How Lunchbox Jones Saved Me from Robots, Traitors, and Missy the Cruel

Luke's middle school has a reputation for being the biggest losers in the state--probably anywhere.  The trophy case is practically empty.  That's all just fine with Luke since he'd rather race home everyday and play Alien Onslaught with his online friend.

But somehow he gets suckered into joining the school robotics team.  He doesn't care about robots.  He doesn't even know anything about robots.  And this is the worst team ever!  The two Jacobs break everything, Mikayla is obsessed with using her feet for everything, Stuart leaves a trail of sunflower seeds behind him everywhere he goes, and, oh yeah, don't forget about Lunchbox, the biggest, meanest kid at Forest Grove Middle School.  How did this become Luke's life?

He's also pretty angry at his older brother, Rob, who is supposed to be his best friend.  But best friends don't just join the Marines and abandon you, so Luke is trying to pretend Rob doesn't exist.

That won't work forever, but right now he's got to figure out how to deal with robotics.  Give the rest of the team smallpox?  Maybe.  Or maybe this misfit team has a chance to bring Forest Shade Middle its first trophy.  Ha!  Who am I kidding?

Read Jennifer Brown's new book about robots and friendship!

House Arrest

Timothy is on probation for a year.  That means the only place he can go without his mom is school.  He's under house arrest for a year!  He also has to check in with his probation officer and his therapist every week and keep a stupid journal that's supposed to show how sorry he is.

But he's not sorry.  Why is Timothy on probation?  He baby brother is really sick, like he needs someone watching him 24/7 almost died right after he was born sick.  Timothy's dad didn't stick around for long after the baby was born, leaving his mom alone to work and take care of the family.  She's doing the best she can, but medicine and nurses are expensive, so Timothy didn't even hesitate when he saw the man's wallet on the counter.  He just took it and bought the medicine his baby brother needed.

Now he's just made everything worse because his mom has to worry about his probation on top of everything else. As things continue to get worse for his family, Timothy decides to do whatever it takes to get help for his little brother, even if that might not seem like a good idea to anyone else.

I really enjoyed K. A. Holt's new verse novel.  It's touching and funny, and everyone will be rooting for Timothy and his brave family!

The Thing About Jellyfish

There is no way Franny could have just drowned.  She was a really good swimmer.  When Suzy's mother tells her, "Sometimes these things just happen," Suzy can't believe it's true.  Her best friend (former best friend?) couldn't just die like that especially not with so much anger left between them.

Maybe that's why she's so quick to jump on the idea of the jellyfish.  It's rare but possible it could have been in the water with Franny.  It's venom is so powerful, Franny would have drowned before anyone could save her.  This makes more sense than the idea that Franny's death is just a random event.

It's just not right that Franny's death could be random, that the last words she and Suzy exchange were in anger.  Suzy thought there would be more time.  But there wasn't.  Now there doesn't seem to be anything at all worth talking about, so Suzy remains silent.

No one else knows what she's thinking as she dives into research to try to prove a rare jellyfish killed her former best friend.

This was a good read about grief and emotion.  My only complaint would be in the growing tension between Suzy and Franny.  The final event that forces the two apart is pretty extreme, and it's difficult as a reader to understand Suzy's behavior and to really imagine a situation where anyone would think what she did was ok.  Yes, the book was good, but I'm a little conflicted.

We Are All Made of Molecules

It's just been Stewart and his dad since his mom died almost two years ago.  Stewart is small for his age and super smart, but he's been going to Little Geniuses where he fits right in.  He has his cat Schrodinger, and life is getting back to OK.  But his dad has been dating someone at work, and now they've decided to move in together, so Stewart is leaving his home, his school, nearly everything to move across town. He's decided to make the most of it.

Ashley is at the top of the social ladder.  She got there by being pretty and mean.  She's puts all her effort into looking good and belittling her friends, and almost none into her grades.  She is mortified when her mother's boyfriend and his geeky son move in.  To make matters worse, she hasn't told anyone why her parents got divorced.  What would having a gay father do to her social standing?

Things start out OK for Stewart until gym class.  That's where he meets Jared who is big, mean, popular, and athletic.  Jared seems to have made it his mission in life to squash Stewart like a bug.  Ashley also happens to have a crush on the totally handsome Jared and willing to forgive just about any personality flaw to make a relationship work.

Susin Nielsen's book is by turns funny and heartbreaking.  It's definitely a compelling read, and Stewart's unusual take on the world is endearing and entertaining.  My struggle is with Ashley.  She is not really likable at all.  She's mean to everyone, and it's challenging to feel sympathy for her.

