Mrs. Malecha Reads!

 by Johnathan Todd Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Cecil and his family have just moved from Florida to Boston so he it anxious about how he will fit in in his new school and his new neighborhood.  His sister tries to give him some advice, but that just makes him more nervous.  Cecil is an artist and loves to spend his time drawing comics.  His dad thinks it is kind of a waste of time so Cecil is trying to figure out a way for his dad to see that comics are important to him and can actually earn him some money and respect.  But when someone gets a hold of Cecil's drawing and uses it against him, Cecil will have to figure out how to stand up for himself.

 by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein Genre:  Realistic Fiction and Graphic Novel 5 kids who nobody pays any attention to, suddenly have come up with a plan to help someone out who is struggling.  They have been stuck together on a community service project because they all have one thing in common - they speak Spanish.  Other than that, they are nothing alike and have no desire to be lumped together in a group.  The strategy of staying invisible has worked for a long time, but they realize that if they work together, they might all benefit, even if it means sharing some of their secrets with each other.

 by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Rex wakes up on the first day of 7th grade with a giant pimple on the center of his forehead.  He's nervous enough about the first day of school so for this to happen just seems to be too much.  And he is right...it is just the start of his problems with the embarrassments of growing up.  Rex can't afford a lot of the things his friends can and he gets picked on and bullied for that.  Will Rex be able to turn things around and make 7th grade a survivable experience?

 by Shifa Saltagi Safadi Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse 7th grade is tough when your best friend moves away and you are trying your best to fit in.  Kareem wants to tryout as a quarterback for the football team, but the coach's son also wants that spot and he is a bully.  He convinces Kareem to do his homework for him in exchange for talking his dad into letting him join the team.  As if that wasn't enough stress, Kareem's mom learns that she has to return to Syria to help her parents get to the United States.  Life without his mom at home makes things even more challenging for Kareem.  Maybe life could get easier if he could figure out who his real friends really are.

 by Gennifer Choldenko Genre:  Realistic Fiction Hank Hooperman tries to avoid making mistakes whenever possible, but it is getting more difficult as he has more responsibilities.  His mom has always done her own thing, but this time she has left him with his 3 year old sister for almost a week.  The landlord is threatening eviction, the power has been shut off, and Hank has no more money to feed his sister.  He finds the name and address of an emergency contact his mom listed on a field trip form so he decides that their best chance is to see if that person can help them.  Hank is trying so hard.  He loves his mother, but he is also angry at the position she has put him in.  How does he figure out what is best for himself and his sister?

 by Vera Brosgol Genre:  Fantasy, Graphic Novel Plain Jane is about to be kicked out of the only home she has ever known.  Her parents are dead and because she is a girl, she can not inherit their estate.  She decides to solve her problem by asking a local boy, Peter, to marry her, but before that happens, he is lured into the sea by an evil mermaid. Jane must find the courage to venture into the ocean to save Peter so that they can have their happily ever after.