The Window

by Michael Dorris
Lexile:  920

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Rayona can't count on her mom who has good days and bad days.  On a good day, she and her mother have "national holiday" celebrations.  On a bad day, her mom forgets to come home and is too sick to go to work the next morning.  And then one day, her mom doesn't come home at all.  Rayona learns that she has been placed in a court ordered rehab facility.  Her father isn't able to care for her either so he makes arrangements for her to go into foster care.  After two families don't work out, her father decides to send her to live with his mother and sister, neither of whom Rayona has met before.  But before the three can meet, her father has to reveal a secret he's kept for a long time.

Invisible

by Pete Hautman
Lexile:  730
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Doug Hanson is a loner and is often picked on by other kids in his school.  His only hobby is building and creating a model train town in his basement.  He has one friend, Andy, who is the opposite of Doug.  Andy is popular, plays football and has friends throughout the school.  But something happens that changes both Andy and Doug's life forever, and Doug is left trying to sort out what is real and what isn't.

The Summer I Learned to Fly

by Dana Reinhardt
Lexile:  750
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Drew has a lot of time to spend alone this summer.  Her mother is involved with her new business and her new boyfriend.  When Drew meets Emmett one night, she feels as if she has found someone that finally understands her.  But the more she learns about Emmett, the more she realizes she doesn't know.  What secret is he hiding?

Ninth Ward

by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Lexile:  470
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Twelve year old Lanesha lives in New Orleans with Mama Ya-Ya, a friend of her mother's who has been raising her since she was born.  Mama Ya-Ya claims to see int the future so she knows that the hurricane the forecasters are warning about is going to be a big one.  Lanesha has never seen Mama Ya-Ya so worried.  Will they and their neighbors be able to survive Hurricane Katrina?

Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy

by Albert Marrin
Lexile:  1000
Genre:  Informational

Life in New York City changed forever on March 25, 1911 when the Trianlge Shirtwaist Factory in New York City burst into flames.  146 people - mostly women - died because they were unable to safely exit the rapidly burning building.  This informational book provides the background on how so many immigrants came to be working in factories like this one and describes the dedication of many who fought so hard for working people's rights and freedoms.

Scat

by Carl Hiaasen
Lexile:  810
Genre:  Mystery

Nick and Marta's biology teacher is missing.  At first they're not too upset, as Ms. Starch is not their favorite teacher.  But her mysterious disappearance during a field trip to the Black Vine Swamp, has them wondering.  And then there's their classmate, Duane Scrod, Jr.  He's not acting normally either.  Nick and Marta decide to investigate Ms. Starch's disappearance on their own which leads them on an adventure they never expected!

The Eleventh Plague

by Jeff Hirsch
Lexile:  790
Genre:  Science Fiction

This science fiction novel is set in the future.  The America as we know it today has disappeared forever.  A brutal war wiped out a good part of the population and 2/3 of those left died from an influenza like plague.  For the remaining citizens, it is all about survival.  Stephen Quinn is 15 and doesn't remember the easy life his parents do - where there were homes, food, schools, and shopping malls on every corner.  The reality of his life is salvaging.  He, along with his grandfather and father, travel the country looking for things to trade for their basic needs.  But when his grandfather and father die, Stephen is left alone.  Will he be able to survive?

Hidden

by Helen Frost
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Novel in Verse

Wren and Darra meet at camp when they are 14, but it is not the first time they've met and neither one of them wants to talk about it.  Wren was 8 years old when Darra's father stole the car she was in and unknowingly kidnapped her.  Wren hid in Darra's garage without food and water for several days before she escaped.  As a result, Darra's dad was sent to jail.  Wren has worked hard to put this incident behind her and Darra has worked hard at building a life without her father.  Then suddenly, the two are face to face, having to share a cabin, friends, and 4 weeks of their lives.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Third Wheel

by Jeff Kinney
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Greg is back in a new middle school adventure. This time he's trying to find a date to the school's Valentine's day dance, but as you would expect, things are never easy for Greg.  Each time he comes up with a plan to ask a girl, something happens to spoil his plans.  In the end, he and Rowley decide to go as a group, but even then, the evening doesn't turn out quite like Greg had planned!

Reached

by Ally Conde
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Science Fiction

Reached is the conclusion to the Matched Triolgy.  Cassia, Ky, and Xander have each been following different paths, but have been working towards the same goal:  overcoming the Society by being a part of the Rising.  But then the Plague strikes and people begin to die.  There are so many questions and no one knows who to trust.  Will Cassia, Ky, and Xander be reunited?  And if so, will they and their loved ones all survive?

