Boston Jane: An Adventure by Jennifer Holm

In Philadephia in about 1840, Jane Peck lost her mother when she was very young and is raised by her father, a loving, fun father and talented surgeon. He lets her run wild in the streets with the boys and has her assist him in his work at times and thus she grows up to about age 11 when she discovers she’s not like other girls. This mostly happens because of another girl her age, Sallie Biddle, but also because of a dreamy apprentice of her fathers’, William. The two of them manage to convince poor Jane Peck that she needs to go to finishing school and become a true lady. Her father allows her to go, despite his reservations that it will empty her mind and make her a useless human. Jane is swept up in the rules and regulations of becoming a true Lady and tries, in vain, to gain the respect of Sallie Biddle, who teases her relentlessly. Then William leaves to go off the the frontiers of Oregon to become a timber trader, despite Jane’s father’s objections that it is a lot of work and a waste of his doctor talents. Jane is distressed by William’s departure but is somewhat placated by their written correspondence. After a time, William proposes to Jane and Jane, after pleading with her father, eventually ventures out west, beginning a journey that not only sees Jane vacillate between the new “lady” side of her and the more practical, strong and stubborn side of her but also produces a great deal of heartache, danger and sickness, that eventually will end in triumph. A well written book with strong character development

Ages 9-13

Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington

Sarah Newton lives with her father and they have a secret they hid from their community. Jane Newton, Sarah’s mom, tried to drown both Sarah and her twin brother. Only Sarah survived but her mother was put in a mental hospital and her father was accused of neglect but eventually exonerated. It was a huge story and when people figure out who they are, they feel like they have to move to a new community. Her father has had a hard time moving on past the whole incident and drinks at times to get through, even though he knows he should not. Sarah, at times, must take care of him, instead of the other way around. In the midst of all this, Sarah is just trying to be a normal girl and she has normal day to day problems. It’s the end of sixth grade and she is afraid she’ll be shipped off to live with her grandparents for the summer for a summer of perpetual boredom.  Instead she is allowed to stay and spends her days with her neighbor Charlotte and Charlotte’s younger brother, Finn. Through this summer, Sarah learns about love through her first crush, Finn, and about heartbreak through her neighbor Mrs. Dupree whose husband passes away and about forgiveness through her parents. It’s an interesting book but a bit full of cliches and the voice is in the present tense, which was weird to read. 

Ages 9-13 

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

This is a story of a junior in high school who loved to run and she was quite good at it. Then, through an accident, she loses part of her leg and running is no longer an option. This story picks up her tale as she is recovering in the hospital and tells of her recovery process, both physically and mentally and her adjustments easing back into a life that was centered on her running, which she can no longer do. The stress of recovery, the social implications, the familial stress all weigh heavily on this girl, but with her best friend pulling her up and her own sheer will, she discovers that her will to run came from her determination, which can be repurposed. She also discovers that people should be recognized for who they are, not their disability, as she befriends a girl with CP who helps her figure out math. It is a relatively simple, heartwarming tale of perseverance and friendship.  It reminded me a LOT of Shark Girl, which I liked as well. 

Grades 4-8

Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiance by Veronica Roth

This series captivated me. I loved the series and the exhilarating pace and constant action and thoughts about humanity. It is another dystopian novel in which the society has tried to put people into neat little boxes, which we all know don't fit real people. On a large scale, these books explore what makes us human as well as how much leaders and people with power can manipulate our perceptions based on the information we are fed.

The first two books follow Tris as she discovers herself, the meaning of strength and love through all kinds of tests, violence and tribulations as she makes her way through her city, which takes place in the ruins of Chicago. Initially it is about survival and fitting in and then she learns she is different. The serums that the leaders use to control the population don't work properly on her and she discovers she is Divergent. Divergent people are frowned upon and she must hide it if she is to remain alive. Through the support of her trainer and her friends, she manages to survive and eventually flourish. Her trainer, Four, sees strength in her she never new was possible and she sees his heart hidden behind all of his tough exterior. They fall passionately in love, creating the scenes that are inappropriate for younger audiences. Their passion is, at times, raw and fairly sensual and when she has to face her fears, one of hers is the depth of this love and it's not appropriate.

