Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  Elodee’s family is moving from Juniper to Eventown, and not a moment too soon.  Elodee is tired of the searching, pitying looks people give her and her twin sister Naomi.  Naomi tends to get quieter and try to fit in, while Elodee gets angry and sometimes lashes out.  In Eventown, though, everything is simple and easy. The sun is always shining, everything Elodee cooks turns out perfectly, and, best of all, Mom and Dad seem happy and relaxed again.  As part of their orientation, the girls have a session at the Welcoming Center, where they have to tell six stories about their happiest and saddest memories. After the memories have been shared, they go away forever.  Elodee’s storytelling gets interrupted, though, and the memories she hangs onto seem to change the whole town. The townspeople aren’t happy with those changes, and soon Elodee’s family is the target of whispers and stares once again.  Elodee and her new friend Veena become determined to find out what is going on in Eventown, and what it is doing to them and their families. 336 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A beautifully written, moving story about the nature of grief, memory, and storytelling.  Everyone in Eventown is burying their sadnesses and living a simple, happy life, but at what cost?  Did a Kleenex or two come into play for me as I read the final chapters of this book? Maybe….

Cons:  The pace is a bit slow, and at times Eventown felt a little too much like one big extended metaphor, which may not grab the average middle grade reader.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Lety is excited to be part of a summer camp program at Furry Friends Animal Shelter, but also apprehensive about making new friends.  Since moving from Mexico almost three years ago, she’s always been in the ELL class, and has tended to hang out with other ELL kids.  On the first day, she has a run-in with Hunter, a boy who wants the same job as her her: shelter scribe, the volunteer who writes up descriptions of the animals.  Hunter brags about his reading and writing skills, and Lety is intimidated. Her friend Kennedy stands up to him, though, and pretty soon they’ve set up a contest to see whose write-ups will lead to the most animal adoptions.  As the weeks go on, Lety learns that there’s a reason Hunter sometimes acts mean. She also falls in love with a little black and white dog named Spike and hopes that doing a good job at the shelter will convince her parents to adopt him.  It’s an eventful summer for Lety that leads her to a greater confidence and a happy ending for her, Spike, and Hunter. 208 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Who doesn’t like a good dog story?  Lety’s struggles with English will be relatable to other ELL kids and possibly eye-opening for others.  Readers will also connect with her friendship issues with Hunter. This takes place in the same shelter as Gaby, Lost and Found, and Gaby is mentioned, although she no longer volunteers there.

Cons:  As a former Girl Scout leader whose charges were eager to volunteer in an animal shelter, I feel pretty confident saying that shelters never take volunteers under the age of 16.  Readers may be disappointed to learn this after ready about Lety’s summer camp experience.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Dial Books

Summary:  Avery and Bett are horrified to learn that their fathers have fallen in love and are sending them to camp to get to know each other better.  Avery is a worrier, afraid of deep water, germs, and a bunch of other things; Bett is fearless, an animal lover who is always on the lookout for her next adventure.  Avery travels from New York, and Bett from California, to reluctantly attend camp in Michigan while their fathers take a trip to China. Slowly, the girls start talking to each other, and by the end of the summer are excited to become sisters–but unfortunately, their fathers have decided to end their relationship.  The story covers a year and a half that includes two summer camp experiences and ends with the two families coming together in an unexpected way. 304 pages; grades 5-7.

Pros:  Middle schoolers will love this Parent-Trap-esque story told entirely in emails and letters.  There are many quirky, interesting characters, including the girls, their dads, a free-spirited biological mother, and an unforgettable grandmother.

Cons:  Based on the authors, I was hoping to love this book a little more than I did.  It may have been the email format, but I felt like I never got to know the girls as well as I would have liked to, and the roller coaster ride of a plot went on a little too long.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.