Swindle

by Gordon Korman
Lexile:  710
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Griffin is the Man with a Plan and this time his plan just might include breaking the law.  But, in his mind, he's only trying to get back something that was wrongly taken from him.  In order to reclaim his property, he will hava to assemble a team that will be able to maneuver around a high tech security system, a nosy neighbor, and a couple of serious guard dogs.  Griffin thinks he has everything covered, until the plan actually gets under way.

Steve Jobs: Thinking Differently

by Patricia Lakin
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Biography

Steve Jobs, the cofounder and chairman of Apple, has at times been called a variety of names:  "inventor, third grade terror, pioneer, college dropout, visionary, geek, and revolutionary."  No one who knew Steve as a child or teenager would have expected him to lead such an extraordinary life.  His inventions and companies have changed people's lives throughout the world.

Fatty Legs

by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Memoir

Margaret is an Inuit girl growing up in the High Arctic.  She begs her father to let her go live with the "outsiders" so that she can go to school and learn to read.  Her father and older sister caution her that living with the "outsiders" is no easy thing.  But Margaret is determined.  She wants an education and is willing to sacrifice whatever she has to, to get one.

Picture Perfect

by D. Anne Love
Lexile:  860
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

14 year old Phoebe Trask has a picture perfect life until her mother leaves on a business trip and doesn't come back.  Then a new neighbor moves in next door and her father seems to have become instant friends with her.  Phoebe is forced to cope with life changes that she didn't ask for.  Will her family ever be perfect again?

Runner

by Carl Deuker
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Chance Taylor has to worry about lots of things his friends take for granted.  His father is an alcoholic who struggles with hanging on to a consistent job so Chance is often the only one earning money for his family.  He has a job he hates that pays him a minimum wage, so when he is approached by a stranger about earning some easy money, he is in.  However, with the easy money, comes the worry about what's in the packages that he is collecting and delivering.  Does Chance know what he has really gotten into?

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

by Kristin Levine
Lexile:  680
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Harry "Dit" Sims is expected when he learns that a new boy just his age is moving to town.  Imagine his surprise when he learns that the boy is actually a girl and the girl and her family are black.  An unlikely and at times dangerous friendship forms between the two.  When a terrible crime is committed, it could mean the end of their friendship...or it could be just the beginning.

Day of Tears

by Julius Lester
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Sarah and Frances have been raised by Emma, a slave, owned by Pierce Butler.  Pierce has a gambling addiction and realizes that in order to pay off his debts, he must auction off all of his slaves.  It is the biggest slave auction in American history, and raises over $300,000, but it costs Pierce Butler the respect of his daughters and ultimately his humanity.

Hurricane Song

by Paul Volponi
Lexile:  850
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Miles has recently moved to New Orleans to live with a father he hardly knows.  His father's first love is music and Miles isn't sure how long he wants to stick around in second place.  But his relationship with his father changes, when Hurricane Katrina strikes.  He and his father are among the thousands of evacuees who are riding out the storm in the Superdome.  If Miles survives this, he knows his life will have changed forever.

Begging for Change

by Sharon G. Flake
Lexile:  1060
Genre:  Realistic Fiction
(Sequel to Money Hungry)

Raspberry Hill and her mom have a tough life and they are both working hard to change it.  Her mother is in the hospital with a serious head injury as a result of a fight she got into with another girl who lives on their street.  Raspberry just wants to earn enough money so that she and her mom can live in a safe place.  She's tired of being the only one without a real home.  Her jealously causes her to steal money from people who are trying to help her, just as her dad has stolen from her.  Can Raspberry make things right with her friends and find a safe life for her mother?

Money Hungry

by Sharon G. Flake
Lexile:  650
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Raspberry Hill hasn't had an easy life.  Her mom tries to make ends meet by working a lot of jobs, but there never seems to be quite enough money for them to find a stable home in a good neighborhood.  So Raspberry has learned that having money buys security so she is constantly looking for ways to earn it.  She sells chocolate and pencils at school, washes windshields on the street, and cleans homes for elderly women.  But a misunderstanding forces a confrontation with her mom, and Raspberry finds herself right back where she started - no home and no money.

