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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Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  Jason’s mother has told him bits and pieces of her story.  He knows his parents both grew up in Afghanistan and that his father was killed while working as a translator for the U.S. Army.  His mom came to the U.S. on a student visa, but after her husband died and Jason was born prematurely, both her passport and visa expired.  She stayed in the U.S. illegally, dropping out of school to work in a laundromat.  One day, Jason sees the police take her away from her job.  The only other family he has is “Auntie” Seema, a close friend who lives in New York City.  Jason takes a bus to try to find her, but all the stress causes him to faint when he gets to the city, and he winds up in the hospital.  There he meets a girl named Max who is about to have brain surgery for her epilepsy.  The two of them make a daring escape, traveling across the city to try to find Auntie Seema.  Along the way, they sneak into the Central Park Zoo, Max has a seizure, and Jason steals a ride on a police horse.  Their friendship helps both of them confront the difficulties each one is facing, and by the end they have found their way to what may be a bright future.  304 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Jason and Max are both sympathetic characters courageously facing difficult circumstances that seem beyond their control.  There’s plenty of action as they make their journey while trying to elude a growing number of people on the lookout for them.

Cons:  Some of their narrow escapes seemed a little hard to believe.

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Allison’s life has been in turmoil since her older brother died in a car accident, a tragedy that has led to her parents’ decision to divorce.  She moves with her mom to North Carolina, and immediately finds a new best friend, Samantha, or Sam. As the girls get closer, Allie starts to realize her feelings for Sam are more than friendship, which seems unacceptable in 1977 North Carolina.  Two gay women teachers and an understanding woman pastor help Allie to accept herself and to try to support Sam as she faces hostility in her conservative Christian home. An author’s note explains more about Allie’s experiences, including Anita Bryant’s anti-homosexual campaign of that time, and how she (the author) came to write the book.  208 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A sympathetic look at a 12-year-old girl struggling to understand her sexuality in a fairly hostile environment.  LGBQT tweens and their friends will relate to Allie’s experiences in middle school and her community.

Cons:  This felt like a book with a message, and some of the characters, like Sam’s mother and the pastor were fairly one-dimensional.

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