Put up the sun umbrella, kick back in your favorite patio chair, crack open a frosty Mountain Dew and delve into these great reads for June, July and August. There are 46 wonderful novels below; can you read 14 by the time school begins next fall?!
Adventures of Blue Avenger by Norma Howe. A
high-school age boy becomes a comic-book hero in his attempt to deal
with the
death of his father. Funny, fast moving, but poignant as well.
Al Capone does my
shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. A well-researched look into living
on Alcatraz island during the days when Al Capone was incarcerated
there. Even grown-ups appreciate the interwoven plots of this story as
well as the well-developed characters.
Amandine by Adele Griffin. Two outcasts meet—one manipulative (Amandine), the other needy (Delia)—and for a while their friendship works: the flamboyant,unconventional, artistic Amandine enthralls the school newcomer, Delia. Then complications arise that test the new friendship.
Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Focuses on
girls
softball teams, post WW II. Any sports-minded reader will appreciate
the
personal and athletic dynamics of this story.
Becoming Naomi
Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan. Naomi and her little brother love living
with their grandmother in the trailer park. Then Naomi's long-lost
mother returns and wants to take custody of her...but not her brother!
What follows is an on-the-road adventure down to Mexico as Naomi and
crew search for her missing Mexican father to help settle the dispute.
The Big Empty
by J.B. Stephens. A science fiction thriller in which a virus kills off
most of the people in America. The survivors are ordered by the
replacement government to go to the coasts, leaving the middle of the
U.S. empty. Several teens receive coded messages, however, that tell
them that the middle of the country is exactly where they should go...
The boxer by Kathleen Karr. It’s 1885 and
it’s all
young Johnny Woods can do to support his fatherless family. Then he
discovers
boxing and his unique talent for it. Can his skill at boxing help his
family
escape from poverty?
Christopher
Mouse: The tale of a small traveler by William Wise. Ever wonder
what it would be like to live your life as a pet mouse? The answer is:
exciting! Find out how just about every living thing can become your
enemy in this imaginative animal story.
Crushed by
Laura and Tom McNeal. Examines how a girl's romantic crush wreaks havoc
on her own life and those of her friends.
Define “normal” by Julie Ann Peters. Two
high school
girls—very different in personality and outlook—are thrown together via
a
school counseling program and endure a rocky, interesting road to
friendship.
Dork on the run
by Carol Gorman. From the School
Library Journal review: "Jerry Flack, star of Dork in Disguise (HarperCollins,
1999), is now
running for class president of the sixth grade at the urging of his
friend Brenda. Unfortunately, he is opposed by Gabe Marshall, who is
hell-bent on making Jerry's life miserable and, worse, catching his
embarrassing moments on film." --Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of
Pittsburgh
Emako Blue
by Brenda Woods. High school girl Emako has it all: a beautiful voice,
great looks, intelligence, charisma, a recording contract waiting for
her...then she dies in a tragic drive-by shooting. Find out how her
friends (and those not-so-friendly to her) felt about about this
star-in-the-making as they relive their time spent in her company,
before the fatal shooting.
Equinox by Monte Killingsworth. On small Douglas Island off the coast of Washington state, 14-year-old Autumn’s secure world is shaken when her parents start having marital difficulties. She copes via writing and drawing.
Everything on a waffle by Polly Horvath. A fishing village in British Columbia sets the stage for 11-year-old Primrose, who’s convinced that her parents, lost at sea, will eventually return. Her take on life and food (the book includes recipes) while she waits forms the bulk of this thoughtful story.
Flipped by Wendenlin Van Draanen. A young girl “flips” over her new next door neighbor, a young boy from a troubled family. He wants nothing to do with her until their feelings about one another “flip” in secondary school. This is a fine family drama with lots of funny, unique characters.
Flying solo by Ralph Fletcher. A mix-up in the school office results in a 6th grade class being without a substitute all day on a Friday. So, the kids decide to lead themselves, with thought-provoking results.
The forgotten door by Alexander Key. An under-appreciated sci-fi classic. Young Jon falls through a forgotten time portal and lands on earth where, seen through his unique perspective, earth and its inhabitants come off as alien and dangerous, except for the family that discovers him…
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. A
very
inventive sci-fi/fantasy novel with a likeable 10-year-old girl
protagonist.
Two sequels complete this highly regarded trilogy.
Gossamer
by Lois Lowry. "While learning to bestow dreams, a young dream giver
tries to save an 8-year-old boy from the effects of his abusive past
and the nightmares inflicted on him by the frightening Sinisteeds."
Gregor and the
Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins. Book Four of the Underland
Chronicles. Twelve-year-old Gregor matches wits with Rat King "the
Bane" in the frightening world below New York City.
Haunting at home plate by David Patneaude. Cross a ghost story with a sports story and you get this fine offering that involves Nelson, a pitcher, and his teammates who strive to understand mysterious messages scrawled in the dirt of their practice field.
Hidden talents by David Lubar. A often-expelled, difficult 13-year-old is sent to a severe alternative school where he meets other unique teenagers whom he grows to like. They put their minds together to tackle a serious threat to their new school.
Island of the aunts by Eva Ibbotson. Three needy aunts kidnap three children to help them care for an island full of magical beasts. Two of the kids embrace the idea, but the third, Lambert Sprott…well, what can you expect with a name like that?
The kite fighters by Linda Sue Park. Set in 1473 Korea, this engrossing story examines the lives of two brothers who fall in love with the building, flying and fighting of kites, a national pastime in their country. They grow so adept at the sport that they become serious contenders in the national kite fighting matches.