Flush

by Carl Hiaasen
Lexile:  830
Genre:  Mystery

Noah's dad has a temper and it has gotten him in trouble this time.  He is trying to stop a casino boat's illegal dumping, but now that he's in jail, Noah and his sister, Abbey, have to pick up the mystery where their father left off, to prove that he is innocent.  Meanwhile, the casino boat is still dropping its crud into the ocean.  Noah and Abbey are determined to put a stop to the nasty pollution.

Ascend

by Amanda Hocking
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Fantasy

Wendy is facing a new challenge.  Now that she is Queen, does she give herself to the Vittra to protect her people or does she stay and fight for her throne? Either decision is going to lead to a brutal battle that will hurt the people she has grown to love.  Read this exciting conclusion to the Trylle trilogy.

The Raft

by S.A. Bodeen
Lexile:  680
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Robie doesn't have an ordinary life.  Growing up on Midway Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean can be quite exciting, but it can also get boring.  Each summer, Robie gets to spend a month with her aunt in Hawaii.  Unexpectedly, her aunt is called out of town, so Robie is left on her own.  Robie decides to head home early and books herself a flight on a supply plane that's heading back to Midway Island.  The problem is that the phones on the island aren't working so her parents don't know she's on her way home.  Halfway there, the plane encounters a storm so severe that one of the engines stalls.  As the plane plummets to the ocean, Robie wonders if she will ever see her parents again.  Then, suddenly, she's in the middle of the ocean, alive, but in a raft...with nothing...

A Tinfoil Sky

by Cyndi Sand-Eveland
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Mel and her mother Cecily have moved around a lot.  So when her mom tells her that they're going "home" to Riverview, Mel is really excited.  Maybe they'll be able to get a real house and stay in one place for awhile.  But as usual, things don't turn out the way Cecily plans.  Her attempts to reunite with her mother, Gladys, don't work out so Mel and Cecily find themselves living in their car and singing on the street to raise money for food.  It's not great, but Mel figures that they'll be okay as long as they stay together.  Then, one night, Cecily disappears and Mel is left all alone.

Wonder

by R.J. Palacio
Lexile:  790
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Austin has never been to school before.  His parents have decided that as a 5th grader it's time to switch from home school to a private school, Beecher Prep.  Going to middle school is tough enough for the average kid, but August is different.  He was born with a severe facial deformity that frightens most people when they see him.  Will the students at Beecher Prep be able to look beyond Auggie's face and see the extraordinary person he is?

Torn

by Amanda Hocking
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Fantasy

In book two of the Trylle Trilogy, Wendy has accepted the fact that she is a changeling - someone who has been switched at birth - but the more she learns about her past, the more her future is threatened.  Should she side with her father and the Vittra clan or is her rightful place in Trylle where she is being groomed to take over for the queen?  Wendy is torn...and knows she must make the decision that is right for herself and for the people she will rule.

Switched

by Amanda Hocking
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Fantasy

Imagine if you woke up one morning and found out that everything you thought was true, was a lie...Wendy knows she's had a different life - her mother tried to kill her when she was 6 so she has been raised by her brother and aunt.  Until one day this mysterious new boy, Finn, shows up at Wendy's school, and tells her that she is a changeling - someone who had been switched at birth.  If Wendy decides that he's telling the truth, her life will change forever.

The Beef Princess of Practical County

by Michelle Houts
Lexile:  810
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Libby is getting the chance she always wanted.  She is going to be able to show a calf at the Practical County Fair.  Libby has grown up on her family's ranch and watched her brother, Ronnie, win lots of prizes.  She and her granddad choose two special fair calves that become Libby's sole responsibility.  Over the course of the summer, Libby learns a lot about raising cattle, her family, and herself.

Fish

by Gregory Mone
Lexile:  810
Genre:  Historical Fiction

"Fish" can swim like no one has ever seen before.  His family has sent him to the city to work as a courier.  One day he is sent on an errand to the docks where he feels most at home.  As he's about to make his delivery, the purse of coins that he was carrying is stolen.  As he chases after the thief, he is led onboard a pirate ship.  Before he realizes it, he is sailing away, and has to make a choice.  Does he jump off before it's too late or continue his quest to reclaim what was stolen from him?

Storm Runners: Eruption

by Roland Smith
Lexile:  590
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Chase has just survived Hurricane Emily so his life should slow down.  Nope!  Thanks to his storm chasing father, they are now on their way to Mexico where an earthquake has occurred and a volcano is threatening to errupt.  And to make matters worse, the Rossi Brothers' Circus caravan is unaccounted for which means that more wild animals may be on the loose. Will Chase be able to survive this expedition?

