When her sixteen-year-old sister is hospitalized for depression and her parents want to keep it a secret, fourteen-year-old Elena tries to cope with her own anxiety and feelings of guilt that she is determined to conceal from outsiders.

Liz says:

“Told with extraordinary directness, this is the story of the impact of Depression on an entire family. With a true economy of words, Schumacher deftly portrays each multi-dimensional character allowing for complicated emotions and relationships.”

When she is almost sixteen years old, Rosemary decides she is sick of being overweight, mocked at school and at Heavenly Hair–her mother’s beauty salon–and feeling out of control, and as she slowly loses weight, she realizes that she is able to cope with her mother’s cancer, having a boyfriend for the first time, and discovering that other people’s lives are not as perfect as they seem from the outside.

Liz says:

“This story has the magic of being able to make you laugh and cry from one page to the next. Tackling tough issues of self-image and self-esteem with unflinching reality and humor, Supplee has written a delightful book that is sure to be a winner with 7th and 8th grade girls.”

After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother’s route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.

Liz says:

“This is a must read for 5th and 6th grade girls. As Sal travels cross country to find her mom, she discovers the truth about why her mom left. Readers will find themselves crying on one page and laughing on the next. Creech is at her best in this Newbery Award winning book.”

A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda’s freshman year in high school.

Liz says:

“Melinda Sordino is one of the most memorable characters ever. She narrates her story through snapshots/scenes which are divided into the 4 quarters of her 9th grade year. The format and the story are compelling. This is a must read for girls.”

Three teenaged girls from very different backgrounds, thrown together to pick peaches in a Georgia orchard, spend a summer in pursuit of the right boy, the truest of friends, and the perfect peach.

Liz says:

“I’m going on the recommendation of a colleague and teens who’ve read this. It’s on my list to read!” (If you like it, there are 2 more in this series – The Secrets of Peaches: A Novel and Love and Peaches).

Australian teenager Bindy finds it hard to cope when her best friend of many years suddenly finds other friends and interests and her divorced parents present her with choices that could change everything about her way of life.

Liz says:

“Bindy’s feelings are incredibly genuine as she experiences her best friend’s betrayal, her divorced parents’ new relationships and her unexpected connection with her brother. This is a heart-wrenching story with lots of comic relief.” (Similar reads: Sixth-Grade Glommers, Norks and Me and Shug.)

After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school’s rival football team, sixteen-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her.

Liz says:

“D.J. is a lovable character. She’s funny, honest and resilient. This is an easy, enjoyable read with important life lessons.”

Allie Kimball discovers that middle school is a very different place than fifth grade and struggles to learn ways to fit in.

Liz says:

“Follow Allie’s journey as she navigates middle school on her own. Her lifelong friend abandons her but not to worry Allie is going to be more than just okay in the end!” (Similar reads: Shug and Being Bindy.)

In 1687 in Connecticut, Kit Tyler, feeling out of place in the Puritan household of her aunt, befriends an old woman considered a witch by the community and suddenly finds herself standing trial for witchcraft.

Liz says:

“If the reader can stick with and get past the first 50 pages, she will be justly rewarded. This is a great example of historical fiction and gives great insight into Puritan Massachusetts. Kit is an awesome character living in a place and time that would be difficult for anyone who dares to be different.”