Mrs. Malecha Reads!

 by Leslie Connor Genre:  Realistic Fiction After her mother's death, Lydia's life has completely changed.  She has moved to Connecticut to live with her aunt and her aunt's wife who live out in the country on a small farm.  The day after Lydia arrives they decide to adopt a rescue dog who needs all kinds of love and attention.  Lydia is not a farm or a dog person and she misses her mom.  Life seems impossible and Lydia isn't sure how she feels about all of the changes, but as she gets to know the new people and animals in her life, she starts to believe that her new life might be okay.

 by Jennifer A. Nielsen Genre:  Historical Fiction Audra knows that her parents are keeping a secret from her.  It is something that she has sensed for a long time.  Now that she is getting older and understanding more about the situation between Lithuania and Russia, we wants to know what her parents are doing. When Cossack soldiers arrive at her door, her parents hand her a package and tell her to run to the forest as quickly as she can.  When Audra realizes the package that her parents traded their freedom for was just a book, she is more confused then ever.  With the help of people who knew her parents, she learns that they have dedicated their lives to smuggling books in their native language that have been banned by the Russians.  Audra feels she has no choice but to continue the secret work of her parents, no matter what the cost.

 by Cat Patrick Genre:  Realistic Fiction Life isn't easy for 13 year old Frankie.  Her official diagnosis is neuro-divergent, but Frankie just wants to be a regular kid.  Her brain goes nonstop so it is often hard for her to pay attention to things that aren't really of interest to her.  Making friends is hard too, so when Frankie's best friend, Collette, suddenly wants to hang around other people, Frankie doesn't know what to do, especially when the person Collette wants to hang around with is Frankie's twin sister, Tess.  When Collette disappears, Frankie and Tess will have to put aside their differences and work together to help solve the mystery of what happened to their friend.

 by Amy Hest Genre:  Historical Fiction Julie and Martha are on their way to the library when they make a starting discovery on the steps...there is a baby, all alone!  They decide that they must help the baby, but can't decide exactly what they should do about it.  6 year old Martha wants to keep it because she has always wanted a little sister.  At the same time Julie and Martha find the baby, Julie's friend, Bruno, who she hasn't spoken to in 16 days, sees her find the baby.  Bruno is on his way to catch a train to New York City to complete an important errand for this brother who is stationed overseas.  But when Bruno sees Julie take the baby, he decides to follow her, and neither of them see a third person who is watching the whole story unfold.  What is really going on with the abandoned baby?