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.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Old School

by Jeff Kinney
Lexile:  1020
Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Is life better now or was it better in the "olden days"?  Greg Heffley is trying to figure out that question as his mother has embarked on a quest to get their town to eliminate modern technology for one weekend.  As if that wasn't enough, Greg's grandpa has moved into the family and displaced him from his room.  Having to share with Manny is hard enough, and now Greg's dad is harder on him them ever because he wants his father to approve of the way he is raising his boys.  After an incident with Grandpa and the car, Greg opts to go on a class trip to Hardscrabble Farm where boys and girls are taught to exist without modern conveniences.  Will Greg survive his "old school" experience?

The Last Star (The Final Book of the 5th Wave)

by Rick Yancey
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Science Fiction, Dystopia

Who is the real enemy?  Is it the others? Or is it us?  They want the Earth.  Or do they? They came to destroy.  Or did they come to save?  For those who are left, there are no easy answers and no clear path that will save them.  Cassie, Ringer, Zombie, and Nugget are all who are left. It will be up to them to figure out the truth if they are able to save themselves or saves what makes them all human.

Drowned City

Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
Written and Illustrated by Don Brown
Lexile:  GN920
Genre:  Informational, Graphic Novel
Award:  Orbis Pictus Award

This is the first graphic novel to ever win the Orbis Pictus Award.  In this book, Don Brown describes the horror that descended upon New Orleans in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina struck.  Through vivid images and text, he tells the story of those who remained behind in the city and what happened in the aftermath when there wasn't enough food, shelter, or emergency help to go around.

The Big Dark

by Rodman Philbrick
Lexile: 780
Genre:  Science Fiction

What would you do if suddenly your entire world went dark?  No electricity, no batteries, no phones...nothing.  Charlie Cobb and his family are living in a small town in New Hampshire when they find themselves without any power.  It is the middle of January so this means that finding away to stay warm is a necessity.  Not only is the survival of their family a challenge, but having to deal with how others in the town are responding to the situation, is making it tough.  Someone is going to have to stand up and take charge before someone gets hurt.

Booked

by Kwame Alexander
Lexile:  660
Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse

Nick Hall is unstoppable on the soccer field so don't even bother to try.  He and his friend Coby have big plans to get to the World Cup and show the world what awesome soccer players they are.  But then Nick's world is shattered when his parents announce that they are separating.  His mom moves to Kentucky to continue a career she had put on hold, and now nothing is the same.  Can he figure out how to successfully navigate this change in his life?