly, and gets swept up in the excitement of dancing on stilts and being part of a team of stilt walkers.  You can't help but like Albert and Peachy, his mentor. You can feel the beat of the music and the excitement of the crowd when Albert and the other stilt walkers perform their final dance...

Setting is an integral part of this book. And along with being an enjoyable story of a young boy finding his confidence by mastering a new skill, the story provides a window into a fascinating aspect of caribbean culture.

The Cat at the Wall by Deborah Ellis

Clare has been transformed into a stray cat, living in Bethlehem, Israel. As the reader, you know that Clare was thirteen when she died (you don't know how for most of the book) and that she has come back to life as a cat. You know that her life as a stray cat is vastly different from her life as a middle school girl, living in Pennsylvania... Her story is told in alternating chapters between the present day cat's experiences in Bethlehem with a Palestinian boy and a couple of Israeli soldiers - and flashbacks to her life as a middle school student in the U.S.

As the situation in Bethlehem escalates, Clare knows she must do something. But what can one small cat do?

This was such an interesting premise for a book. The juxtaposition of war torn Israel with middle school USA is quite poignant - the author does not try to explain the Israel-Palestinian conflict, but uses it to examine miscommunications, actions, and personal responsibility.

This is our summer "all school read" this year.

Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de los Santos

A little bit of historical fiction...a dose of time travel.  Margaret is determined to save her father from his sentence of death for a murder he did not commit. She focuses on the cruel judge (Lucas Biggs) to try to reverse the sentence. To do this, she must travel back 70 years to orchestrate events that shaped the corrupt Judge Biggs into the person he is today. A tall order for a 13 year old girl.

Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman

I couldn't wait to read this sequel to Prisoner of Night and Fog - it did not disappoint.  Gretchen and Daniel continue their journey together, returning to Berlin to solve another murder case - one that Daniel has been accused of.  While I found that part of the story a bit thin, the rest of the book is solid and swept me up in its action and suspense. Their return to Berlin is in the height of Hitler's rise to power, and the danger that they face is palpable.  Gretchen's insights into Hitler and his hidden psychosis are well crafted. This is a story full of mystery, intrigue and romance - and the historical detail is woven seamlessly into the plot line.

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

This is a gripping historical fiction set in 1930's Germany. Told from the perspective of Adolf Hitler's niece, this is a different twist on a common topic - and brings Hitler to life in a whole new way. Gretchen adores her uncle, though as the book progresses, she begins to realize that all is not as it seems... When she meets Daniel Cohen, a young Jewish reporter, her world turns topsy turvy.  The Nazis are on the verge of gaining power, she has been brought up to hate Jews, but Daniel connects with her in a way no one else has.  She and Daniel join forces to solve a murder mystery that will uncover truths about her family...and about her Uncle Dolf. This book has well drawn characters, a great plot - I couldn't put it down!

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm

This is a book about science, friendship and life...with a sprinkling of family dynamics.  Eleven year-old Ellie has just entered middle school. She is discovering that everything safe that embodied 5th grade can no longer be counted on - even her best friend Brianna has drifted away to a new group of friends.  

Then...her grandfather (the scientist with two Ph.D's) appears...in the body of a 13 year-old boy...claiming that he has discovered the secret to reverse aging.  And just like that, her grandfather is a student at her middle school! But Ellie doesn't seem to mind - she gets caught up in her grandfather's world of discovery, learning about Jonas Salk, Marie Curie, Louis Pasteur...and a world of science that she had never before appreciated.

This is a fun, easy to read story that celebrates science, exploring, and "believing in the possible." It is full of quirky characters and a story line that moves right along.  Realistic? No...but it doesn't need to be.