The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Patron, Susan. The Higher Power of Lucky. New York, NY : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006. ISBN : 978-1-4169-0194-5

Lucky just knows she is about to be abandoned again. Brigitte, Lucky's guardian since her mother died and her father decided he didn't want her, has been acting funny. She misses her family in France and Lucky caught her applying to a French culinary school. When Lucky finds Brigitte's suitcase and passport all packed, she decides it is finally time to put her plan into action. She packs up her survival-kit backpack and heads out to her secret cave in the desert. But will her plan to make Brigitte realize how much she loves Lucky work, or will it be foiled by a dust storm and a five year old boy?

Recommended for grades 4-6 (ages 9-12)

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Right Behind You by Gail Giles

Giles, Gail. Right Behind You. New York : Little, Brown & Company, 2007. ISBN 978-0-316-16636-2

Who would have guessed the good looking, record setting star of the swim team would be hiding a secret past? Kip McFarland has been dealing with his painful past ever since he murdered another child when he was 9 years old. Whether the murder was intentional or not, Kip cannot forgive himself. After his release from a mental facility for children his family moves to Indiana from Alaska. At his new high school Kip reinvents himself as Wade Madison. But when he leaks his secret past to further punish himself for his crime, his family gets chased out of town again. After meeting a new friend, with a secret past of her own, will Kip finally be able to learn to forgive himself?

The Breakup Bible by Melissa Kantor

Kantor, Melissa. The Breakup Bible. New York : Hyperion, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7868-0962-2

Jen Lewis' life is over. Her boyfriend Max, who she crushed on for two years before they started dating, has just unexpectedly dumped her. Unfortunately, she has to work beside him daily on their high school newspaper. As she struggles to figure out why he fell out of love with her and how she can move on, she begins reading a book her Nana gave her. Though the book seems silly, Jen becomes determined to use its advice to get over Max. But maybe the book isn't what she needs, maybe stirring up a little controversy with her school's administration is what she needs.

Ethan, Suspended by Pamela Ehrenberg

Ehrenberg, Pamela. Ethan, Suspended. Grand Rapids, MI : Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2007. ISBN : 978-0-8028-5324-0

Ethan thinks he is just staying with his grandparents for a few days, but it soon becomes clear that he is staying in their Washington, DC house for an undetermined amount of time. His parents have recently separated, his sister just left for college and his friends from back home in Maple Heights, Pennsylvania have all turned on him after an incident they were all involved in left only him in trouble. Now he is stuck living with his grandparents in a world with no computer, early dinners, coupon clipping and as the only white student in a school where you can only be friends with the Latino kids, or the African American kids. Eventually he begins to adjust. He accepts the situation with his parents and regrets the decisions that brought him to DC. He even makes friends in his new school, friends that are very different from his old friends. Friends that will hopefully stick with him during tough times.

Suggested ages- 11 and up

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Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Zarr, Sara. Sweethearts. New York, NY : Little, Brown and Company, 2008. ISBN : 978-0-316-01455-7

Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick are best friends. In their Utah elementary school they are both picked on, bullied and lonely- until they find each other. When Cameron disappears out of Jennifer's life without saying goodbye, she becomes determined to become someone new. Flash forward eight years to the new life of "Jenna Vaughn". A new step dad, a new town, a new school and new friends, but still Jenna lives constantly in fear that someone will find out about her past life as overweight, insecure and lonely Jennifer Harris. When Cameron suddenly and inexplicably appears at her small school, Jenna has to learn to deal with her past in order to enjoy her present.

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Under the Wolf, Under the Dog by Adam Rapp

Rapp, Adam. Under the Wolf, Under the Dog. Cambridge, MA : Candlewick Press, 2004. ISBN 0763618187.

Steve Nugent is going through some rough times. His mom just died from cancer, his brother committed suicide, his father is all but useless and now he is in a group home for teens. The journal he keeps, at the request of his counselor, details his experiences leading up to his admittance at the group home. While his experiences are horrifying at times, in the end he learns that we all need to deal with our problems in our own way.