Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Tyrell has lived at Huey House, a homeless shelter in the Bronx, for over three years.  June arrives with her younger sister Maybelle and their mother, who has fallen into a mute depression following the sudden death of their dad.  Both kids love classical music: Tyrell listens to a neighbor practicing her violin every night, and June is a viola player who must hide her instrument from the somewhat draconian shelter director.  Kinder staff members, as well as Tyrell and some of the other shelter residents, help June and her little sister Maybelle adjust to losing their home, getting them to school and finding a way for June to practice her viola.  June and her family are starting to get some help when they learn that a new city policy will force all shelter residents to move out in 90 days.  Desperate to stay where they are, Tyrell and June take on City Hall to try to make their voices heard about the importance of Huey House in their lives.  Includes an author’s note about her experience working in a similar shelter.  368 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Told in alternating chapters between June and Tyrell, this moving story humanizes people who have lost their homes for many reasons and shows how their needs can get lost in political rhetoric.  Readers will be rooting for the two kids, as well as many of the other shelter residents and workers.

Cons:  The ending was touching but felt a little unrealistic.

Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Olive has been homeschooled her whole life due to her osteogenesis Imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, that means she spends most of her time in a wheelchair.  She longs to go to school, find a best friend, and maybe fulfill her dream of acting, so she’s thrilled when her parents agree to let her attend the local middle school.  After a rough first day, Olive begins to find her way, making a new friend named Grace, auditioning for the school play, and even connecting with her taciturn stepbrother Hatch, who is in her class.  When magical events foretell the return of a mysterious wish-granting hummingbird, Olive, Grace, and Hatch are determined to find the bird and make their wishes come true.  But life and magic are both unpredictable, and Olive has to learn to embrace some difficult turns of events and appreciate to the everyday magic that is already in her life.  Includes an author’s note telling about her own life with osteogenesis Imperfecta. 368 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Olive is a spunky and indomitable narrator who doesn’t sugarcoat her disease, but who is also optimistic, loving, and appreciative of her family, friends, and community.  The magic realism adds a fun touch to the story.

Cons:  A little spunk can go a long way, and Olive occasionally seemed a little too good to be true. 

Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Nick, Lily, Jake, Cassie, and Mac all have problems at school and at home, but twice a week they get to forget about all that and just play music in their incredible Jazz Lab with Mr. Lewis.  But when Mr. Lewis is mysteriously absent just as the school board is amping up to make serious budget cuts, the five eighth-graders fear that they will lose their beloved group.  With the help of Quagmire, a troublemaker who isn’t afraid to speak truth to power, they embark on a series of increasingly outrageous actions to get the adults around them to listen–and not just about Jazz Lab.  A bittersweet plot twist near the end helps solidify them as a group and makes them even more confident about speaking up for what is important.  272 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  As you may know, I do love a good band story, and this one has an empowering message and a great cast of characters with issues that many middle schoolers will relate to.  The multiple points of view and short chapters make this a quick and engaging read that will appeal to reluctant and avid readers alike.  I found it hard to put down and zipped through it in just a couple of days.

Cons:  While I applaud the author for not neatly tying up all the loose ends in the final chapters, I was still wishing for a happy resolution for Cassie.

Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Hazel has accepted her friendless state in seventh grade and is focusing on winning the speech contest to avenge last year’s loss to Ella Quinn.  She doesn’t pay much attention to popular boy Tyler, who insists on telling her about his many crushes.  But one morning, his gossip is a bit different: Ella, his former girlfriend, told him she didn’t want to get back together because she has a crush on Hazel.  Hazel is out as gay, and she’s not happy that Ella’s using her this way.  When she confronts Ella, though, she learns that Ella’s been receiving sexually harassing messages from someone who may or may not be Tyler.  Hazel discovers an important clue linking Tyler to the messages, but when the girls try to report what’s going on, they end up being the ones to get in trouble.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Hazel decides to use her public platform in the speech competition to bring attention to what is happening.  240 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Hazel’s funny and distinctive voice tells a story of middle school sexual harrassment that may, unfortunately, be all too familiar to many readers.  Hazel, Ella, and Ella’s best friend Riley courageously join forces to speak out for justice.  The unexpected friendship Hazel finds with Ella and Riley (with a possible romance with Riley) adds a sweet dimension to the story.

Cons:  I like to see villains have some redeeming traits or at least an explanation for their terrible behavior, but this was not the case for either the principal or Tyler’s mother.