Mrs. Malecha Reads!

 by Maria Scrivan Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel All of Natalie's friends seem to know what club they want to sign up for, but Natalie can't decide.  She feels like her friends are moving on without her and she doesn't like the way that feels.  When Luca moves to Natalie's school, they find that they have a common interest:  drawing comics.  Luca suggests that they create a comics club.  The new principal denies their request but Luca and Natalie are determined to find a way to get their new club off the ground.

 by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland even though her large family can really get on her nerves sometimes.  She loves her neighborhood and her friends and is looking forward to starting middle school.  She is also hoping to impress her parents with a presentation she has made on why she deserves to get her own room.  But before she can deliver her presentation, her parents tell her that her older brother will get his own room and she will know have 3 younger siblings to share with!  And just when she thinks things can't get worse, her parents announce that the family might be moving! Avery knows one thing for sure...growing up can really have its challenges.

 by Natalie Lloyd Genre:  Fantasy Olive has spent her whole life worrying about how fragile she is.  She was born with brittle bone disease which means that over her lifetime she has broken many bones.  She has been homeschooled ever since the first day of kindergarten when she was injured, but now she would like to convince her parents that going to middle school is safe.  Olive wants to be with other kids and figure out who she is.  Can she convince her parents to let her spread her wings and do all the other things that kids her age are doing?

 by Maleeha Siddiqui Genre:  Realistic Fiction Shakeer and his dad have moved around all over the US while Ashar and his mom have always lived in New Jersey.  The two boys have nothing in common except that they look exactly alike.  When they meet on the first day of school, they can hardly believe the coincidence and when they dig a little deeper, they learn that they are in fact identical twins whose parents divorced when they were young and never told either boy that they had a twin brother.  Now Shakeer is curious to get to know his mom and Ashar would like to know his dad so the two devise a plan where they will switch places.  Will this scheme help them become a family or will it drive them all apart forever?

 by Nina Moreno Genre:  Realistic Fiction Now that Maggie has started 7th grade, it seems that all of her friends have figured out what they are good at.  And at home it is the same thing...her mom is finishing college, her older sister is a great runner and perfect in school.  Maggie has a hard time remembering things and her classes seem harder than ever.  She decides to join a bunch of clubs to help her figure out what she likes the best, but then she is so busy, she never gets to see her friends or support them in their activities.  Maggie feels like she is letting herself and everyone around her down. Can she come up with a plan to help make being a 7th grader her best year yet?

 by Melissa Savage Genre:  Science Fiction Mylo never believed that Martians were real until a flying saucer crash landed near his home in New Mexico.  Mylo is grieving the loss of his beloved older brother so this adventure is a welcome distraction.  Mylo and his friends are warned not to go and investigate the strange crash they heard in the desert, but naturally, they can't help themselves and go off to check it out.  Mylo is the only one brave enough to go into the flying saucer where he finds a weak Martian who needs his help.  Before Mylo can help him, the US Air Force arrives and takes all evidence of the crash landing back to the base.  The military tells the town that it was a just a routine weather balloon that landed, but Mylo and his friends know the truth.  When a second Martian shows up at Mylo's house asking for his help, Mylo knows he will have to be brave and give it a try.

 by Caron Butler and Justin A. Reynolds Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Sports Tony can't wait make the AAU Basketball team with his best friend Dante.  They have both been practicing forever to make this team.  But days before tryouts, Dante is shot and killed by a police officer.  Tony, and the rest of his friends, and Dante's family are devastated and at a loss for how to move forward.  When Tony doesn't make the team, he wonders what else he will lose next.  To make matters worse, the police officer has not been charged in the shooting which has left Tony's community angry and unsettled.  Coach James gives Tony the chance to be the team's statistician, but Tony isn't sure if he wants to part of the team if he can't be on the court.  His dad encourages him to use what he knows about basketball to support the team in another way.  Tony will need strength and courage to help himself and his community heal from their loss.

 by Gillian McDunn Genre:  Realistic Fiction Meg and Beatrix have always been best friends...as long as Meg does what Beatrix wants her to do.  When Meg decides to sign up a a science elective instead of doing dance with Beatrix, she knows there will be trouble.  She's not sure how to tell Beatrix and then she accidentally tells Hazel, the new girl, who then tells Beatrix.  Beatrix decides that she doesn't like Hazel and sets out to make her life miserable.  Meg doesn't like how Hazel is being treated, but she also doesn't want to lose Beatrix as her friend.  Meg is in a tough situation and it will take courage for her to stand up for herself and do what she knows is right.

