Sincerely by Courtney Sheinmel

A book that shows how the bond of pen pals can really mean more than you think. It can be the confidante for secrets and feelings you can’t share anyone else. And Sophie and Katie really do need it. Sophie’s parents are divorcing while her friendship with Jess goes to tatters. Katie has so much ambition and drive to help earthquake victims but will her jealosy of her best boy friend’s new crush ruin their partnership. Sheinmal deftly handles those complex feelings and hormones that make sixth grade so fraught but also highlights the simple moments of compaionship and relief that friendship brings even when you’re across the country.

Wild Girls by Pat Murphy

This novel is wonderful in how it emphasizes the importance and power of storytelling, whether it be creating your own backstory of your fox mother or listening to other perspectives. When Fox and Lizard become friends, and enter a writing contest together, they soon find the normal world constrains them too much. Their story cannot be heard, cannot be understood without the wildness in them. So with war paint, they do so which gains them entrance to a writing program, enocuntering good witches and stilt walkers and the ability to see a whole new view from people they thought they’d never understand. 5 star read.

The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg

This book also deals with art and its power. After Margret Rose leaves her stuffy, by the rules, summer camp, she stays with her eccentric uncles and their amazing glass towers. However, their towers are to be torn down as part of the growing gentrification process, moving out all the interesting people and immigrant stories that have settled there. Not on Roses’ watch, she with her uncles and handyman friend try their best to stop the destruction and save outsider art.

Beacon Street Girls by Annie Bryant

This is a fun series following your average group of friends in their daily lives whether it be running for class president or going on a class scavenger hunt or performing a talent show to save the local theatre. It sounds basic, but Bryant does a lovely job in creating a three-dimensional group of friends that are differnt but not wildly so that it’d be implausible that they’re friends. Thy have their flaws, their inside jokes and their arguments but you know they’ll come through together in the end. A nice series.

Heroes for my daughter by Brad Meltzer

This is a heartfelt book filled with numerous role models and a sincere message from father to daughter about all he hopes his daughter will accomplish. As Meltzer writes in his introduction, his first wish to protect her while instinctual, means nothing. She must grow up to protect herself and more importantly, help others and these role models are great examples of how to do so. I can’t stress enough how emotionally genuine this is. It tugs on the heartstrings.

Jersey Tomatoes are the Best by Maria Padian

I’m a Jersey girl so once I saw the title, I had to pick it up for a read. An it was worth it, its a loveldy book about the bonds of friendship. Henry (short for Henrietta) and Eva are going their separate ways this summer at tennis camp and ballet program respectively. These are their passions and they believe they can make a real career of it, they find out they might be wrong. Henry soon realizes that her trash-talking ways may be helping her win more than her actual talent or technique. Meanwhile, Eva experiences the doubts and hateful voices in her head that she should eat less so she can be less of a fat loser. It’s a relatable, moving tale and very enjoyable to see their close bond even when far apart.

Nightmares! by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

This is a fun fantasy for middle-schoolers following Charlie, an insomniac who can’t sleep lest he has horrible nightmares. Nightmares that he is convinced are coming from his ‘evil’ stepmother. So when he goes to find out how she is doing it, he and his friends accidentally stumble upon the land where nightmares are real. Filled with killer clowns, Medusa’s relatives and other things that go bump in the night, can Charlie save the real world from being overrun by their fears?

Every little bird that sings by Deborah Wiles

This thoughtful, bittersweet book explores the grief that comes with death. Comfort’s family is in the funeral business or as her parents prefer to think of it, giving comfort and closure to the living. She’s used to death or so she thinks until her own family members die. It’s hard and it will hurt if you think of those you have lost, but still features heartwarming and moving passages that speaks to the heart.

The Savages by Matt Whyman

For all fans of The Adams Family, meet the Savages. A typical middle class family with a precocious son, eccentric grandfather, caring corporate father, mother with a spending habit and rebellious teen girl. They’re also cannibals. It’s sort of a family tradition, one that rebellious Sasha wants to buck to impress her vegitarian boyfriend. A change in nature that soon throws the whole family into a talespin.

That and the murdered commercial actress. No, they didn’t kill her so they could eat her. No, they have actualy standards when it comes which human meat they consume. But the deadly accident attracts the services of detective, Vernon and it seems their secret diet is in danger of being exposed. Deliciously funny with loving attention paid to its recipes and food, this is a good book for a new kind of all American family.

A Match made in High School by Kristin Walker

No cupids or love spells here but just a health project where teens must marry and they better make it work or else a failing grade and no graduation for them. Fiona despises Todd, the jerk jock she is paired with for the project. But as one can guess they start seeing more eye to eye and makes her realize some less than savory things about herself. In fact it does her teach a thing or two about crushes, relationships and compromise. Very fun.

Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You by Dorian Cirrone

This light-hearted mystery is more than pointy toe shoes as the cover suggests. Kayla longs to be a principle dancer in her performing arts school’s production of Cinderella. However, her generous bust puts her into the Ugly Stepsister role. A fact her teacher warns her will be the rest of her life since ballet requires a very specific body type. Unless she chooses breast reduction surgery. This is quick read that explores the dramas of dancer rivalries with a pair of cursed red shoes aka someone keeps bumping off principle roles. And censorship and feminism and all such. It was a bit crowded in its messaging. But the main topic of body image is the point that the author excelled in and is the point that draws me in to read again and again.