Echo Falls by Peter Abrahams
| Fun, suspenseful mysteries, great for boys and girls. | ||
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Tween Readers
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
| Based on Kinney’s 2004 Web Comic, this is the diary of middle school student Greg Heffley. Greg is forced, by his mother, to keep a diary. Greg shares his hilarious take on life as a middle schooler. This is a top pick among kids! | |
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Bloody Jack Adventures by L. A. Meyer
| Historical fiction adventures, great for girls | ||
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Books of Ember by Jeanne Duprau
| These futuristic sci-fi adventures are full of excitement and mystery. (The City of Ember movie did not do the book justice!) | |
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Bird Lake Moon by Kevin Henkes
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Twelve-year–old Mitch and his mother are spending the summer with his grandparents at Bird Lake after his parents separate, and ten-year-old Spencer and his family have returned to the lake where Spencer’s little brother drowned long ago, and as the boys become friends and spend time together, each of them begins to heal. Liz says: “True to form, Henkes delivers a thoughtful story of loss, forgiveness and hopefulness.” |
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
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Philip, an adolescent white boy who is blinded in a torpedo attack at sea during World War II, acquires a new type of vision, courage, and love when he is stranded on a tiny Caribbean island with Timothy, a kind, elderly black man. Liz says: “This is one of the best survival stories and one of the best historical fiction books for young readers. This is an unforgettable read – a classic!” |
Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue by Julius Lester
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Presents an historical fiction written in first-person format that follows Emma, the slave of Pierce Butler, through a series of events in her life as her master hosts the largest slave auction in American history in Savannah, Georgia in 1859 in order to pay off his mounting gambling debts. Liz says: “Master storyteller, Julius Lester, takes a real moment in history and brings it to life in this compelling book told through dialogue and reflections (interludes). Prepare to cry!” |
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
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In alternating chapters, two teenagers describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families have changed over the years. Liz says: “What seems like a very simple story at first ends up being an amazingly insightful book. Below the surface there are several side stories that uncover deep feelings and emotions. In addition to Bryce and Julie learning about their feelings for each other, the reader is shown what is really going on in their lives. There are some heartbreaking scenes (with Julie’s uncle) and some hilarious scenes (with chickens and more…).” |
Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher
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Rachel, having chosen to be mute following the sudden death of a classmate, shares responsibility with the other sixth-graders who decide not to report that the substitute teacher failed to show up. Liz says: “As this 6th grade class goes through their day without a teacher, they uncover and discover much about themselves as individuals and as a class.” |
