Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Grades: 4+
Genre: Realistic Fiction

It's hard not to be good at anything.  Just ask ten-year-old Albie, who is failing math and is the target of the school bully.  His parents hire a tutor/ babysitter for him and insist that he "just needs to try harder in school."  Albie learns to cope with stress of a new school while learning to stand up to the bully and make new friends.

Author website: www.lisagraff.com/

Another Day as Emily by Eileen Spinelli

Grades: 3+
Genre: Novel in Verse

Eleven year-old- Suzy has been having a run of bad luck and hurt feelings- especially with the attention her little brother is getting for making a heroic 911 call.  Suzy decided that she'll be better off becoming a reclusive poet like Emily Dickinson.  How hard can it be to spend the summer in her room, writing poetry, with no friends, no visitors and none of the ususal summer fun?

Author website: www.eileenspinelli.com/

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Grade: 4+
Genre: Graphic Novel

All the other students at Cece's old school were deaf and didn't care about her Phonic Ear.  At her new school, the device she needs seems to be repelling the one thing she really wants: a friend.  This graphic novel chronicles the author's experience with hearing loss.

Author website: https://cecebell.wordpress.com

Death by Toilet Paper by Donna Gephardt

Grades: 4+
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Have you ever dreamed of entering a sweepstakes and winning the big cash prize? That's exactly Benjamin's plan to fulfill his promise to his Dad and to save himself and his mom from being evicted.  Plans never go smoothly especially when you are being bullied at school and your grandfather with Alzheimer's moves in.

Author website: www.donnagephart.com/

Joltin' Joe Dimaggio by Jonah Winter

Grades: 3+
Genre: Non-Fiction

When he was only nineteen years old, Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, Jr., an Italian immigrant from San Francisco, stepped into the retiring shoes of Babe Ruth on the Yankees baseball team.  Joe was quiet and shy, yet he fought prejudice and made headlines for his 56-game hitting streak.

Author website: none.

Kate Walden Directs the Night of the Zombie Chickens by Julie Mata

Grades: 5+
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Kate Walden wants to be a famous film director.  However, she has to deal with her mother's job of raising back yard chickens as well as a best friend who has recently been hanging with the popular girls in school.  Without her main actress, and crazy chickens in the way, can she accomplish her movie making dreams?

Author website: none.

Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth

Grades: 5+
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Jarrett's life is disrupted when his mom takes in a 12-year-old foster child.  Jarrett's summer at the Youth Center is also being ruined by the foster "brother" who seems to excel in everything.  The friction between the the boys escalates and threatens both of them as they grow to understand the others pain.

Author website: coebooth.com/