It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (8.22.16)

Every Monday bloggers all over the web participate in an effort to share books we have read and what we are excited about digging into. Thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee & Ricki at Unleashing Readers for hosting us all!

What I Read Recently:

Duel: The Parallel Lives of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, by Judith St. George

(Viking Books for Young Readers, 2009)

     In each chapter of this book--each stage of the subjects' lives--Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr bared striking similarities. From their days as children in the face of adversity through their education and into their adult lives, the two men were more alike than they were different.
     Judith St. George presents these parallels in an straightforward and accessible way for middle grade readers. 

The Friendship Experiment, by Erin Teagan

(HMH Books for Young Readers, November 1, 2016)

     Maddie's start to middle school is complicated. Her dear scientist grandfather (whom she adored) died recently, she and her sister suffer from a rare blood disorder, and her best friend is going to a private school, leaving her alone to make a new beginning. All around her, Maddie seems to collect evidence that she is a terrible friend. Can she change the results of her derailment?
      Maddie is a natural, relatable character. Readers will want to talk about her feelings and choices, and will--in the process--help them to think about their own. 

The Fog of Forgetting, by G. A. Morgan
(Islandport Press, 2014)

     Chase, his brothers, and two new friends get more adventure than they bargain for when they hop into a boat to entertain themselves while their parents are away. Their boat is transported through the fog of forgetting to an island world called Ayda. As the kids try to make sense of the new world they've become part of, they learn of the Keepers and their stones and the conflicts that plague this land--one of which is that those who come to Ayda through the fog are unable to make the return trip home.
     Pages turn one after the other while reading for a clearer understanding of the island and it's inhabitants. The Fog of Forgetting is a good blend of adventure, quest, and fantasy. And, it's the first book in a trilogy that wraps up later this fall.

Ada's Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer, by Fiona Robinson

(Harry N. Abrams, August 2, 2016)      
    This picture book biography is the story of Ada Lovelace (who was, incidentally, the daughter of Lord Byron). Ada was discouraged by her mother-a mathematician-from all things arts and literature. But Ada found the place where math and poetry overlapped: computer programming.
     Not only did learning about Ada Lovelace leave me wow'ed, but the art in this book created from cut paper--layered and positioned and photographed--is stunning.

My Friend Maggie, by Hannah E. Harrison
(Dial Books, August 9, 2016)
     Maggie has always been Paula's friend, but when the other kids start to point out the things that make Maggie different, Paula feels pressured to go along with the crowd. But what happens when the crowd starts to point out all the ways Paula is different, too?
     This picture book will invite kids to talk about what's important about a friend and will remind us all that kindness triumphs over judgement.
    

What to Do with a Box, by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Chris Sheban
(Creative Editions, March 8, 2016)
      There are endless ways to use an empty cardboard box for play. 
      This picture book celebrates the spirit of imagination and creative play. The art is interesting and lovely; Chris Sheban has incorporated actual cardboard box remnants into his artwork.

Seven and a half Tons of Steel, by Janet Nolan, illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez
(Peachtree Publishers, August 1, 2016)     

     One of the beams was pulled from the wreckage of the Twin Towers after the events of September 11th and given to the U.S. Navy. The beam, transported to New Orleans, was weathered by Hurricane Katrina, but eventually repurposed as the bow of the U.S.S. New York.

    This nonfiction picture book tells a lesser known story of something strong and sturdy emerging from a historic day when confidence of all kind was shaken.

This is Our Baby, Born Today, by Varsha Bajaj, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

(Nancy Paulsen Books, August 2, 2016)     

    New babies are special and celebrated, and this picture book shines light on how many parts of a baby's community are proud and happy to join in celebrating.
     The elephants that grace these pages are adorable, the illustrations gentle and so perfectly fitting for the emotions of celebrating new life. This book is on its way to being a great gift book for expectant or new families.

Hello, My Name is Octicorn by Kevin Diller & Justin Lowe, illustrated by Binny Talib

(Balzer + Bray, May 17, 2016)

     Octicorn is different from other creatures in a pretty obvious way. But as his story reveals his likes and dislikes, his interests and wishes, readers can't help but consider that maybe--even with his very different outer appearance--inside we're much more the same.