Additionally, Stewart is very innocent for his age, but the book also contains profanity and attempted sexual assault.  It makes it difficult to place.  Grades 8 and up.

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B

Adam really wants to get his OCD under control.  He tries to hide his counting compulsions and threshold issues, but he can't make them go away.  Once a week, he meets with his OCD support group.  There he feels a little more in control.  He can be concerned and supportive of the other other kids offering suggestions and keeping his criticism to himself.  The support group is also where he meets Robyn.

Robyn is a little older, a little taller, and the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.  Adam is in love.  Now his desire to improve his mental health is stronger than ever.  When their therapist suggests they all take the names of superheroes, the group readily agrees.  They have Thor, Ironman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Snookie.  Robyn chooses Robin, and Adam is elated and shocked at his boldness when he says Batman.  Now they are linked, and Batman wants to protect Robin.

But even as things start to go somewhere with Robyn, the rest of Adam's life is spinning out of control.  The conflict between his divorced parents intensifies, and his mother's hoarding is taking over every inch of the house.  To make matters worse, she has been receiving disturbing letters urging her to commit suicide.

Adam's little brother, Sweetie, has issues of his own, and Adam is often the only person who can calm him down which puts him in the position of having to choose between his mother and his half brother.

As the problems around him intensify, so does Adam's OCD, but he's trying so hard to keep it to himself, to be strong for Robyn and his mother.

Teresa Toten's book is charming and touching with a look inside the world of OCD.  While the romance story line might be a little unrealistic, the reader still roots for Adam who is a very likable character.  The plotting is excellent in this book, and readers will be hooked until the end.  Highly recommended!  Grades 8 and up.

Orbiting Jupiter

Jack's new foster brother is Joseph.  Here's what he knows about Joseph:  he's thirteen years old, he's been in juvie, he tried to kill a teacher, and he has a daughter he's never met.

This information does not dissuade Jack or his parents, and they accept Joseph into their family and their daily routine of farm life in Maine.  Joseph is skittish after his experiences.  He's been abused by his father and has suffered untold punishments in reform school.  He doesn't like to be touched, and he keeps his back to the wall.

The first sign that Joseph is beginning to thaw is the quick relationship he develops with Rosie the cow who instantly loves him and prefers him over anyone else when it comes to milking.

Jack stands by his new foster brother even when things get difficult, and he becomes the first person to have Joseph's back.

Joseph's main goal is to meet his daughter, Jupiter, and though it seems impossible, Jack's family eventually agrees to help in this quest.

Gary Schmidt's new book is smaller and quieter than his previous stories, but it is full of nuance and emotion.  This is a heartbreaking book about a boy who is misjudged and abused at almost every turn and the possibilities of hope.

Awkward

Penelope's first day at a new school goes horribly wrong when she trips in the hall and drops all her stuff.  But things get worse when some bullies tease her about being a nerder girlfriend because of the boy who stops to help her.  Without thinking she pushes Jamie away.  Now everything is just...awkward.

Penelope wants to apologize for being so mean to Jamie when he was just trying to help, but she's so shy she can't even bring herself to face him.  To make matters worse, she is in art club, and Jamie is in science clubs.  The two clubs have been rivals for years, and now that rivalry has come to a head.

Will Penelope ever be able to look Jamie in the eye?  Will all the fighting ruin the two clubs?  Sigh...life in middle school is just so...awkward.

This is a great graphic novel and a great read!  The story and characters feel true, and there are several laugh out loud moments.  Svetlana Chmakova's new book is destined to be popular.  Highly recommended, especially for Raina Telgemeier fans!

Con Academy

For his senior year, Will has conned his way into an elite prep school.  It's a far cry from his childhood years spent in Trenton, New Jersey, pulling cons with his parents.  Since his mother's death, his father has become nasty and unpredictable, and Will wants to separate himself from that life.

That's why he's at Connaughton Academy.  If a spin at this school doesn't open doors (or at least a few wallets), nothing will.  Everything seems to be going without a hitch until he meets fellow student and con artist Andrea.  She sees right through Will's "poor little orphan" sob story, and she's determined to get rid of him.

Thus the ultimate challenge is born.  The first one to con a fellow student out of $50,000 gets to stay.  The other has to leave.  Will has selected the perfect mark, Brandt Rush.  The guy is loaded and so full of himself as to be blinded by a carefully constructed lie.

