Breaking Stalin's Nose

by Eugene Velchin
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Award:  2016-17 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee, 2012 Newberry Honor Book

"Anything ever happens to me, go see your Aunt Larisa.  She'll put you up." Sasha's dad whispers in his ear one night.  Sasha is growing up in Communist Russia and since a very young age has been waiting for the moment he turns ten so that he can become a Young Pioneer and pledge his loyalty to Stalin.  Hours after his father whispers to him, the secret police come and escort his father away and take him to prison.  The police tell Sasha they will be back for him in the morning.  Sasha remembers his father's words, but when he gets to Larisa, his uncle refuses to take him in.  Sasha has no choice but to fend for himself until he can figure out a way to get to Stalin and explain that this is all just a big misunderstanding.

Capture the Flag

by Kate Messner
Lexile:  700
Genre:  Mystery
Award: 2016-17 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee

Anna, Jose, and Henry are at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. with their parents.  They have never met before, but their lives are about to intersect around the mysterious theft of the original Star Spangled Banner.  They speak for the first time in the airport where a snowstorm has cancelled all flights.  They hear that the flag has been stolen and figure that there is a good chance that whoever took it, might be trying to sneak it out by plane.  Rather that be bored in the airport, they decide to investigate.  Is there a criminal mastermind in their midst?

The Summer of the Wolves

by Polly Carlson-Voiles
Lexile:  790
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Nika and her brother Randall are trying to find a permanent home.  Their parents have died so that has meant a series of foster homes.  Nika and Randall are happy with Meg, their foster mother of eleven months until the day that their social worker calls with the good news that their uncle in Northern Minnesota has offered to have them come to visit.  Nika is less than excited about the idea of leaving her friends in sunny California to move to the wilderness, but it turns out, she does not have a choice.  Shortly after she arrives, she and her uncle rescue an abandoned wolf pup and Nika starts to think that maybe this strange new place could be a new beginning for her and her brother.

Orbiting Jupiter

by Gary D. Schmidt
Lexile: 740
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Jack is about to meet his new foster brother, Joseph.  He doesn't know much about him other then these three things:
    1) Joseph almost killed a teacher.
    2) Joseph has been locked up in a juvenile detention center.
    3) Joseph has a daughter who he has never seen.
Jack doesn't know what it is going to be like to live with Joseph and at first it is difficult.  But over time, Joseph begins to trust Jack and as he starts to feel more comfortable, Joseph begins to open up about his life.  Jack is determined to show Joseph that their are good people in the world that will have his back, no matter what...

Winter (Lunar Chronicles Book 4)

by Marissa Meyer
Lexile:  800
Genre:  Fantasy

This is the 4th book in the Lunar Chronicles where we finally find out whether or not the long lost Princess Selene (Cinder) will defeat the evil Queen Levana for control of Luna.  In order for this to happen, Cinder is going to need the help of Scarlet and Wolf, Cress and Thorne, Winter and Jacin, and of course Kai, the emperor who is soon to be the husband of Levana.  Can this team of unlikely heroes, take down the most powerful ruler?

An Ember in the Ashes

by Sabaa Tahir
Lexile:  680
Genre:  Fantasy

Laia has a great life.  She lives with her grandparents and her beloved older brother.  Her grandfather is training her to be a healer.  But one night, the Martial Empire comes, slaughters her grandparents and takes her brother hostage.  Laia escapes only to be captured by a resistance fighter.  They are willing to bargain with her.  If she spies at Blackcliff, where the Empire's soldiers are trained, they will help get her brother out of prison.  But, if she is discovered, the penalty is death.  Laia doesn't see any other way out.  When she goes under cover as a slave, she meets Elisas, who is a solider at Blackcliff.  Neither of them are truly free and they are going to need each other if they are both to survive.