What I am Currently Reading: 

Flying Lessons & Other Stories, edited by Ellen Oh

(Crown Books for Young Readers, January 3, 2017)

A Mindset for Learning, by Kristine Mraz and Christine Hertz

(Heinemann, 2015)

What I am Looking Forward to Reading Soon (in no particular order):
Chantarelle, by G.A. Morgan
Lucky Broken Girl , by Ruth Behar
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, by JK Rowling

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (8.1.16)

Every Monday bloggers all over the web participate in an effort to share books we have read and what we are excited about digging into. Thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee & Ricki at Unleashing Readers for hosting us all!

What I Read Recently:

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill
(Algonquin Young Readers, August 9, 2016)

     The people of the village are convinced that their tradition of sacrificing the last born baby of the year to the witch who lives in the woods somehow protects them and keeps them safe from her wrath. Only the witch in the woods doesn't understand this sacrifice and has taken it upon herself, year after year, to rescue these abandoned babies, nurturing them with starlight and delivering them to a neighboring town where new families welcome these "star-children" and love them. But the course of tradition, and the witch's life, changes when one sacrificed child drinks from the moon.
     Kelly Barnhill weaves together multiple storylines to tell stories of wallowing in sorrow, accepting that family is what we make it, and rising up for what is right, among other themes. The language and story are engulfing, and the book asks to be read in as few interrupted sittings as possible. Kelly Barnhill has also written a two-part prequel featured on ew.com.

Return Fire, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
(Scholastic Press, September 27, 2016)

     With the spear in her possession, Cassie's decisions are more important than ever-she could completely alter the world and bring armageddon to fruition. With her Guardian, Asher, Cassie continues to reason her way through tough choices, make split-second decisions and solve riddles and puzzles in order to accomplish her quest and, ultimately, try to keep everyone alive.
     This sequel picks up with the same intensity and high-interest action as it's precursor ended. Book two is as satisfying an adventure as the first.

Ranger in Time: Race to the South Pole, by Kate Messner

(Scholastic Press, June 28, 2016)

     Ranger is summoned for another rescue adventure, this time to a boy who has invited himself along on an expedition team journeying from New Zealand in hopes of being the first team to reach the South Pole. Many dangers await Ranger, the boy, and their adult traveling companions. 
     The depth of Kate Messner's research in writing this historical adventure series is remarkable. The author's notes of this fourth book are as dependable and interesting as the previous books in the series. Entirely age-appropriate, Race to the South Pole is informative about a facet of exploration that is less known.

Blast Back! The American Revolution, by Nancy Ohlin, illustrated by Adam Larkum
(little bee books, May 31, 2016)

     Straightforward text and simple drawings present the basics about the American Revolution. Easy to digest, this book could serve as an early entry to the time period.
     Other books in this series are available for the Civil War, Ancient Egypt, and Ancient Greece.

Saved by the Boats: The Heroic Sea Evacuation of September 11, by Julie Gassman, illustrated by Steve Moors

(Capstone Press, August 1, 2016)     
     Written by a first-hand witness to the rescue of people from Manhattan on September 11, 2001, this picture book is the story of how boats of all shapes and sizes responded to the call to help evacuate the area after the historic attacks on the World Trade Center.
     Deliberate choices about illustration style and color will stretch students conversations about the story told by this book as a whole package. The back-matter also offers other resources.

A Tiger Tail (or What Happened to Anya on Her First Day of School, by Mike Boldt
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, July 5, 2016)
     Waking up on the first day of school and discovering you've grown a tail just might be a little thing that throws everything off! Yet, Anya's new tail turns out to be an important first lesson in how each person has their own flair that makes them uniquely individual.
    

Ooko, by Esme Shapiro
(Tundra Books, July 5, 2016)
     A sweet story in which Ooko, looking for friendship in what seems to be a promising place, learns that sometimes a just-right friend is one you find a little outside the box.

Lion Lessons, by Jon Agee
(Dial Books, July 5, 2016)
      A little boy with the ambition to be a lion tries to learn each important lesson from the best. But can a little boy really be a lion? A really cut story I can't wait to share with my little animal-lover.