Storm Runners: The Surge

by Roland Smith
Lexile:  600
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Chase Masters and his father chase storms.  In book one, Chase and his friends are in the midst of Hurricane Emily.  Book two picks up with the storm in full force.  Chase is trapped on his friend Nicole's family farm.  However, this is no ordinary farm.  Nicole and her family run a circus and many of the animals in their care have escaped from their cages as a result of the hurricane.  Suddenly, Chase and his friends have more to fear than the storm itself!

Cinder

by Marissa Meyer
Lexile:  790
Genre:  Science Fiction

New Beijing is ready for the ball.  Prince Kai is searching for a wife, and all the girls in town are planning for the big event.  But then there's Cinder....part human, part cyborg, trapped in her stepmother's home, with no hope of being allowed to attend.  A chance encounter leads her to meet Prince Kai which launches a series of events that will change her life forever.  Will Cinder and Prince Kai find true love?

Storm Mountain

by Tom Birdseye
Lexile:  740
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Cat and Ty's fathers were world famous mountain climbers, brothers, and best friends.  Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, their lives were cut short.  Now Cat and Ty are left behind to live without them.  Ty comes up with a daring plan.  To honor their fathers, he thinks they should climb Storm Mountain to disperse their ashes.  Cat doesn't think it's a good idea, but when Ty takes off on his own, she decides that she has no choice but to follow.

Who Were the Beatles?

by Geoff Edgers
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Biography

How did four unknown boys from Liverpool, England become a world-famous rock band of the '60s?  Read this book to learn about the exciting lives of John, Paul, Ringo and George!

True (...sort of)

by Katherine Hannigan
Lexile:  440
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Delly's having trouble staying out of trouble.  Again.  But her brother is going to try to help her.  Then along comes a new girl, Ferris Boyd, who Delly can just not figure out.  As her life gets busier trying to figure out her new friend, staying out of trouble gets easier.  But now Delly is afraid that her friend is in serious trouble and she's really not sure what to do about it.

Johnny Swanson

by Eleanor Updale
Lexile:  740
Genre:  Historical Fiction/Mystery

Johnny and his mother are barely making ends meet.  His mom works two jobs to earn enough to pay the rent so Johnny comes up with a scheme to help them earn extra money.  The problem is, his idea is illegal and involves swindling innocent people out of money.  But them his mother his accused of murder.  The police and the whole town are convinced that she is guilty.  It is up to Johnny to prove her innocence and set her free.

Becoming Little Women

by Jeannine Arkins
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Louisa May Alcott, the famous author of Little Women, lived an interesting life.  This novel tells of the year at age 10 when Louisa and her family moved to Fruitlands as an experiment to see whether or not they could survive without money and by eating only what they could grow on their farm.  The experiment fails and the family is forced to move in with friends as the winter approaches, but Louisa learns a lot about life, her family, and what it takes to survive.

Beneath a Meth Moon

by Jacqueline Woodson
Lexile:  730
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Laurel wishes she could turn back time.  Her life was so much simpler when her mother and grandmother were alive.  Now she is struggling with facing her new reality.  That struggle leads her to new friends who introduce her to drugs.  The drugs take the pain of her life away and Laurel is sure she can handle it.  But things quickly spin out of control and Laurel finds herself living on the streets, wondering if she is going to survive.

Brixton Brothers: The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity

by Mac Barnett
Lexile:  590
Genre:  Mystery

Steve Brixton is not a detective.  Well, at least he wasn't until the librarians nearly had him arrested for treason.  Proving that he is innocent turns out to be quite an adventure!

Fly Girl

by Sherri L. Smith
Lexile:  680
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Ida Mae Jones wants to fly.  The only way for this to happen is for her to lie.  She will have to lie about having a valid pilot's license, but more importantly, she will have to lie about who she is.  She knows that the only way she will be accepted into the Women's Airforce Service Pilots program, is to pretend that she is white.  With her light skin, it just may be possible, but that will mean turning her back on her friends and family.  And, if discovered, could be deadly for her.  But Ida Mae wants to fly, more than anything else in the whole world.

Hoot

by Carl Hiaasen
Lexile:  760
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Roy Eberhardt is the new kid in town.  The first person he meets is the biggest bully in school.  The second person he meets is a strange kid who runs barefoot past the bus stop in the morning.  The third person is the toughest soccer player on the girl's team who tells him to mind his own business.  Roy senses a mystery and decides to investigate, never dreaming that it will lead to a city wide protest to save some burrowing owls. 