Memories of summer by Ruth White. Thirteen-year-old Lyric must come to grips with the strange behavior of her older sister Summer after their family moves to a much larger city.
The Mennyms by Sylvia Waugh. Meet the Mennyns, a family of rag dolls magically sewn into life by expert seamstress Kate Penshaw, who had no idea what she had achieved because her beautifully wrought creations discovered their sentience after she died. The family of cloth and kapok live at #5 Brocklehurst Grove, an old house wherein they keep themselves company and conceal their secret from human eyes whenever they venture forth.
The million-dollar shot by Dan Gutman. With the help of his tomboy friend Annie, 11-year-old Eddie earns a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a free throw during half-time at the NBA finals.
My not-so-terrible time at the Hippie Hotel by
Rosemary Graham. Tracy Forrester, 14, endures an unwanted
summer
vacation with her family to Farnsworth House, a place designed for
broken
families to come and heal. Overweight and plagued with low self-esteem,
Tracy
encounters a unique group of kids her age, one of whom she battles,
another who
becomes her friend, and a third who just might become her boyfriend…
My teacher flunked the planet by Bruce Coville. Book 4 of the popular comedy science-fiction My teacher... series. From the back cover: "Peter Thompson, a typical seventh-grader, finds himself touring the planet with his friends Susan Simmons and Duncan Dougal, and three aliens in disguise! Their mission? To file the final report that will determine Earth's future in the universe. As the clock ticks away the hours before their meeting in space, the tour becomes weirder and weirder. The three friends come face to face with a plague of poots and "Big Julie" - the weirdest alien yet! Meanwhile, Peter discovers a secret hidden for decades. Will his discovery save the Earth, or is it already too late to stop the aliens from destroying the planet?"
Night hoops by Carl Deuker. Nick Abbot and
Trent
Dawson both come from troubled families and both excel at basketball.
They
practice together, forming a friendship that is tested as they both
strive to
make their high school’s team while dealing with family issues.
Peter and the
Starcatchers by Dave Barry. "Orphan Peter sails from England on
the ship Never Land and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, guard a
trunk of magical stardust from the hands of greedy pirates."
Razzle by Ellen Wittlinger. Razzle is a
curious girl
who works at a junkyard. New to Cape Cod, teenage Kenyon is quite taken
with
her artistic view of life and how beautifully she photographs. Then
good-looking Harley steps into the picture, becoming the third point of
a
destructive love triangle…
Revenge of the
Witch by Joseph Delaney. In "The Last Apprentice" series of
books, Tom is the 7th son of the 7th son. the job he is apprenticed to
do: guard the land from witches, boggarts and ghasts.
Sammy Keyes and
the dead giveaway by Wendelin Van Draanen. Book 10 in the
popular mystery series, featuring everyone's favorite teenage girl
detective: Sammy Keyes.
The school story by Andrew Clements.
Fast-talking,
risk-taking Zoe acts as agent while the careful-yet-persistent Natalie
pulls
strings behind the scenes at her mother’s publishing company. These two
middle-school-age girls embark on a humorous, engrossing quest to make
an
unlikely dream come true: publishing Natalie’s book.
The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney. "Eben McAllister's father promises him a train ticket to Colorado if he can find seven wonders in the small community of Sassafras Springs."
Snake dreamer by Priscilla Galloway. A
strange but
believable adventure set on an island from which our female protagonist
knows
she must escape…but not before she solves the riddle contained in her
“snake
dreams.”
Small Steps
by Louis Sachar. The sequel to Holes
follows the African-American character Armpit after his experience at
Camp Green Lake.
Speak by
Laurie Halse Anderson. A high school girl refuses to speak due to a
harrowing incident she suffered. What will it take for her to regain
her ability to communicate?
Songs of power by Hilari Bell. Human beings live under the sea after ecological disaster strikes Earth. Young Imina, contrary to the others who live in their underwater habitat, believes more in magic than in science, and tries to cultivate her fledgling magical powers in an effort to solve a mystery that threatens her fragile underwater world.
Tangerine by Edward Bloor. The story examines the “elephants in the living room” that parents/family members don't want to acknowledge, such as what happened to teenage Paul's eyesight when he was five. The narrative also looks at animosity between siblings, in this case two brothers, and the favoritism that parents can bestow on the family "star."
True believer by Virginia Euwer Wolff. The
sway of
religion is examined via the conversion and "saving" of LaVaughn's
two best friends. They accept without question the teachings of their
new
church, whereas LaVaughn is too smart to be a "true believer" except
when it comes to Life and making the most of one’s chances.
Uglies and
its sequel, Pretties by Scott
Westerfeld. These books examine the value of beauty and just how far
people (and culture) will go to attain it. If you like these books,
look for Westerfeld's recently released third book in the series, Specials.
A week in the
woods by Andrew Clements. The plot: rich kid versus
down-to-earth Science
teacher during a week-long 5th-grade field trip into the wilds. Very
believable characters learn a lot about life and settling differences
in this unusual story.
The year my parents ruined my life by Martha Freeman. An unexpected move from California to Pennsylvania forces reluctant 12-year-old Kate to come to grips with relocation issues.
Zach’s lie by Roland Smith. Zach Granger is forced to tell lies once his parents become involved in the Witness Protection Program and move to Nevada. A school custodian, a new girlfriend and his journal combine to help him through his difficult situation.