Celebrating Writers: From Possibilities Through Publication, by Ruth Ayres, with Christi Overman

(Stenhouse, July 1, 2013)

     In this professional text, Ruth Ayres and Christi Overman challenge teachers to consider all the possible places in a writer's journey for celebration and to be deliberate in making time for purposeful celebration. The book prompts teachers to recognize the process of writing as important and worthy of celebration as the finished written product.

More About the Authors, by Lisa B. Cleaveland

(Heinemann, March 21, 2016)

     In this follow-up to Katie Wood Ray and Lisa Cleaveland's About the Authors, Lisa Cleaveland features the work of her primary classroom in studying authors and illustrators as mentors to her young students. By shifting the dialogue in classroom conversations about books and the people who make them, students relate the work they are doing as authors and illustrators more closely to the work of professionals.
     The book includes an entire chapter that features a question/answer format between Lisa Cleaveland's primary students and author/illustrator Marla Frazee.

What I am Currently Reading:

We Were Here, by Matt de la Pena

(Delacorte Press, 2009)

The Duel: The Parallel Lives of Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr, by Judith St. George

(Speak, 2009)

What I am Looking Forward to Reading Soon (in no particular order):
A Mindset for Learning, by Kristine Mraz and Christine Hertz
The Friendship Experiment, by Erin Teagan
Midnight Without a Moon, by Linda Jackson

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (7.18.16)

Every Monday bloggers all over the web participate in an effort to share books we have read and what we are excited about digging into. Thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee & Ricki at Unleashing Readers for hosting us all!

What I Read Recently:

Finding Perfect, by Elly Swartz
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux, October 18, 2016)

     Molly can't help but feel like she is losing more and more control of her world, riddled with her mom's sudden move away from the family, competing challenges with middle school friends, and these routines, and rituals, and numbers...yes, numbers. Molly realizes she needs help, yet, she is also unsure of where to turn and who to trust with the truth that scares her.
     Elly Swartz's debut-novel portrays OCD with sensitivity and honesty. Though Elly is not without her obstacles and challenges, the family and friends in Finding Perfect are loving and supportive. This is another middle grade book that will help build understanding and empathy by opening doors to the realities of mental health that are faced by our children and their loved ones.

Wish, by Barbara O'Connor
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR, August 30, 2016)

     Charlie Reese longs to have a family--the kind that looks like everybody else's and helps her to feel normal and loved. In fact, she has a looonnnggg streak of wishing so every single day in every possible way to wish imaginable. Now that she's living with extended family members who she doesn't know in a small town in the middle of nowhere, Charlie feels her wish is far from becoming a reality. But when her new dog, Wishbone, becomes the center of her universe, she just might start to see things differently.
     Barbara O'Connor's writing is every bit as easy and gentle and true in Wish as in her other novels, and Charlie will be a fast friend for our readers who are in need of one. Wish will push readers--just as it does Charlie--to broaden their definition of what family looks like and grow their hearts a little, too.

Sticks & Stones, by Abby Cooper
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR, July 12, 2016)

     Elyse has a condition in which names she is called appear on the skin of her arms and legs. At first, this is interesting, with words like beautiful and cute. But as Elyse has grown older--and now that she is in middle school--the words haven't always been painless. Negative words like loser and stupid form and itch in a torturous way. What's more, Elyse's newest realization is that even the words she thinks about herself are appearing. Certain she needs a bank of lasting compliments to help her perpetually feel good--and control her condition--Elyse sets out to win the competition to the the leader of her class's three-day expeditionary trip.
     Abby Cooper's first book will raise questions and important conversations in upper elementary and middle school classrooms. This is the kind of book that will have kids exploring themes of kindness and respect and talking about the standards they want to hold each other to. Elyse's understanding and perspective at the end of the book are the kind of growth and confidence we hope to encourage in our students, too.