Crazy

by Han Nolan

Lexile:  660
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Jason's world is falling a part.  His mother has died, his father is crazy, and he is totally alone.  At 15, it all seems too much to handle.  He has decided to become invisible and rely on only himself and some imaginary characters he hears in his head, rather than seek help for his living situation which is rapidly going down hill.  But when Jason is referred to the school counseling group, he meets 3 people who seem to want to be his friends.  Having friends would be a welcome addition to his lonely life, but how many of his secrets will he be able to hide?

Dark Life

by Kat Falls
Lexile:  690
Genre:  Science Fiction

The world has changed forever...and there is no longer enough room on land for everyone.  Some brave pioneers have begun settlements on the bottom of the ocean where there is land enough for everyone.  But living in a world at the bottom of the ocean is not easy, especially now that the outlaws are on the loose.  Ty and his family have been happy with their lives, but when he meets Gemma, a girl from above, the life that he and his parents have created is threatened.  Ty has been keeping secrets and they are about to be revealed.

Saving Zasha

by Randi Barrow
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Historical Fiction

World War II has just ended and Mikhail is trying to adjust to life without his father who has not been heard from in a very long time.  One day, Mikhail finds a wounded soldier and his German shepherd.  He and his family make the brave decision to try and save them both.  Unfortunately, the soldier dies, and Mikhail's family has to make a choice.  Do they turn the dog over to authorities who would most likely kill her or do they keep her secret and try to save her life?  Saving Zasha will turn out to be harder than they imagine.

A Long Walk to Water

by Linda Sue Park
Lexile:  720
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

This is the story of Nya and Salva, told in a parallel narrative that converges at the end of the story.  Nya lives in Sudan and spends her days getting water for her family.  It takes her an entire day to walk to the pond twice to fill their drinking containers.  Salva is walking.  Walking to survive.  There is war in his country and he is forced to leave his village and his family when the fighting gets to close.  Nya and Salva are both determined to survive.

Faith, Hope, and Ivy June

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Lexile:  900
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Ivy June of Thunder Creek and Catherine of Lexington are about to take part in their first ever student-school exchange program.  Ivy June from rural Kentucky (no phone, no running water, outhouse) is going to stay with Catherine from the big city (cell phones, computers, 4 bedroom, 5 bathroom house) for two weeks.  Ivy June has no idea what people from Lexington are like and Catherine doesn't know what to expect life out in the mountains will be like.  In this book, both girls keep a journal that explores their thoughts and feelings about the differences between their lives.  Surprisingly though, they are both able to find similarities and a new friendship is born that will help each of them cope with situations in their lives that are beyond their control.

Diamond Willow

by Helen Frost
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Poetic Novel

Twelve year old Willow is trying to figure out who she is.  She desperately wants her family to see her as a grown up young lady.  She wishes she could make more friends at school.  Willow spends most of her time with her family's sled dogs, in particular with one named Roxy.  When Willow convinces her parents to let her make the journey to her grandparent's home with her dogs across the Alaskan wilderness, she feels ready to take on the challenge.  But a surprising accident, leads to consequences that Willow isn't ready for.

Bad Girls Don't Die

by Katie Alender
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Horror/Suspense

Alexis and Kasey are like most sisters; sometimes friends and sometimes enemies.  But lately, Alexis has noticed that Kasey has been acting strangely.  Things get even more strange when unusual events start happening in their house.  Who or what is responsible for the changes?

Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet

by Kirk Scroggs
Lexile:  ???
Genre: Fantasy

Danvers Blickensderfer is a relatively ordinary kid.  Except for the fact that his favorite things are Muppets and his biggest hero in the world is Gonzo.  Danvers goes to bed one night as his regular old ordinary self, only to wake up in the morning to discover that he's actually turned into a Muppet!  Could this be his big chance to achieve fame, fortune, and stardom?

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip

by Jordan Sonnenblick
Lexile:  800
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Pete and AJ are all star pitchers and best friends, looking forward to break into the high school scene.  But an injury during the summer baseball season, changes Pete's life forever.  At the encouragement of his grandfather, he invests his new found free time in photography.  He meets an interesting girl, Angelika, and at the same time begins to notice some strange things his grandfather is doing.  Pete learns that life is never simple.