 by Rodman Philbrick Genre:  Historical Fiction When Jo and Davy's mother dies, their cousin Ruthie shows up to take care of them.  Ruthie is the star of a flying circus so Jo and Davy join her on tour.  Davy sells popcorn and Jo decides she is interested in learning how to be an aviatrix too.  As the circus moves throughout Maine, they encounter some evil Ku Klux Klan members who seek to destroy their business.  Davy, Jo, and Ruthie will have to get creative to defeat their enemies and keep the flying circus in the air.

 by Alan Gratz Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Adventure Climate change is here and is creating dangerous conditions across the planet.  Akira sees it in California where she and her family loves everything to the Morris Wildfire.  Natalie sees it in Florida where her family loses everything to Hurricane Reuben.  Owen and George see it in Canada when a close encounter with a hungry polar nearly costs them their lives.  4 children with first hand knowledge of how climate change is affecting their daily lives.  Can the 4 of them do something to get people to change?

 by Melissa Savage Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Adventure When Ada Ru learns that she has to spend the whole summer in Scotland, she is certain that it will be the worst summer ever!  She wanted to go to Disney World, but instead, her parents have decided to work in Scotland which means Ada Ru has to go along with their horrible plan.  Once she arrives, she quickly meets Dax and Hammy, two unique individuals.  Dax has a passion for music and Hammy has a passion for discovering whether or not the fabled Loch Ness Monster is real.  Hammy invites Dax and Ada Ru to join him in the race to prove the Loch Ness Monster exists which leads Ada Ru to the discovery that maybe a summer in Scotland will be better than she thought!

 by Kelly Yang Genre:  Realistic Fiction The Women's World Cup soccer game is coming to Anaheim and it is what everyone is talking about.  Mia is really interested in soccer, in fact she is terrible at it, but she's excited about the fact that it is USA vs. China.  When Mia gets the opportunity to raise her PE grade by scoring an interview with the China team, she is all in.  At the same time, she and her parents are trying to find the right house to buy, but are running into trouble finding someone who will work with them to help them find the right house in their right price range.  Her friend Jason is still struggling to get along with his father as he works to get the restaurant going at the hotel.  As usual, Mia's life is busy and full of challenges, but she is determined to do whatever it takes to help herself, and others, meet their goals.

 by Kelly Yang Genre:  Realistic Fiction Mia Tang is finally leaving the front desk and going on vacation!  It has been years since her family has been to China to visit their relatives and now the trip is finally happening.  Mia can't wait to be back in China where she is sure she will blend in better than she does in LA.  But when Mia is reunited with her family, she realizes that she isn't the only one that has changed.  China has changed and so have her relatives.  Mia likes her life in LA, but there have been major changes for her there as well.  Her family continues to work hard at keeping the Calivista Hotel up and running.  Her friendships are changing and now the investors are threatening to sell their shares in the hotel.  Why does life have to be so complicated and confusing?

 by Cynthia Lord Genre:  Realistic Fiction Mia is looking forward to spending a month in Maine with her grandma.  Lots of things in her life are changing right now...her parents have divorced, her mom is selling their home, and she is going to have to get used to her dad's new family and her mom's new boyfriend.  When Mia arrives in Maine, she finds that things have changed there as well.  Grandma's new neighbor, Cayman, is over a lot and seems to be an expert on everything.  Grandma thinks that she and Cayman could become great friends, but Mia is doubtful.  She came to Maine to get away from change and now it seems that Maine has changed too.  Will Mia discover that sometimes change can be a good thing?

 by R.J. Palacio Genre:  Historical Fiction Silas and his pa are living a quiet, simple life until one night when 3 horsemen come and take his pa away.  Silas's pa tells him to stay home, but Silas knows that he must trust his instincts which are telling him to go after his pa.  He sets off with his long time ghost companion, Mittenwool, to begin a journey that will take him through the Woods, a place he has never dared to go before.  It will be an adventure that will change his life forever.