The Slowest Book Ever, by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
(Boyds Mills Press, April 5, 2016)

     Across categories such as animals, plants, body, space, and more, this book is a collection of nonfiction information about slow things: snails, coral, digestion, dark matter, and more.
     April Pulley Sayre has compiled page after page of interesting (and sometimes obscure) information related to speed that will have students rushing to share "did you know's" with their friends or heading off in search of more evidence that validates their reading. Short sections of digestible information and a witty voice will make this nonfiction appealing to kids.

When Friendship Followed Me Home, by Paul Griffin

(Dial Books, June 7, 2016)     
     When Ben Coffin was adopted by his foster mom, things seemed to fall into place, and when she let him keep a dog he found, things got even better. 
     When Friendship Followed Me Home invites you into easy friendship with Ben and Halley (and Flip). The dynamic between these two characters is full of heart and a beautiful balance of reciprocal admiration and support without being too heavy. Paul Griffin's writing about loss and grief takes a hopeful stance.

Poor Little Guy, by Elanna Allen
(Dial Books, June 7, 2016)
     This "poor little guy" is adorable, quite frankly. On his adventure in the ocean this day, he encounters other sea creatures and appears to be overwhelmed and intimidated...until he takes matters into his own hands.
     You need to read this one for yourself. Really.

Rules of the House, by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matt Meyers
(Disney-Hyperion, May 3,  2016)
     On a vacation, feuding brother and sister get an imaginative look at what might happen if the rules of the house aren't followed when broken rules come to life in monstrous form.
     An interesting idea, and the illustrations literally add life to the story. Curious to know what kids think, but I decided it was a little too creepy for my 4-year old nephew this time around.

Hensel and Gretel Ninja Chicks, by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat
(G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, May 24, 2016)
     Ninja students return--this time, chickens--in the poetic retelling of Hansel and Gretel. The well-schooled ninja chicks are lured into the kitchen of the witchy fox, but true to the original fairytale, they outsmart that fox and get away.
     I love this picture book series by this team. I marvel at the craft of Corey Rosen Schwartz's rhyme and meter and humor. Dan Santat's illustrations are a perfect match for the fun of the story. Read it aloud.

Let Me Finish!, by Minh Le, illustrated by Isabel Roxas
(Disney-Hyperion, June 7, 2016)
      All this boy wants to do is settle down with a good book, but with each attempt, he is interrupted by well-meaning friends who can't help but talk about his selections. 
      A humorous portrayal of the risk we run when we talk (too much!) about the books we love and spoil them for those who haven't read them yet. Upbeat art and the repeated interjections will make readers--young and old--smile.

What Do You Do with a Problem?, by Kobi Yamada, illustrated by Mae Besom

(Compendium, Inc., July 1, 2016)

     When the character identifies a problem as the thing looming and inviting worry and fear, he must decide how to handle it. 
     The book is essentially one extended think-aloud about making the choice to dig into a problem to decide how to handle it, and finding that problems often come with a glimmer of light--opportunity.

The Storyteller, by Evan Turk

(Atheneum Books for Young Readers, June 28, 2016)

     In the tradition of Moroccan storytelling, this is the story of a boy who saved Morocco from the wrath of the Sahara desert. Only it is so much more. Rich with metaphor, The Storyteller is about the power of storytelling to nourish us and honoring traditions to keep culture alive and well.

     The art. The writing. The layers. The message. This book is beautiful.

Good Night, Baddies, by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Julie Kangas

(Beach Lane Books, May 17, 2016)

     Night has come and all across the castle, the villains of your favorite fairytales are getting ready for sleep.
     Each page has a gentle and easy rhyme that gives hints the readers can use (with the pictures of course) to recall the fairytales in which each "baddie" starred. Clever, fun, creative.

What I am Currently Reading:

Celebrating Writers, by Ruth Ayres, with Christi Overman

(Stenhouse, 2013)

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill

(Algonquin, August 9, 2016)

What I am Looking Forward to Reading Soon (in no particular order):
Return Fire, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Midnight Without a Moon, by Linda Jackson

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (6.27.16)

Every Monday bloggers all over the web participate in an effort to share books we have read and what we are excited about digging into. Thanks to Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee & Ricki at Unleashing Readers for hosting us all!

