The Crossover

by Kwame Alexander
Lexile:  750
Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse

Josh and Jordan Bell are twin brothers and the sons of the famous Chuck "Da Man" Bell, former basketball star.  Josh and Jordan are well on their way to becoming basketball stars as well and their dad is a huge part of their success.  But their dad has a secret.  He doesn't like doctors or hospitals and refuses to go for a check up.  His father died of heart disease at age 45 so he is at an increased risk. Josh and Jordan are best of friends until Josh gets a girlfriend and suddenly he doesn't seem to need Jordan like he used to.  Jordan feels left out without Josh and is worried about his father's health.  It's a good thing he has basketball to keep him going, but then he makes a stupid decision that costs him his spot on the team and his brother's friendship.

The Elite (Book 2 in the The Selection series)

by Kiera Cass
Lexile:  680
Genre:  Dystopian

Prince Maxon has eliminated the 35 contenders for his bride to 6 and America Singer is one of them. Still torn between whether or not she can see a future with Maxon, she agrees to stay and give their relationship more time to develop.  Just as she is beginning to feel secure in what they have together, her friend Marlee is caught in a situation that violates the Selection rules.  Maxon expects America to stand by as she is punished, but America refuses to do so.  She has know jeopardized her relationship with Maxon and her actions have made her an enemy of Maxon's influential father, the king.  Are her days at the palace numbered?

He Forgot to Say Goodbye

by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Lexile:  480
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Ramiro Lopez and Jake Upthegrove live very different lives.  Ramiro  lives with his mom and brother in a working class Mexican-American neighborhood and attends the local high school.  Jake lives with his mom and stepfather in a rich, exclusive neighborhood and attends a magnet school for students planning to enter the medical profession.  The one thing they do have in common is the absence of their fathers in the their lives.  Ram and Jake both have different ways of dealing with this and it has shaped who they are as young men.  When their paths cross, they realize that despite their differences, they are going to need each other in order to face the future.

The Selection

by Kiera Cass
Lexile:  680
Genre:  Dystopian

America Singer has the change of a lifetime.  She has been selected as one of the lucky 35 ladies in the kingdom to meet the handsome Prince Maxon and compete for his heart.  The prince must choose one of the 35 to be his bride and some of the girls will stop at nothing to gain his attention.  America isn't sure how she feels.  Participating in the selection is something she thought she was doing to help her family.  America is certain that she is in love with Aspen and sees herself spending the rest of her life with him.  And then she meets Maxon...

The Secret of the Old Clock

by Carolyn Keene
Lexile:  760
Genre:  Mystery

If you have a mystery to solve, Nancy Drew, girl detective, is the person to call.  This is Nancy's first solo investigation.  It involves a missing will, furniture thieves and some greedy relatives.  Nancy's dad, the famous Carson Drew, is the best lawyer in River Heights and she has learned many of her great sleuthing tricks from watching him solve his cases over the years.  Nancy befriends some relatives of the late Josiah Crowley who would directly benefit if his last will could be found.  As an added bonus, if she is able to solve this case, her enemies, the rude and spoiled Topham sisters, won't get the share of the estate that they think they deserve.  It's all up to Nancy to save the day!

The Giver

by Lois Lowry
Lexile:  760
Genre:  Science Fiction

Jonas lives in a perfect world where everything is carefully controlled. He is about to turn twelve which means that he will be entering adulthood and will be given an assigned role in the Community. The Elders plan very carefully for the Ceremony of the Twelves as each role given must be an exact fit.  Jonas is nervous...he is not sure that he’s ready to become an adult and isn’t sure exactly what role in the Community he wants.  When his moment at the ceremony comes, he is skipped.  No one knows what that means, until the very end when Jonas learns that he has been selected for the most important role in the Community.  Ready or not, Jonas’ life is about to change forever.

Numbers

by Rachel Ward
Lexile:  650
Genre:  Science Fiction

Ever since her mother died, Jem has realized that she has a strange gift.  When she locks eyes with them, she sees a number.  That number represents their death.  At first Jem doesn't let it bother her as she has refused to get close to anyone since her other died.  But now she has met Spider...even though she knows that he has only a few months left to live, she decides to take a chance on building a friendship.  She has no idea how much befriending Spider will change her life.

We Were Liars

by E. Lockhart

Lexile:  600

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

The Sinclairs are a powerful family.  They all come together every summer on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts.  Johnny, Mirren, Cady, and Gat are a close knit group who spend each summer roaming about the island while the adults fight and argue about who is to get what as they watch their parents age.  The summer of 15 is the one that changes their lives forever...will life ever be the same again?

Mr. Terupt Falls Again

by Rob Buyea
Lexile:  680
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Mr. Terupt's class gets to spend one more year together.  Given the trauma of their 5th grade year, their principal has decided to let them continue on to 6th grade as a group.  Mr. Terupt is back and ready to challenge his students with exciting new projects that will bring them even closer.  Each student will experience personal struggles, but if they can work together, it's possible that everyone can have a happy ending.

Monsters (Ashes Trilogy Book #3)

by Iisa J. Bick
Lexile:  770
Genre:  Science Fiction

Alex, Tom, and Ellie found each other right after the world fell apart.  Now they have been frantically trying to stay alive and find a way to get back to each other.  The strange new world is continuing to evolve - the Changed are becoming more plentiful and more dangerous.  None of them know who they can really trust or how they will be able to survive, but they all have one thing in common - they refuse to give up.