Mrs. Malecha Reads!

by Pat Cummings Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Paranormal When Trace Carter's parents were killed in an accident, he was sent to live with his Aunt Lea in New York.  She is cool, but has zero experience raising kids so the two of them are trying to figure out a new normal.  Trace is haunted by dreams of his parents' deaths and by the feeling that it was all his fault.  He is trying to make friends with the kids at his new school, but he hasn't really found anyone that he is really comfortable with.  When he gets to pick a study group for his history project, he picks the most popular girl, Kali, and Ty who is sort of cool to hang out with.  Presley gets assigned to their group and they agree to meet at the New York City Public Library.  But Trace never makes it to the meeting because he gets lost in the basement of the library and finds a kid wandering around.  This is no ordinary kid though, because nobody else can see him.  What Trace discovers...

by Kate Messner Lexile:  840 Genre:  Mystery, Adventure Wolf Creek is the perfect place to spend the summer and Nora can't wait.  But when 2 inmates escape from the maximum security prison in the town, everyone's summer plans are put on hold.  Doors are locked, activities are cancelled and police are patroling everywhere.  Nora and her classmates were working on a time capsule project so now they have lots to share about the present.  How will this inmate escape impact the future of Wolf Creek?

by Mike Wohnoutka Turtle thinks that Croc is the strongest and faster crocodile, but when Elephant can lift more and Cheetah can run faster, Croc realizes that he is not the strongest or the fastest of all the animals. When Croc realizes that he is stronger and faster than Turtle, Turtle realizes that he is not stronger or faster than anyone.  But these two friends realize, that are other things to be the best at!

by Kat Zhang Lexile:  780 Genre:  Mystery The last thing that Mia Chen wants to do is spend the summer in China with her mom, aunt, and brother, but unfortunately, that is exactly what she has to do.  When her Aunt Lin's old friend, Ying, comes over to meet them, Mia takes an instant dislike to him.  He and her aunt discuss an old treasure hunting game they used to play when they were younger and then the very next day, Aunt Lin disappears!  Mia's mom believes the note that Lin leaves that says she will be gone a few days visiting friends, but Mia is suspicious.  It isn't like her aunt to just leave without saying goodbye.  Mia and her brother are going to do all they can to figure out where Aunt Lin went.

by Natasha Tarpley Lexile:  800 Genre:  Mystery Harlem, NY is an exciting place to live.  Jin and Alex have to do a project about the history of Harlem and they are having trouble narrowing the field until they meet Elvin and he tells them the story of how his grandfather was mysteriously attacked.  They begin to investigate a group called the Invisible 7 and along the way they are learn some surprising, and perhaps very dangerous things.  Will they find the missing artwork that one of the Invisible 7 artists created in time to save it from some greedy crooks?  Read The Harlem Charade to find out!

by Ali Benjamin Genre:  Realistic Fiction Caitlyn Breen is the new kid.  She and her mother have recently moved to a small town in Vermont that has the smallest school she has ever seen.  The oldest grade in the Mitchell School is 7th and Caitlyn will be going this grade that is made up of the "Originals" who started the school in kindergarten.  They have recently lost a member of their class - The Great Paulie Fink - who was supposedly the most amazing person ever.  They have no idea where he went and their teacher won't tell him.  All Caitlyn hears about is how great Paulie Fink was...who among the Originals will be the person to take his place?

by Gregory Funaro Lexile:  870 Genre:  Fantasy The Blackford House is a mysterious house with a gigantic clock and a magical secret.  Oliver, Lucy, and their dad, a clockmaker, have been asked to come and live at Blackford House so that they can fix the clock.  The clock is what powers the electricity in the house so as long as the clock won't run, neither will the house.  The gloomy, run down house, stands in the middle of the Shadow Woods, which appear to be creeping closer and closer to the house itself.  It doesn't take long for Oliver and Lucy to discover that something isn't quite right at the Blackford House.  Will they be able to figure out the secret in time?