Sidenote: This is two weeks' worth of reading. I've been feeling guilty about all the book thoughts I've been keeping to myself by not posting, so my intention is to participate weekly through the summer, and hopefully I'll toss in a few bonus thoughts about books I've read earlier this year that I think someone (everyone?) else should know about, too. Stay tuned.

What I Read this Week:

The Distance to Home, by Jenn Bishop

(Knopf Books for Young Readers, June 28, 2016)
     Quinnen was the star pitcher on her Little League Team. She used to live for baseball. But now, she doesn't play. The grief that set in after losing her sister Haley in a tragic car accident last summer has swallowed her passion for playing. Quinnen's parents sign up to host a player from the minor league farm team for the summer in hopes that the presence of baseball in their family will rekindle something for Quinnen. But grief is big. And it seems no one thought of all the reminders of Haley. Is a relationship with the minor league farm players enough to give Quinnen the courage to try again?
     Readers will make quick friends with Quinnen, will feel their own hearts whimper as they realize the immense loss she is fielding, and will read through the story with patient hope, willing Quinnen to make peace with the way things are now. 

Towers Falling, by Jewell Parker Rhodes
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, July 12, 2016)
     New York City. September, present day. Deja and her 5th grade class are about to enter into a study of state history, including the formidable events of 9/11. As her father's feelings about this controversial subject matter rise, Deja and her friends' curiosity grows about this significant event that had such a lasting impact on the adults in their lives, and which they know so little about.
     Jewell Rhodes writes from the perspective of today's youth, for whom 9/11 is history--a tragic event they know only second-hand. She captures the pain and long-lasting effects of the tragedy experienced by those who lived that day. Her father's concern and fear, his longing to protect Deja and her peers from the realities of destruction and loss, are representative of a growing question among adults in many forums these days about the right time for talking about big issue topics and how soon is too soon for talking about the enormity of this day with kids. Towers Falling is a book that provides and in-road to important, respectful conversations with middle grade kids.

Save Me a Seat, by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
(Scholastic Press, May 10, 2016)
     Two students, two cultures, two different points of view...one problem classmate. For Ravi, hopefulness is crushed. Although he identifies with Dillon because they are both Indian, he comes to realize that is where their similarities end. For Joe, a new student joining the class helps him to escape being the target, a little less often anyway. It takes a week's worth of lunches, but when Ravi and Joe finally see each other for who they are, the boys are able to offer one another a hand in friendship that helps alleviate the distaste of a classmate like Dillon.
     Save Me a Seat will offer readers a chance to consider how too-common school happenings can be seen differently from multiple students' perspective. As a shared read, this book will open the doors of discussion about diversity, respect, and setting shared expectations for the way students want to be treat and student-driven standards for respect owed to others.

Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier
(GRAPHIX, September 13, 2016)
     Catrina isn't taking well to her family's recent move to Bahia de la Luna. It seems the only redeeming quality of the move is the promise that the new town will improve her sister Maya's quality of life with conditions that are kinder to Maya's cystic fibrosis. Word of the ghosts that inhabit the town, on the other hand, are not helping Catrina to settle in this new place. In time, Catrina's relationship with Maya grows closer still as she learns more about her family's traditions, the Day of the Dead, and her connection to her ancestors.
     Fans will find the same satisfying qualities of Raina Telgemeier's other works in Ghosts. Though not autobiographical like Smile and Sisters, Raina has given readers characters who are just as vivid and feel as well-known as her own family. Not only will the girls' relationship touch readers, but this book will likely serve as a gateway to more reading and discussion about cystic fibrosis and Mexican culture and traditions.

How Writers Work: Finding a Process that Works for You, by Ralph Fletcher
(HarperCollins, 2000)
      With an honest and accessible voice, Ralph Fletcher speaks to young writers about facets of developing a writing process, for example: brainstorming, revising, and publishing. He provides stories and anecdotes from his own writing life as well as concrete interviews and excerpts from other published writers and kid writers alike. There are lots of healthy reminders in this short text for aspiring writers of all ages.

