As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, “The $20,000 Pyramid,” a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

Liz & Rob (Liz’s son) say:

“This is a thought-provoking, fun story. You have to pay attention to details and suspend your disbelief and you will be in for a real treat!”

A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards’ families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.

Liz says:

“This is a very accessible book that sheds light on what life might be like for the sibling of a special needs child. While this book treats this issue with insight and sensitivity, the book is given levity by its setting and entertaining characters. This Newbery Honor winner is truly a winner.”

When his younger brother is diagnosed with leukemia, thirteen-year-old Steven tries to deal with his complicated emotions, his school life, and his desire to support his family.

Liz says:

“Through the honest, sometimes funny, sometimes profoundly worried voice of 8th grader Steven Alper, we see the impact of a life-threatening illness on an entire family. There is sadness and humor in this story and I think it’s an important book for adolescents as its ultimate message is one of empathy and hopefulness. I believe this is a perfect 7th grade read.”

After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon Blake is removed from the Alabama forest where he was raised and sent to a boy’s home, where, for the first time, he has contact with the outside world and learns about friendship, love, and humanity.

Liz says:

“This is the best survival story I’ve read since Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet (see below). Moon’s father, a Vietnam Vet, distrusted the government so much that he took his wife and son to live in the forest with no ties to civilization (except for occasional trips to a convenience store for bare necessities). Moon’s mother dies when he’s very young and his father dies when he’s 10. He’s left to fend for himself. His greatest obstacle is his loneliness. When given the chance to decide between a reclusive life in the woods or a life in society, what will Moon decide? You’ll learn a lot about survival skills and much, much more!”

Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father–the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.

Liz says:

“You will love Bud as he takes you on his journey and learns much about his father and himself. This is a must read.”

Crash Coogan, rising football sensation, and his friend, Mike make a regular practice of tormenting the school nerd, Penn Webb, but when Mike takes a prank too far, Crash finds himself locked in a moral dilemma.

Liz says:

“This is told from the perspective of an adult Crash looking back on a year in his life. (I believe it’s 7th grade). The voice is fresh and funny and the story deals with the important concept of not judging others and ridiculing them for their differences. This is a very accessible story that boys love and I highly recommend it.”

When he joins a predominantly African American “Teen Dream Team” that will be representing the United States in an international basketball tournament in Rome, Jimmy Doyle makes some unexpected discoveries about prejudice, racism, and politics.

Liz says:

“Boys absolutely love this book and so do I. There are lots of great basketball scenes and many poignant moments. Jimmy and the other characters are believable and the story moves quickly. I would not recommend this before 6th grade.”

After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to survive initially with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents’ divorce.

Liz says:

“At this point, we can call this book a classic. It is my favorite survival story of all time. Brian is an unforgettable character and Paulsen is an amazing writer. If you like this, there are sequels – The River (skip this one – it’s not on par with the others), Brian’s Winter, Brian’s Return and Brian’s Hunt.”

When thirteen-year-old Martin arrives at an alternative school for misfits and problem students, he falls in with a group of boys with psychic powers and discovers something surprising about himself.

Liz says:

“From the very first page, you will be laughing! Martin is hilarious. He’s sent to Edgewater Reform School (I think I have the name right) because he just can’t seem to keep it together enough to stay in regular school. At Edgewater he’s surrounded by kids who each have a particular “problem”. Bloodbath, the school bully, is terrorizing Martin. To fight him off, Martin rallies the support of his friends. He has figured out a way to take their “problems” and refocus them as talents. There’s a supernatural quality to all of this. The book is entertaining and meaningful. In addition to the regular text, there are graphic elements such as school memos, letters and pictures. Everyone loves this book!!”