The game is on, but as it progresses, Will starts to see things in a different light.  First, there's Gatsby the cute girl who is becoming his friend and maybe more.  But when Will involves his dad in the con, he's introduced an unpredictable element.

This was a really fun read, but I did feel frustrated with the bet structure.  The purpose of the game is to stay at school, but it quickly becomes obvious that neither of them will be able to stay  when it's over.  If you can overlook that, you'll enjoy Joe Schrieber's fun game of spy vs. spy!

Lost in the Sun

Lisa Graff's new book is a companion story to the ever popular Umbrella Summer.  Last February Trent killed someone.  It wasn't on purpose, just a freak accident, but it has changed his whole life and the way he sees himself.  He's just so angry all the time now, and he can't really explain why.  The elementary school counselor gave him a notebook for his thoughts, but he doesn't write.  He draws--pictures of what life would be like if the accident hadn't happened or horrible ways he could die.

To make matters worse, Trent doesn't get along with his father at all.  They only seem to fight when they are together, and his new stepmother doesn't help.  They both act like Trent is a bomb ready to explode.

When school starts, he doesn't feel like he belongs anywhere, and every little injustice sets off his rage.  Trent used to love playing baseball, but now he panics every time he tries to play.

The only person who seems to see beyond the anger if Fallon Little.  Fallon is...different.  Her clothes are weird, she gets super excited about the strangest things, and she has a long scar the divides her face.  But this strange girl might be just what Trent needs.

This book is so good and an important read for anyone who struggles with anger issues and for the people in their lives.  My only criticism is that no one seems to think Trent might need professional help.  This is a kid dealing with a major trauma whose behavior changed drastically.  Anyone who is even paying a little attention should see that he needs help.  I know not everyone in Trent's situation would get the help he needs, but most people wouldn't get better without help either.  I just feel like this is a missed opportunity.

With that said, you should all go out and read this book today!

Goodbye Stranger

When Bridge was little, she was nearly died after being hit by a car.  She survived, and now she and her two best friends are moving into the seventh grade, and life is starting to change.

For one thing, Emily suddenly looks more like an adult than a little kid, and she's suddenly really good at soccer.  This all means she is getting a lot of attention from different people including an older boy.

Tab is exploring her life as a feminist thanks to the Burperson, her new teacher and idol.

And Bridge has started wearing the cat ears from last year's Halloween costume every day, and she has a new friend who is...a boy.  Can boys be friends?

When Emily's relationship escalates to scandal, the three friends "no fighting" rule will be put to the test.

Plus, an unnamed girl is struggling with a betrayal on Valentine's Day and wondering if forgiveness is possible.

I really enjoyed Rebecca Stead's new book, but I do think it skews a bit older than her other books.  That's not a bad thing--just a bit of a surprise.  This book tackles issues that tweens and teens are dealing with today in relationships and with body image.  I think my favorite aspect of this book is how well the author portrays love between friends.  The characters are not afraid or embarrassed to tell each other "I love you."  We should all be more willing to be so open and honest with our friends.

Sunny Side Up

Sunny thinks going to Florida to visit her grandfather will be great!  Beaches!  Disneyworld! Right? Wrong.

Sunny is pretty bored at the retirement community where her grandfather lives until she meets Buzz, the son of the groundskeeper. Buzz introduces Sunny to comic books, and she discovers a fun new world.  They also accidentally find a way to make money to buy new comics by helping the ladies of the community find their missing cats.

There's also a giant alligator roaming around for a little extra adventure!

But Sunny still  has a lot on her mind.  Her grandpa told her he quit smoking, but she keeps finding cigarettes hidden in the apartment.  That on top of the fact that her older brother is dealing with some serious problems back home that no one wants to talk about, makes Sunny a little frustrated with keeping secrets.

Read this new graphic novel by sibling team Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm to find out if Sunny can solve all her problems to stay "sunny side up!"

Heaven Is Paved with Oreos

Sarah is struggling with her relationship with her best friend/fake boyfriend.  She and Curtis spend so much time together that people teased them about dating, so they just decided to pretend they were.  But now that they are heading into high school, things are changing between them.  It's not just pure science anymore.

This is perfect timing for Sarah's wild Grandma Z to show up insisting she's headed to Italy on a pilgrimage, and she wants to take Sarah with her.

Things start out great, but Sarah begins to realize there is more to this trip than she realized as Grandma Z begins acting strange, even for her.

This trip will be more than an Italian adventure.  It will be a time for Sarah to learn some things about herself and her best friend/fake? boyfriend as well as some truths hidden in her family tree.