The Best Man, by Richard Peck

(Dial Books, September 20, 2016)

     Archer has grown up with admiration for the men in his life: his grandfather, his uncle, and his dad. As an adolescent boy, he knows about the man he wants to be and is impatient to get there. But in this first year in middle school, Archer builds a relationship with another man he surprisingly finds he aspires to emulate as well, his new teacher.

     There is so much warmth in the relationships Richard Peck establishes on the pages of Archer's story. While the book is speckled with humorous situations (some worthy of an honest out-loud chuckle) and knowing smiles of familiar middle school doings, the relationships radiate, between and among all of the men of Peck's newest novel. I can't wait to see what readers think.

Inspector Flytrap, by Tom Angleberger and CeCe Bell

(Amulet Books, August 2, 2016)

     If you have a Big Deal Mystery that needs solving, Inspector Flytrap will be the newest superhero detective to call on. (Unless you're a fly.) Inspector Flytrap and his sidekick, Nina the goat, will have you smirking as they set out to solve problems.

     Inspector Flytrap has the humor and silliness that will make this a sought after early reader for young students. Written as a series of short stories (or Big Deal Mysteries), students can digest smaller bits at a time. The format incorporates both traditional chapters and mini-graphic novel comics that relate to each of the mysteries.

The World from Up Here, by Cecilia Galante

(Scholastic Press, June 28, 2016)

     When her mother's health requires hospitalization at a center far from home, Wren and her brother move in with their aunt and cousin, Silver, neither of whom they know. Wren and Silver attend the same middle school, where the girls are trying to find their place, and their real selves. The girls form a bond over shared experiences, but none more lofty than to climb Creeper Mountain to interview the fabled Witch Weatherly whom all the local children fear. As they get to know one another, they mirror for each other the secrets of who they might really be.

     Wren and Silver are characters written so simply and so true. Their relationship falls into natural balance. This is a beautiful story of what it means to be brave and courageous and to act with empathy and friendship. These two girls would keep great company at a lunch table with Maggie (The Meaning of Maggie, Sovern, 2015) and Mattie and Quincy (Hound Dog True, Urban, 2012). I'd like to be their friend, too.

Soar, by Joan Bauer

(Viking Books for Young Readers, January 5, 2016)

     Jeremiah has never been unfamiliar with adversity, abandoned as an infant to be cared for by Walt (his adoptive father) and a successful heart transplant patient at the age of 11. Baseball has always been Jeremiah and Walt's shared passion, so when news comes of a relocation to a town that seems to eat, breathe, and sleep baseball, Jeremiah is optimistic and hopeful that this will be the place where he can again be involved with the sport he loves. Only news of dishonest coaching and performing enhancing drugs threatens to crash the town's outlook on baseball for good. Jeremiah, with the self-declared heart of an eagle, is determined to keep baseball soaring.

     Jeremiah is the character kids want to root for, the underdog with a hopelessly optimistic view and the leadership to go along with it. The aspiring young coach will have everyone cheering along as they page-turn to read the outcome of his goals.

Still a Work in Progress, by Jo Knowles

(Candlewick, August 2, 2016)

     Noah and his friends are trying to navigate middle school and everything that comes with the territory: homework, teachers, friends, girls, and relationships. All of that is enough to juggle, but Noah's world is further complicated by his changing relationship with his high school-aged sister who is growing increasingly moody and demanding about the family's food choices. 

     Jo Knowles so deftly brings a troupe of middle school boys to life in a way that you can't resist caring about them and their tribulations. Their antics are humorous and accurately outlandish. Jo honestly and sensitively conveys the emotional turmoil and conflict that arises as Noah's family confronts the crisis of his sister's relapse with an eating disorder. Still a Work in Progress is another 2016 book that sheds light on the real challenges and struggles today's families face and the need to attend to one another with compassion and empathy.

What I am Currently Reading:

The Way Home Looks Now, by Wendy Shang-Lu

(Scholastic Press, 2015)

A Writer Teaches Writing, by Don Murray

(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1985)

What I am Looking Forward to Reading Soon (in no particular order):
The Scourge, by Jennifer Nielsen
Wish, by Barbara O'Connor
Midnight Without a Moon, by Linda Jackson