Published by Alfred A. Knopf

Summary: When Arthur Owens throws a brick at the Junk Man who roams his neighborhood picking through trash, the old man’s arm is broken and Arthur is sent to juvie. At his probation hearing, the Junk Man, a.k.a. James Hampton, requests that Arthur be sentenced to community service helping him. On his first day of the job, Arthur goes to the address he’s been given and finds a locked garage with a rusty shopping cart outside containing a list of the seven most important things he’s to find in the trash: cardboard, foil, light bulbs, mirrors, pieces of wood, glass bottles, and coffee cans. As the months wear on, Arthur gets to know Mr. Hampton and helps him create his work of art, The Throne of the Third Heaven. He begins to see that the seven most important things on Mr. Hampton’s list parallel the seven most important things in his own life. Through their work, he is able to grieve for his recently deceased father and let go of his guilt about his brick-throwing. By the end of their time together, everything has changed, and Arthur finds himself responsible for sharing Mr. Hampton’s masterpiece with the world. Grades 5-8.

Pros: A powerful story of redemption based on the real-life James Hampton and his eccentric and visionary work of art. The characters are perfectly rendered, from a Holden Caulfield-like Arthur to his gruff but caring probation officer, Officer Billie, to his struggling mother, and of course, the eccentric Mr. Hampton himself.

Cons: The two photographs of James Hampton and his work of art are too small to satisfy my curiosity about what he and the amazing Throne of the Third Heaven looked like.

Published by Scholastic 

Summary:  Hannah is reeling from a double blow: her neighbor and best friend Sophie has recently moved away, and she’s just learned that her stepmother is pregnant. When she meets the new girl whose family bought Sophie’s house, she’s sure she won’t like her.  But Hannah and Emme both have palindromes for names, love swimming and hate pizza, and share a New Year’s Day birthday.  They feel like they are almost twins, and soon they are best friends.  Fifth grade brings its share of ups and downs, though, and each girl worries about growing apart from the other.  Narrated in the alternating voices of Hannah and Emme, this story chronicles a strong friendship capable of withstanding the ups and downs of being eleven.  Grades 4-6.

Pros:  Fans of Wendy Mass, Cynthia Lord, and Meg Cabot will enjoy the story of a friendship between two “girl next door” characters.

Cons:  Some parents may take issue with the portrayal of Elle’s two-mom family.

Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  Jackson’s imaginary friend Crenshaw has come back.  The oversized cat was his companion four years ago when his family lost their home and was forced to live in their van for fourteen weeks.  When they finally were able to move into an apartment, Crenshaw disappeared.  Now Jackson’s parents are arguing about money again, planning a yard sale to sell almost all of their possessions.  When Crenshaw starts showing up again, surfing at the beach or taking a bubble bath, Jackson is taken back to the time his family was homeless.  He doesn’t know what to do, but he knows he can’t ever live in a van again.  Is it possible that his imaginary friend could be the key to helping him and his family?  Grades 4-6.

Pros:  A moving story of a close, loving family caught in difficult circumstances.  The short chapters keep the story moving quickly.  This would make a good selection for a book group or literature circle, as even younger kids would find interesting topics for discussion.

Cons:  I judged this book by its cover, and thought it would be a somewhat humorous story about a boy and his imaginary friend.  Although there was humor in it, it was a much more serious story than I anticipated.

Published by Feiwel and Friends 

Summary: Olivia lives with her aunt, uncle, and two cousins. Her father has a mysterious job—Olivia thinks he’s an archaeologist—and sends big checks for her support to her aunt and uncle. One day at school, Annabelle Jenkins threatens to beat up Olivia at dismissal time. The fight is just starting up when Olivia is suddenly rescued by Princess Mia Thermopolis of Genovia and whisked off in a limousine. Turns out Olivia and Mia are half-sisters, their father is king of Genovia, and Olivia is a princess! She learns that royalty has its ups and downs, but the best part of her new life is finally being part of a family who truly loves her. After a few bumps in the road regarding her custody, the last chapter finds her happily reporting from her grand new home in Genovia. Grades 3-6.

Pros: The Princess Diaries for a younger generation. Reluctant readers will enjoy this light real-life fairy tale.

Cons: Being a huge fan of Meg Cabot’s Allie Finkle series, I was a little underwhelmed by the plot and characters in Olivia’s story.

Published by Scholastic Press 

Summary: George has a boy’s body, but she’s always felt she is a girl. She has a secret stash of magazines like Seventeen that she pores over to learn more about girls’ clothes, makeup, and lifestyles. Her fourth grade class is doing a play of Charlotte’s Web, and more than anything, George wants the part of Charlotte. Coached by her best friend Kelly, George decides to try out for Charlotte, but her teacher takes her audition as a joke and instead gives the part to Kelly. As a result of this painful experience, George finally comes out to Kelly, who hatches a plan to allow George to be Charlotte in one of the performances. Reactions to George in this clearly feminine role are mixed, but strong, and ultimately lead to a greater understanding of George by her mother and older brother. While there are no easy answers for George, the book ends on a hopeful note. Grades 4-7.

Pros: Whatever a reader’s views on transgender kids, this book makes a powerful statement about the importance of gender to personal identity, and how narrow society’s definition is on what is masculine and feminine. George would make an interesting read for educators  trying to create schools that are safe and comfortable for all students.

Cons: George addresses a controversial topic, and there will undoubtedly be those who feel it doesn’t belong in an elementary classroom or library.