Mrs. Malecha Reads!

by Terri Libenson Lexile:  GN360 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Middle School is all about figuring out who you are and where you fit in.  Izzy has been dreams and she always seems to get lost inside of her head.  She struggles with focusing on staying organized and getting her schoolwork done on time, but she loves acting and is able to create funny made up stories.  Brianna, or Bri, is kind of the opposite.  She is known as the brain, but she wants people to know that there is another side to her as well.  When her mom asks her to fill in on stage during the school's talent show, Bri will have a chance to show people she is more than just a brain.

by Angela Cervantes Genre:  Realistic Fiction Lety's family came from Mexico to the United States three years ago and they have all been working hard to learn English.  Lety has learned a lot in he ELL class and for the summer has decided to attend a camp at a local animal shelter.  Each camper is able to choose a specific role that they would like to have at the shelter.  Lety decides that she would like to be a shelter scribe; someone who writes profiles for the animals available for adoption.  She thinks this will continue to help her writing skills in English.  The problem is that Hunter, another camper, also wants to be a shelter scribe and neither of them want to work together.  Their friends devise a contest:  they will each write 5 profiles and whoever's profiles result in more pet adoptions, wins and becomes the shelter scribe.  Who will the winner be?

by Alicia Williams Lexile:  670 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Genesis has 96 reasons why she doesn't like herself. Her so called friends started the list for her, but she has continued to add to it.  Genesis is struggling with how she looks and fits in at the different schools she has had to attend.  Her dad has a drinking problem and the money always seems to run out.  They have been evicted 4 times, but this time, her dad promises that it will be the last time.  he moves the family out of Detroit and into Farmington Hills where they have a house and Genesis can walk to her new school.  But the drinking continues and now her parents are fighting.  The rent overdue notices are staring to pile up.  Genesis has finally found some real friends and doesn't want to have to move on again.  Will her parents figure out how to make things work so that Genesis can take the time she needs to figure out how to be proud of who she is?

by Ralph J. Fletcher Lexile:  620 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Clifford is the oldest of 6 children and his parents expect him to always set a good example and keep the younger kids in line.  Cliff gets tired of always having to be "perfect" and is tired of catching the blame when things go wrong.  Having younger siblings is a challenge, but can also be rewarding, and in this family there is lots of laughing, fighting, and celebrating, and unfortunately, sadness as well.  Cliff learns a lot about himself and his place in the family as he continues to grow up.

by Padma Venkatraman Lexile:  680 Genre:  Realisitic Fiction Viji knows that she must do everything in her power to protect her sister, Rukku, even if it means leaving their family.  Their father is violent and often beats their mother.  When he turns on the girls too, Viji decides it is time to leave.  Life on the streets is not easy for two little girls with no money, but luckily they bond with two other runaways, Muthi and Arul, and they become a small family that helps each other out.  They build a shelter on a bridge and sort through trash to earn enough money to buy food.  But when Rukku gets sick, Viji has another tough decision to make.  Does she go to the church and ask for help or does she try to continue to figure things out on her own?

by Abby Cooper Lexile:  710 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Sophie's world is changing.  Her mom broke up with her boyfriend, got fired from her job, and now spends most of her nights crying in her room.  One day, Sophie notices that she sees thought bubbles above people's heads which reveal what they are thinking.  Sophie is worried that she is going crazy...this all seems like a lot for a 12 year old to handle, and not to mention that she is having trouble feeling included with her friend group.  When did life get so complicated?

by Cynthia Lord Lexile:  660 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Emma is going to public school for the first time as a 5th grader.  She has been homeschooled by her mother, but asked her parents to allow her to give public school a try.  Now it is the night before her first day and suddenly she is nervous about what to expect.  Her dad, a game warden, gets a phone call about a trapped rabbit and Emma asks to go with him on the call. Instead of finding wildlife, they find someone's pet rabbit.  Emma convinces her dad to let her keep him until they can find his owners.  Little does she know, but that rabbit is going to be the key to building new friendships with the 5th graders in her new school.

Written by Randall de Seve Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski Lexile:  580 There is a new girl next door and her name is Zola.  Do you think that Zola would like a new friend?  The girl next door would like to be Zola's new friend, but she thinks that Zola might have an elephant and not need a new friend.  Will she be brave enough to go to Zola's door and ask?

by Patrick Carman Lexile: 740 Genre:  Mystery Ryan and Sarah are looking to solve the mystery of the mysterious dredge that has been abandoned in the forest near their home of Skeleton Creek.  Rumors have swirled for years that the dredge is haunted and kids have been warned to stay away from it.  But Ryan and Sarah see that warning as a challenge.  They take their video camera to the dredge to see what they can learn, but when Ryan falls and breaks his leg, he and Sarah are forbidden to continue their investigation.  The story unfolds as you read Ryan's journal and watch Sarah's videos.  Be warned...what you see might keep you up at night!

