Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  It’s a familiar premise:  Harper’s family moves into a creepy old house, rumored to be haunted, and before long her little brother Michael is talking to his “imaginary friend” and not acting like himself.  But this story has some interesting twists.  Harper was accused of starting a fire at her school and sent to a psychiatric hospital where she mysteriously wound up with two broken arms.  Her beloved grandmother is estranged from her mother, and Harper suspects she is the reason.  As the story unfolds, her memory begins to return in flashbacks.  She also starts to have visions of what happened in the house before her family moved there.  Finally, her grandmother defies Harper’s mother and returns, knowing that Harper and Michael need her and her Korean shamanic powers.  Harper discovers some powers of her own, and it’s up to her to get Michael back in a truly creepy scene, as the evil spirits of the house try to possess both children.  This book is billed as book 1, and the ending alludes to a haunted playground nearby, so horror fans can hope for a sequel in the near future.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Keep the lights on when you read this one!  It’s not just about the scariness, though; there’s a cast of interesting characters including Harper, her family members, and her two best friends…one human and one ghost.  The best horror book I’ve read since The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier.

Cons:  After all that happens, the family decides to stay in the house in the end.  What?!

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Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  Red is an oak tree that has stood for over two centuries.  He has seen many animals come and go, and quite a few humans, too, in the two houses that he faces.  Samar and Stephen live next door to each other in those houses, and Samar wishes for Stephen to be her friend.  Like many humans have done before, she ties the wish to Red’s branches.  Red and his crow friend Bongo do what they can to help with this wish, but their plans don’t work.  And when a teenager with a screwdriver carves the word “Leave” in front of Samar’s house, it looks like her wish will never come true.  Francesca, the owner of the two houses, decides it’s time to cut down Red.  But Wishing Day is coming, and sometimes the magic of all those wishes can be enough to bring some unexpected changes.  224 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Another beautiful, thoughtful story by Katherine Applegate.  This would make a perfect classroom read-aloud.  There is plenty to discuss, the illustrations are adorable, and there’s even a good dose of tree humor.  To me, the story isn’t quite enough to warrant a Newbery, but I’m sure there will be some consideration.

Cons:  By the end of the story, I felt guilty for considering cutting down the three oak trees in my backyard.  A few days of raking leaves and acorns will most likely take care of this.

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Published by Starscape

Summary:  When Amy Anne discovers her favorite book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, has been removed from the library by the school board, she’s outraged.  Turns out her favorite is one of several books taken off the shelves at the request of a parent.  Amy Anne has always been quiet, a “good girl” who doesn’t speak up at home or at school, even when she’s angry.  Slowly, with the help of a few good friends, she begins a protest against the banned books.  It starts with the B.B.L.L., in which Amy Anne turns her locker into the Banned Book Library Locker, and encourages other kids to read the banned books.  When this is discovered, Amy Anne is suspended and her beloved school librarian loses her job.  This only increases Amy Anne’s determination.  She and her friends come up with a plan that involves the whole school, and shows the school board and the mom who initiated the ban how important books–all books–are in the lives of kids. Includes a discussion guide with questions and activities. 256 pages; grades 4-6.

Pros:  An inspiring manifesto in favor of the freedom to read.  Readers will cheer for Amy Anne and her transformation from shy introvert to community activist, fueled by her passion for books.  The author notes at the end that all the books banned in the book have actually been challenged or banned in the last 30 years.

Cons:  Amy Anne’s suspension and the librarian’s firing seemed overly draconian, given the offense.

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Published by Viking

Summary:  Maria Luisa (Malu for short) is devastated when her mom announces that she’s taken a two-year teaching job in Chicago.  This means Malu not only has to start 7th grade in a new school, but has to move away from her cool dad who lets her hang out at his record store, listening to her beloved punk rock music.  Her more conservative mom (Malu calls her SuperMexican) keeps imploring Malu to dress and act more like “una senorita”.  Malu gets off to a tough start her first day of school, violating the dress code and getting on the wrong side of popular mean girl Selena, who snarkily calls Malu a “coconut” (brown on the outside, white on the inside).  But Malu is nothing if not plucky, and being true to herself eventually wins her friends and leads to the formation of her own punk band.  They turn Selena’s insult on its head by calling themselves the Co-Co’s.  When the band is rejected from the talent show for being too loud, Malu has to decide just how punk she wants to be, as she and her friends plot artistic revenge on the school authorities.  336 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Malu is a winning narrator, interspersing her story with her original zines that give more details about her life, Mexican history, and punk rock.  She is true to herself, while at the same time admitting her fears and insecurities as she navigates a bumpy road toward better relationships with her mom and her newfound friends.

Cons:  It seemed unrealistic that a girl who had never played a musical instrument in her life became the band’s drummer after a single lesson.

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Published by Bloomsbury USA Children’s

Summary:  Zig (a supporting character from the author’s The Fall of Gianna Z.) is disappointed when his father stands him up yet again.  His mom won’t tell him where his dad has gone off to, and Zig develops his own theory when he takes up geocaching.  He discovers a geocacher who calls himself “Senior Searcher,” and he’s sure it must be his father, who uses the nickname Senior.  Meanwhile, money is getting tighter at home, and Zig’s mom finally gets evicted.  She and Zig spend a few nights at her sister’s house, but the sister’s abusive husband forces them out, and they wind up in a homeless shelter.  Zig is so embarrassed about his situation that he cuts off his friends and starts struggling in school.  A geocaching adventure reveals the sad truth about his father, but also results in a new job and home for him and his mom, as Zig learns that friends and family can help you through even the toughest situations.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A poignant and heartwarming look at a family struggling with poverty and a parent who is in prison.  Zig is a sympathetic character, and readers will gain insight about other kids who may be going through more difficult circumstances than they let on.

Cons:  The geocaching details at the beginning made for a bit of a slow start to the book.

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