GRAPHIC NOVELS - MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS Eighth grader Drew Ellis recognizes that he isn't afforded the same opportunities, no matter how hard he works, that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted. To make matters worse, Drew begins to feel as if his good friend Liam might be one of those privileged kids. He wants to pretend like everything is fine, but it's hard not to withdraw, and even their mutual friend Jordan doesn't know how to keep the group together. As the pressures mount, will Drew find a way to bridge the divide so he and his friends can truly accept each other? And most important, will he finally be able to accept himself?
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REALISTIC FICTION - MUSCICIAN FAMILIES Jaxson is the only child of a single mom, but he’s never been short on family. His best friend Logan, who has four sisters, claims Jax as a “brother.” Jaxson enjoys the chaos of Logan’s home, but he also loves the calm of his own. Between hanging with Logan, going to the movies with his first girlfriend, Samantha, and being the star trumpet player in the school orchestra, eighth grade is sure is looking up for Jaxson! But then Liv, the new girl at school, joins the band and becomes Jax’s trumpet duet partner. Liv understands Jax’s love of music better than anyone else, and the more time they spend together rehearsing, the more he finds they have in common. Soon, they learn that they share something that will change their world ― something that will make them rethink what it means to be “family.”
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FANTASY - MERMAIDS Twelve-year-old Kela is still mourning her mother when she finds a mermaid's comb while she and her friend are looking for sea glass on her Caribbean island; such combs have magic in them, and touching it opens a connection to the mermaid Ophidia who can grant her wish, to bring her mother back to life--but all wishes have consequences, and magic demands a price which may prove to be more painful than the loss of her mother.
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HUMOROUS FICTION - MIDDLE SCHOOLS Being a kid can really stink. And no one knows this better than Greg Heffley, who finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving.
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HUMOROURS FICTION - FAMILY LIFE Life was better in the old days. Or was it? That's the question Greg Heffley is asking as his town voluntarily unplugs and goes electronics-free. But modern life has its conveniences, and Greg isn't cut out for an old-fashioned world. With tension building inside and outside the Heffley home, will Greg find a way to survive?
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GRAPHIC NOVELS - MIDDLE SCHOOLS Callie loves theatre, and this year she’s determined to design a set worthy of Broadway on a middle school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen, and when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!
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DOMESTIC FICTION - HOMELESS FAMILIES From the New York Times best-selling creator of the Vanderbeekers series comes a triumphant tale of friendship, healing, and the power of believing in ourselves told from the perspective of biracial sixth-graders June and Tyrell, two children living in a homeless shelter. As their friendship grows over a shared love of classical music, June and Tyrell confront a new housing policy that puts homeless families in danger.
It's June's first day at Huey House, and as if losing her home weren't enough, she also can't bring her cherished viola inside. Before the accident last year, her dad saved tip money for a year to buy her viola, and she's not about to give it up now. Tyrell has been at Huey House for three years and gives June a glimpse of the good things about living there: friendship, hot meals, and a classical musician next door. Can he and June work together to oppose the government, or will families be forced out of Huey House before they are ready?
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GRAPHIC NOVELS - DEAF CHILDREN In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful--and very awkward--hearing aid. A 2015 Newbery Honor Book.
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MYSTERY FICTION - GAMES Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape.
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REALISTIC FICTION - DYSLEXIA Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there's a lot more to her--and to everyone--than a label, and that great minds don't always think alike.
(14 copies)
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