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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Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Ivy’s life is difficult enough before her house is demolished by a tornado one night.  In the months preceding this tragedy, Ivy’s been dealing with colicky new twin brothers, questions about why she keeps drawing pictures of girls holding hands, and a rift with her older sister that’s directly related to those questions.  While sheltering in the school gym after losing her home, Ivy befriends June, a girl who seems to have stepped out of one of her drawings.  The notebook with those drawings disappears the night of the tornado; then pictures from it start appearing in Ivy’s locker, with anonymous notes urging her to tell someone what is going on.  Ivy feels increasingly alienated from her family and friends until her thirteenth birthday brings a showdown that forces her to start talking about what she is feeling.  The final chapter, “Home”, takes place a year later and shows that Ivy has come to accept herself for who she is and to be okay with not having all the answers.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  More than just a “coming out” book, this is the story of a struggle for self-acceptance that will resonate with many tween and teen readers.  Ivy is fortunate to have loving, supportive friends and family members and to be able to learn to return their love and support.  I hope this book gets some Newbery consideration.

Cons:  It took me a few chapters to really warm up to Ivy.

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