Anya's Ghost

by Vera Brosgol
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Fantasy (Graphic Novel)

Anya is having trouble adjusting to life in an American high school.  Things look up for a bit when she meets a mysterious ghost on the way home from school.  At first the ghost seems friendly and helpful, but as time goes on, Anya begins to see another side of her, a dark and evil side.  Anya begins to question the version of the story the ghost told her about how she died.  With a little help from a real friend and some research, Anya quickly realizes she needs to put this ghost to rest for good.

Eight Keys

by Suzanne LaFleur
Lexile:  590
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Elise is having a tough time adjusting to middle school.  Her locker partner is a bully and everyone thinks that her best friend, Franklin, is a baby.  Elise is trying to understand who she is and how friends and middle school are all going to fit into her 6th grade life.  Every year on her birthday, Elise receives a letter from her father, who died when she was very young.  This year she gets the final letter which leads her to the discovery of a key.  Each key that she finds helps her unlock the puzzle of who she is, where she came from, and where she is going.

Front and Center

by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Lexile:  980
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

D.J. Schwenk has missed a lot of school helping her brother recover from a career ending football injury.  Now she's back and it's time for the basketball season to begin.  Her coach and her family have big hopes for her and soon college scouts from Division 1 schools are scouting are coming to her tiny Wisconsin town to watch her play.  D.J. knows that she wants college to be part of her future, but not sure if she's ready for the pressure of a D-1 school.  And while she's trying to sort out her future, Brian Nelson her on again off again boyfriend is suddenly showing up at her house again.  D.J. wonders if her life will ever be "normal".

The Off Season

by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Lexile:  1160
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

D.J. Schwenk has survived the summer and is looking forward to an exciting year as a junior - playing football and basketball.  But a serious injury to her shoulder, forces her to give up football in order to protect her basketball career.  And then her relationship with Brian Nelson is on and off and on and off again.  Then, to make matters worse her older brother Win suffers a career ending football injury and D.J. is the one that her family turns to to help him recover.

The False Prince

by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Lexile:  710
Genre:  Fantasy

Sage's life is about to change forever.  He's been living an ordinary life in an orphanage until one day when Connor, a nobleman of the court,  removes him from the orphanage and reveals a plan that could make Sage the most powerful man in the kingdom, IF he wins the contest.  If he isn't the winner, it most likely means his life will be over.  Neither option appeals to Sage, but he is willing to do what it will take for him to survive.  Even if it means spending the rest of his life living out a lie.

The Journey Back

by Priscilla Cummings
Lexile: 810
Genre:  Realistic Fiction
(Sequel to The Red Kayak)

Digger is on his way back.  Ever since the accident and the trial, Digger has been trying to find his way. He thought that running away from the juvenile detention center was a step in the right direction, but that has led to more wrongs than rights.  He has stolen a truck, a bike, a canoe, all because he wants to get home to protect his family.  Does that justify the laws he has broken?

The Bully Book

by Eric Kahn Gale
Lexile:  620
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Eric is looking forward to the start of 6th grade.  His friend Donovan will be back from camp and they are finally the oldest kids in the school.  But right from the start, things are different.  Donovan refuses to talk to him.  Jason and Adrian gang up on him and suddenly everyone in the class is making fun of him and calling him the Grunt.  Eric knows something is going on...and it has to do with The Bully Book.

Chickadee

by Louise Erdrich
Lexile:  800
Genre:  Historical Fiction

It is1866 and book four in the Birchbark House series, readers catch up with Omakayas, her husband Animikiins, and their twin sons, Chickadee and Makoons.  Her twins have spent every waking moment together - learning to help their family and getting into mischief along the way.  But this time, an innocent trick angers the wrong people and Chicakee is kidnapped.  Will he be able to find his way back to his family?

Dairy Queen

by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Lexile:  990
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

DJ Schwenk is having a terrible summer.  Her father injured his hip, her brothers have moved away, her mother is working two jobs, so that leaves her to milk the cows twice a day and keep the family dairy farm afloat.  DJ has to sacrifice a lot - she had to give up volleyball and basketball and spending time with her best friend.  Then, a family friend asks DJ for a favor.  Would she be willing to spend the summer training the quarterback of her school's rival football team?  Brian Nelson needs toughening up and his coach thinks DJ is just the person for the job.