This companion novel can be read independently from the Dairy Queen series, but if you haven't read those, you totally should!  Catherine Gilbert Murdock's new book is a fun return to some favorite characters.

From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess

Olivia has always considered herself average:  average smart, average height, even her skin is an average brown.  The only things about her that aren't average are her ability to draw, and the fact that she's basically an orphan.  Her mother died when she was a baby, and she's never really met her father.  She's talked to him on the phone, and she writes letters all the time, but his job makes it difficult for them to meet in person.

But Olivia is not average, and the truth comes out when the school bully starts taunting her one day about being a princess.  Olivia knows it isn't true and tries to fight back, but maybe she's wrong.  The truth comes out when none other than Mia Thermopolis shows up at Olivia's middle school and explains that Olivia is actually her half sister!

This explains a lot.  Her mother wanted her to have a normal life, so her father, the crown prince of Genovia, had to keep his distance, and her aunt and uncle raised her alongside her horrible cousins.  But all her worries could be over because Olivia really is destined for an extraordinary life!

This is the first book in a new series by Meg Cabot, and all your favorite characters from The Princess Diaries are here in supporting roles.  My only complaint is this book is pretty much all set up.  I guess we have to wait for book two for Olivia's adventures to begin.

The Swap

Ellie is about to start 7th grade, but what should be an exciting new start is hampered by her former best friend Sassy.  Ellie and Sassy have been best friends forever, but suddenly Sassy has turned her mean girls ways on Ellie.  Ellie isn't ready to let go, but every day with Sassy is a painful examination of all her flaws.

Sassy is obsessed "The Prince" Jack Malloy who seems to have everything.  He's popular, cute, and a great athlete, but no one knows the secret anxiety Jack feels every day.  Since his mother died, his father has been less a father and more a drill sergeant.  Nothing Jack does is good enough, and any show of emotion is weakness.

Things come to a head for Ellie and Jack on the first day of school when they end up in the nurse's office together as a result of separate altercations.  There's a strange new nurse who mutters something about switching places and standing up for yourself, and the next thing you know POOF! Jack and Ellie have switched bodies!

What follows is a weekend filled with hilarious and embarrassing situations as Ellie and Jack learn to navigate each other's lives.  Jack enjoys some nurturing time with Ellie's mom, and Ellie learns she's stronger than she ever thought from Jack's crazy and supportive older brothers.  The two form an odd sort of friendship, but it's not until they learn some gumption that they will get their own lives back.

I picked up this book because it's been very popular in the library, and now that I've read it, I know why!  This book is hilarious and heartfelt.  I love the way Megan Shull allows her two protagonists to see themselves through the eyes of someone else.  I wish we could all see our problems and our strengths from a distance like Ellie and Jack.  I highly recommend this book!  Just be aware that some of the hilarity arises from gentle references to normal parts of puberty.

Challenger Deep

Caden Bosch is on a dangerous adventure aboard a pirate ship headed to the Marianas Trench, the deepest point on earth.  It is there he will discover the truth.  The ship is led by a ruthless captain and his mutinous parrot.

But as demanding as The Captain may be, another world tugs at Caden.  It's a world with parents, family, friends, and school.  Reality.  Caden has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the world inside his mind is quickly becoming more real to him than the world outside.

As he descends into his journey aboard the ship, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and his family is finally forced to realize they can't help him.

This is a powerful story inspired by the author's experiences with his own son who does the illustrations in the book.  This is no simple movie of the week where answers and solutions are easy.  This is a complex story that weaves reality into Caden's fantasy world as he searches for healing.

This book is different from Neal Shusterman's other stories and deals with mature themes, but it is still written with his signature style and skill.

A Time to Dance

Veda has loved dance for as long as she can remember.  Her earliest memory is feeling the rhythm of dance while gazing at an image of the god Shiva in a temple.  She is the best Bharantanatyam dancer in her city in India.  Just when she reaches a high point in her career, winning first place in a classical dance competition, she is involved in a terrible accident.

When she wakes in the hospital, one leg has been amputated below the knee.  This would be a tragedy for anyone, but it is especially painful for a dancer.  She is lucky to meet an American doctor determined to create a prosthesis she can use to dance, and Veda slowly begins to return to herself.

This does not mean her life goes back to normal.  She still has many struggles to overcome and more loss to experience.  When she returns to formal dance training she meets Govinda, a gentle boy with beautiful eyes who helps Veda see the beauty in herself and the sacred nature of the dance she is performing.

