Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky 

Summary:  Dara Palmer is shocked and dismayed when—once again—she is passed over for a part in the class play.  Although the drama teacher suggests she and her best friend Lacey join her theater class, the two girls are certain they are destined for stardom without any outside help.  Things are no easier at home.  Dara was adopted from Cambodia, and she can’t help feeling like an outsider with her parents, older brother, and super annoying younger sister, also adopted (from Russia).  As her fifth grade year progresses, Dara slowly and painfully finds her way to a greater maturity, first by admitting she could use some help bringing her acting skills up to the same level as her passion for theater, then coming to terms with her history and learning some empathy for the friends and family members in her life.  282 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Extremely annoying at the beginning of the story, Dara grows and changes without sacrificing her strong (and ultimately winning) personality.  Kids will enjoy the humor and true-to-life situations in this British import.

Cons:  Dara’s insights and maturity sometimes seemed a bit of a stretch, given how bratty and self-centered she is at the beginning of the book.

Published by Starscape 

Summary:  Bailey is born on a puppy mill, but his sense of adventure leads him into the world on his own.  He’s picked up by a truck driver who leaves him in a locked truck on a warm day.  Rescued once again, he ends up with Ethan, an eight-year-old boy who soon becomes his best friend and constant companion.  Through their years together, Bailey learns how to take care of Ethan, saving him from real and imagined dangers.  A neighborhood bully named Todd is part of Ethan’s life, first as a friend, but gradually becoming a dangerous enemy.  His final act of revenge against Ethan and his family sets the stage for Bailey’s greatest act of heroism.  This is the second book in a series adapted from Cameron’s adult novel, A Dog’s Purpose.  208 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Told in Bailey’s voice, the story is by turns funny, touching, and exciting.  The adorable cover will catch the eye of dog lovers, and they won’t be disappointed by the rest of the book.

Cons:  This seemed like a contemporary story except for two brief, and seemingly unnecessary, references to the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Published by Bloomsbury 

Summary:  Charlie is trying to save money to buy a new dress for her Irish step dance competition, so when her friend Drew invites her to go ice fishing to make some money, she agrees.  The only fish she catches is too small to sell, but to her amazement, the fish speaks.  “Release me,” it says, “and I will grant you a wish.”  Skeptical, she gives it a try, and in the next day or so, realizes her wish has come true.  She returns to the hole several more times, making wishes to help her friends, but, predictably, the wishes go awry, and Charlie vows to stop.  Then comes a phone call that turns Charlie’s world upside down.  Her sister Abby, a college freshman, is addicted to heroin.  She has to leave college and enter a treatment center.  After much careful thought, Charlie makes one last wish for Abby.  It seems to be working until Charlie’s dance competition.  It’s a day of triumph for Charlie until Abby disappears, and Charlie has to learn that all the wishes and magic in the world can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.  240 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Charlie is an engaging protagonist, and the story lines about the fish and her dance competitions add some lighthearted notes to a sad and weighty topic.  The issue of addiction of a family member is handled realistically, and Charlie’s ultimate realization that she can’t save her sister and must live her own life as best she can is a good message for kids to hear.

Cons:  The cover and first few chapters make this feel like a much lighter read than it turns out to be.  Some kids in the recommended age group may not be ready for the subject of addiction…or parents may be concerned that they’re not ready for it.  Preview before sharing with young readers.

Published by Delacorte Press 

Summary:  Norbert is new to south Florida, living with his mother and grandmother and attempting to recover from what happened to his father, while trying to manage his own bipolar disorder.  Tim has lived in town with his parents and sister all his life, but is fighting his own battle, trying to get up the courage to start eighth grade as a girl named Lily.  Their paths cross before the first day of school, when Tim gives Norbert a new nickname, Dunkin.  Each of them wants to become friends, but their secrets get in the way.  When eighth grade starts, Norbert is unexpectedly recruited for the basketball team and starts spending his time with the same group of guys that regularly torture Tim.  As the year moves on, each of them slowly comes to terms with what is going on in their lives until both Dunkin and Lily are brave enough to show the world who they really are.  362 pages; grades 6-8.

Pros:  Told in alternating first-person narratives, Dunkin and Lily explores the inner lives of kids dealing with heartbreakingly difficult, and potentially dangerous (particularly in middle school) issues.  The courage each of them shows is for the most part realistic, and the supporting players of friends and family members in their lives are sympathetically portrayed.

Cons:  One can only hope that there are a few more vigilant and courageous teachers than there seem to be at Dunkin and Lily’s middle school.

Published by Scholastic 

Summary:  Joe is dreading the start of fifth grade.  His only two friends moved away, and his learning disability makes it hard for him to focus and an easy target for Dillon, the class bully.  Ravi is freshly arrived from India, accustomed to social, academic, and athletic success, and in for a rude awakening when his skills don’t always translate well to American culture.  He’s sure that Dillon, the only other Indian boy in the class, will be his new friend.  Each day of the first week of school brings new troubles, until both boys take Thursday off, ready to call it quits.  Fortunately, both Joe and Ravi have loving and supportive, if occasionally misguided, families who are willing to listen and try to help them.  By Friday, they’ve each come up with a new plan, and, by working together, manage to at least temporarily derail Dillon and discover that a new friend can be found in the most unlikely circumstances.  240 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  A heartwarming and accessible story for elementary readers.

Cons:  Ravi may come across as arrogant at the beginning of the story.  Don’t give up on him…he learns some important lessons by Friday.