The last book breaks the trend a bit, as it point of view is through two perspectives, Tris and Four as they manage to escape the walls of the city and discover the larger picture. Again the book is about leadership and strength and what makes evil and human and Tris and Four try to save their old world and find a home in their new world. There were moments the words captured human struggles so clearly, it took my breath away.

Grades 7 or 8 (depending on the student) and up

Liar & Spy By Rebecca Stead

This is a story that tries to honestly deal with the idea of bullying...what it really looks like and how the victim feels, without making it melodramatic. This kid, Georges, had the deck stacked against him because of his name (after Seurat) but he had some pretty strong familial support and a good friend until the summer before the book starts hits. During that summer, his dad lost his job, meaning his mom has to pick up many extra shifts, making her pretty out of the picture and his dad trying to pick up the pieces. Because of the loss of income, they have to sell their house and move into an apartment. Also during that summer, his best friend went off to camp and came back cooler. School started and his friend Jason sat with the cool kids, the same ones that tease Georges consistently. All of this is the backstory. Once they move, it is mostly Georges and his dad, eating out, unpacking. Georges meets a kid in his building and they begin a spy club. The other kid, Safer, lives in another apartment and is homeschooled. Safer tells Georges about Mr. X who wears all black and is generally suspicious. This is a story about how they begin to forge a friendship through the act of spying and Georges begins to figure out life without his mom around and managing the bullies at school, and both Safer and Georges finally face what really scares them. This story has a genuine voice that seems to capture the voice of a middle schooler. 

A NY Times bestseller. grades 5-8

Goblin’s Secrets by William Alexander

This is a book about an orphan, Rownie, who lives with a “person” named Graba and several other orphans. Overall it’s a tale of Rownie finding a home and saving their town from forces beyond anyone’s control. 

It’s definitely fantasy and it was interesting, but I had a hard time figuring out what the characters were. The description and the depth of the characters was definitely lacking and made it hard to understand what characters were doing, why they were doing it and how...Like Graba, she’s like a witch but she has robot legs and somehow she is bigger than she should be, but is also just like a person somehow. But towards the end, her character morphed a bit and became even more evil. It was one of the weirdest books and I found that I didn’t always understand what was motivating the characters. Some of their movements puzzled me and seemed random. Overall I hated reading this book...sorry!

Reading level 4-7 

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

Western Asia seems to be a theme this summer, as this book takes place in Afghanistan in an unspecified time, but one where the Taliban ruled and their very strict interpretation of the Koran made it impossible for women to have any freedom, let alone rights. This book is about one well educated, once prosperous family who stayed in Afghanistan because they loved their country, but slowly, over time, saw almost everything they loved about Afghanistan and most of their possesions stolen away by the Taliban and their rules. In this story, the father is, one day, taken by the police without explanation. Without him, the family has no way to earn money, let alone walk to the market unaccompanied. The responsibility of earning money falls onto the shoulders of the middle daughter, Parvana. They chop off her hair and she becomes their long lost cousin visiting from parts afar and she is sent out to the market to continue reading letters for people at the market, the job her father did to support the family. This desperate change was extremely dangerous, for if anyone discovered she was a girl, she would be beaten and most likely killed and her family would endure unknown punishments. However, if she didn’t, her family would starve to death. To find out more about her adventures in the marketplace and the friends she discovers, read this book. It’s worth it, although the ending is slightly anticlimactic. 

One of the things I liked about this book, was the author’s ability to make the reader feel the love for the country, despite the ruling party. It’s a deep seated love that might be difficult for some people to comprehend but explains why people who could leave, stayed. Grades 5-8 Easy read but a complex tale