Published by Greenwillow Books

Summary:  Charlotte and Ben take turns being #1 on the leaderboard of their online Scrabble game, but things aren’t going as well in the rest of their lives.  Charlotte’s father has had a heart attack, and she overhears her best friend making mean comments about her to some new friends.  Ben’s being bullied at school, and has a disastrous experience running for student council president.  The two of them occasionally talk on the phone, creating better lives for themselves that they present to each other.  The whole story takes place during one week, and by Saturday, both Ben and Charlotte have survived their crises and taken tentative but promising steps toward new friendships. 304 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  It can’t be easy to release a new book two months after winning the Newbery, but Erin Entrada Kelly’s follow up to Hello, Universe is an engaging story about two likeable kids going through some painfully difficult times; personally, I enjoyed it at least as much as Hello, Universe.

Cons:  It’s a pretty quiet, introspective book; readers seeking a lot of action may be disappointed.

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Army brat Cooper is used to being the new kid in school, and tries to fade into the background as much as possible.  As consolation for the family’s most recent move, his parents have gotten him a top-of-the-line smartphone, but it seems to have some bugs.  Then one day, an oddly-dressed boy named Roddy appears on the screen and starts talking to Cooper in Shakespeare’s English. Coincidentally, Cooper’s new hometown, Stratford, is crazy about Shakespeare, and every year the seventh grade puts on one of the Bard’s plays.  This year, it’s Romeo and Juliet, and although Cooper would love to be Romeo to his crush Jolie’s Juliet, he’s relegated to the part of second watchman.  But Roddy has some personal knowledge of William Shakespeare, particularly Romeo and Juliet, and he’s not about to let Cooper get sidelined.  The two of them work together to capture Jolie’s heart, reveal the true author of Romeo and Juliet, and make this year’s production the most memorable Stratford has ever seen. 240 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Gordon Korman fans won’t be disappointed by this fast and funny middle school story; Roddy’s old English interpretation of the 21st century is laugh-out-loud funny.

Cons:  The first few chapters were kind of flat.  I like the way Korman often tells stories from different characters’ perspectives, but this was all third person from Cooper’s point of view.

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Frankie’s got a few secrets.  She’s posted a profile of her widower father on a dating site and is interviewing potential candidates.  She and her friend Elliot are investigating the possible existence of a ghost at the Vermont B&B that Frankie’s family runs.  It seems only right  to have some secrets, though, since the people around her seem to be keeping their own.  Her dad and grandmother have both been away a lot lately, and Gram has taken to uncharacteristically wearing lipstick and perfume.  They’ve been squabbling over Gram’s possessions, which are threatening to take over the B&B.  Frankie’s overheard a few conversations that make her think her father may be in some financial difficulties that could force them out of their home.  And Jessica, Frankie’s former best friend, may have some valid reasons for her recent cold behavior.  There’s a lot going on, but by the end Frankie’s learned that keeping things secret usually doesn’t help the problem, and that the people who love her extend well beyond the walls of the B&B.  288 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  A heartwarming story of family and friendship, told with humor and a lot of tasty-sounding cookie descriptions.

Cons:  There are a lot of characters and subplots to keep track of.

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Published by Arthur A. Levine Books

Summary:  Candice is just trying to get through a terrible summer; she and her mother have temporarily moved to her late grandmother’s house in Lambert, South Carolina, while their home is being renovated so her newly-separated parents can sell it.  When she and her neighbor Brandon discover a letter in her grandmother’s attic, they are launched on a treasure hunt that takes them back to Lambert’s segregated past.  Scenes from the 1950’s through the 1980’s are interwoven with Candice’s and Brandon’s story so that the reader gradually learns about the mysterious James Parker who supposedly has left a fortune somewhere in Lambert.  When the two kids solve the final clue, the past meets the present and some of the wrongs from that past begin to be righted.  352 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  An amazing book that touches on racism, bullying, and homophobia without ever losing its light touch.  It also celebrates reading and puzzles, paying particular homage to The Westing Game.  Reading it, I was reminded of Holes in the way the narrative moved between the past and the present, and everything came together in the end.  Since both of those books won a Newbery Medal, why not this one as well?

Cons:  The solution to a key puzzle seemed impossibly esoteric.

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