by Lauren Tarshis Lexile:  630 Genre:  Historical Fiction Paul has all but forgotten what his village life was like before the Nazi's moved in. His best friend, who is Jewish, has disappeared.  One day, while out for a walk, Paul finds an American soldier trapped by a parachute in a tree.  He has only seconds to decide whether he should help this man or turn him over to the Nazi's. Paul's decision will be a turning point in his life and once he makes it, there will be no going back.  This soldier needs Paul's help.  What should he do?

by Lauren Tarshis Lexile:  550 Genre:  Historical Fiction Melody is excited about going on her family's yearly camping trip to Glacier National Park.  It is something they have enjoyed doing for many years, but Melody knows this year will be different without her mom.  But there are also other changes in the park.  People are leaving garbage out and encouraging grizzlies to come into campsites.  The park rangers seem to be doing nothing about it.  Will Melody survive when she comes face to face with an angry grizzly?

by Lauren Tarshis Lexile:  660 Genre:  Historical Fiction Nathaniel is 11 years old and the last thing on his mind is the ever growing feud between America and England.  When his father dies, he is sent to Connecticut to live with an uncle who turns out to be a cruel master.  When he is forced to leave his uncle's home, Nathaniel hops aboard a ship that sails him straight into New York Harbor where one of the biggest battles of the Revolutionary War is about to take place.  Will he survive?

by Emily Butler Illustrated by Jennifer Thermes Lexile:  810 Genre:  Fantasy Freya the penguin and Zoose the mouse are ready to start out on an Arctic adventure.  They decide to travel with some explorers on a hot air balloon that will take them to the North Pole.  But when the balloon hits some turbulent air, Freya and Zoose, and their human companions, are stranded in the middle of the Arctic with limited food and supplies.  Freya and Zoose will have to work together as a team if they are going to survive!

by Corey Ann Haydu Genre:  Science Fiction Elodee and Naomi are twin sisters and up until this year have had similar likes and dislikes, but now that they are heading into middle school, Elodee feels like they are drifting apart.  Something happened in their family that no one is willing to talk about and it is causing them to drift a part.  Their parents decide that the best way to leave their past behind is to pack up and move to Eventown where they can get a fresh start.  Life in Eventown seems perfect, but once they are there Elodee starts to notice that things are a little off, a little too perfect.  Naomi and her parents seem to fit in just fine, but Elodee is asking too many questions, and the people of Eventown aren't used to that.  Will Elodee be able to fit in to life in Eventown?

by Suzanne Bloom There are so many different ways for us to be.  We can look differently and think differently and see differently.  But even if we are different, I can still like you and you can still like me.  This book celebrates the fun of being different and the way we can celebrate the things we have in common.

by Megan Maynor Illustrated by Kate Berube Lola went to the beach one day and decided to build a sandcastle.  At first it was just your average sandcastle, but then when more and more helpers show up, the sandcastle grows and grows. It is a fantastically amazing sandcastle, until Mother Nature shows up!

by Anne Ursu Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Fantasy, Magical Realism Iris and Lark are identical twins and they have always done everything together.  That has included being in the same class at school.  But when the letter arrives just before the start of 5th grade, the girls are shocked to learn that they have been placed in separate classes and even more shocked that their parents seem to think it is a good idea!  They are also told that they will be doing separate after school activities.  Neither Lark nor Iris knows what life without the other close by will be like.  Their parents are insisting that they give it a try, but both girls are convinced it will be the worst situation ever.

by Dan Gemeinhart Lexile:  730 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Coyote and Rodeo have been on the road for 5 years.  They have been traveling around trying to escape the memory of what happened to their family 5 years ago.  Coyote has been okay with their unconventional lifestyle, but lately Coyote is wishing she could talk to Rodeo about how she really feels.  When her grandma tells her that the old park where Coyote used to play is being torn up, Coyote knows that she has to get back there as soon as possible no matter what.  There is something important that Coyote must find if she is going to be able to move forward with her life.

by Gary D. Schmidt Lexile:  840 Genre:  Realistic Fiction It's the first day of school and the Jones household is in utter chaos.  The dog has thrown up, the Jeep won't start, there is no milk, and then the doorbell rings.  When 6th grader Carter Jones answers the door, he finds Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick and his purple car.  Apparently, Carter's grandfather died and the directions in his will, sent his butler, Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick, to assist the Jones family.  Carter is supposed to start his first day of 6th grade, which will be hard enough, but now his butler is going to take him to school in a purple car?  Carter isn't sure what this new school year is going to be like!

by Kelly Yang Lexile:  640 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Mia Tang is the front desk manager at the Calivista Hotel.  Mia Tang is also 10 years old.  She came to the United States with her parents and now they are struggling to make a new life.  Mia knows that her parents want the best for her, but she and her mom especially struggle to get a long.  Mia thinks learning English is the most important thing for her, while her mother thinks she should focus on math.  As Mia's writing skills develop, so do new ideas for how to help her family.  Will the world really listen to a 10 year kid from China?