Through her new training, Veda learns to feel to connection to God she experienced as a child and to see beyond herself to those who are also struggling.

I really enjoyed Padma Venkatraman's new book about spirituality and strength.  Highly recommended.

Nest

Chip's life on Cape Cod is full of ocean waves, bird watching, and her mother's beautiful dancing.  Everything falls apart one day when Chip's mother starts developing strange symptoms.  One of her legs drags behind her and she begins falling down stairs.  The doctors aren't sure what's wrong yet, but even the symptoms are devastating for a dancer.

As the disease progresses and her mother falls further into her depression, Chirp finds solace in bird watching, and she finds an unlikely companion.  She has always avoided the family of rough boys next door.  They are often cruel and sometimes violent, so it is with reluctance that she begins to trust Joey, the youngest boy.  He is in her class at school and seems to be gentler than the older boys.  The more time she spends with Joey the more she realizes how terrible his home life is, and the two form a mutual understanding.

When Chirp's life takes a terrible turn, Joey is the only person she can turn to for comfort.

Esther Ehrlich's book is a gentle story of surviving the pain of childhood, especially when that pain is caused by adults and is out of your control.  It is also a beautiful story about friendship and trust.

Always, Abigail

Abigail is sure 6th grade is going to be awesome!  She and her two best friends, Ally and Cam (AKA Allicam) have been obsessed with the poms since they were little, and this is the year they can join.

But things don't go the way Abigail expects.  First Allicam are in one homeroom, and Abigail is in another.  Plus, they don't have any classes together.  Plus, Abigail is in Old Hawk's homeroom, the oldest and strictest teacher in school.  Plus, Abigail also has Old Hawk for language arts.  Plus, Old Hawk is making them do a friendly letter assignment all year long.  Plus, Old Hawk is assigning the partners.

Abigail's partner is Gabby Marco, the weirdest girl in school.  She can't believe how terrible her luck is.  Not only is she separated from Allicam, but she is forced to write letters to Flabby Gabby.  This girl laughs randomly and lives in a beat up trailer.  Sixth grade is not going well.

The real problem, though, is Abigail begins to see Gabby as a real person who is actually kind of fun.  She also starts to see the mean side of Allicam.  Abigail knows she should defend her new friend, but that would mean giving up her old friends and her goals for 6th grade.

Nancy Cavanaugh's new book perfectly captures the middle school struggle of changing friendships and dealing with bullies.  This book really took me back to my own middle school days.  Abigail is the perfect every girl stuck between wanting to be popular and doing the right thing.  I highly recommend this book!

Tell Me

Anna is an aspiring actress who always puts her whole heart into every role including her current role as a dancing cranberry at the mall, but life isn't all dancing cranberries.  Her parents are fighting more all the time, and her dad's temper is getting out of control.

That's why she's gone to spend some time with her grandmother, Mim, in Rosemont.  Maybe she can spend some time helping the town get ready for the annual Flower Festival while her parents figure out what to do next.

It isn't long before Anna is caught up in Rosemont life and the flower festival, but one day she sees something.  Well, she's not even sure if it's really anything, but it just seems wrong.  That girl in the van just didn't look right.  She looked...terrified.

Anna and her new friends are convinced this girl is in trouble, but they will need to convince the police that what Anna saw and her gut feeling are enough to go on.  Anna refuses to give up because she knows she may be the only real chance this girl has.

Joan Bauer has written another great story about a strong girl who refuses to back down.  I love all of Joan Bauer's books because of the strong characters and the issues they face.  Tell Me is no exception.  Anna deals with her personal struggles while catching a glimpse inside the world of human trafficking.

The Red Pencil

Amira's life in Sudan is one of hard work, but she is happy.  Her father, Dando, is her favorite person, and he encourages her creativity calling her Amira Bright and finding perfect drawing sticks for her sand drawing.

When her best friend moves away to go to school, a desire to learn is kindled in her heart.  Everything changes when the Janjaweed arrives.  They are a local militia bringing death and destruction in their wake.  When they are gone, the village is destroyed, and many people are dead.

The survivors flee and end up in Kalma, a refugee camp.  Life is now filled with trash and strangers and hopelessness.  It is the gift of a red pencil and a pad of paper from a stranger that begins to wake Amira from her grief.

Amira's dream of going to school comes alive again, and now she will do anything to learn.

Andrea Davis Pinkney's new verse novel is beautiful and heartbreaking story about pain, violence, and the will to succeed.  Be sure to read the author's note at the end for a brief explanation of the true events in Darfur that inspired this story.