Tanya

Seventh grader, Marley Sidelski is a self-described geek and Star Trek fan.   He gets a lot of practice running from school bullies.  In fact, he's so good a running that he gets the attention of the gym teacher, who wants him on the track team.  Finally, Marley gets a taste of popularity, in this less than believable but very funny book about surviving middle school. Recommended for grades 5-8.

Life wasn't easy for anyone during the Great Depression, but it could be even harder if you were African American. In this work of historical fiction, Hibernia a preacher's daughter, dreams of becoming a singer.  Willie is recovering from a burn that will keep him from fulfilling his dream of becoming a boxer. Otis, an orphan, is struggling to find happiness but finds comfort in his family's radio and the sense of humor that was passed down to him from his father.

Georgina and her family suddenly find themselves homeless. Living out of a car with her mother and little brother while her mother works two jobs makes Georgina think about what she can do to help the situation. She comes up with a wild idea to steal a dog and claim reward money after the owner posts reward signs for the lost dog. As the story unfolds, Georgina and the reader grow fond of a mysterious man named Mookie, an old woman named Carmella, and a little dog named Willy. Sometimes, the best lessons happen in the worst of times.

It's 1872 in New York City and Horace Carpetine is a photography apprentice. Horace and a black servant girl named Peggy discover that his photographs for Mrs. Von Macht are evoking the ghost of her deceased daughter, Eleanora. Things really heat up when Horace and Peggy discover that the ghost of Eleanora is out for revenge. This book is a great chiller for those who liked to get spooked; recommended for grades 5-8.

It's the summer of 1957 in Arkansas and 13 year old Ollie is the oldest of Reverend Love's five daughters.  Ollie tries to imagine what it would

It's the 1950's and Ruth's Daddy just bought a 1952 Buick!  Ruth, her Mama and Daddy will be driving it from their home in Chicago to her Grandma's house in Alabama!  The trip starts out pleasant, but as they continue their drive the family encounters white only restrooms and hotels. It's hard for Ruth's family to find places to rest and eat.

Ninth Ward is a perfect choice for both avid readers and reluctant readers. Set in the ill-fated 9th Ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, this story develops unique and beautiful characters while invoking a regional history of belief in magic and mysticism. Nine year old Lanesha is about to have the fight of her life. Lanesha was born with the gift of “sight”, the ability to communicate with ghosts, but has trouble communicating with her mother, who died during child birth. Mama Ya Ya, the elderly woman who has raised Lanesha, has the ability to see into the future.

Thirteen year old Gen doesn't want to spend her entire summer vacation with her family at an 1890's styled frontier camp.  It's her mother's idea to commit the family to this experience in living history and the owners of this camp take their social experiment very seriously.  To preserve her sanity, Gen smuggles in a cell phone so that she can text her friends about every painful experience of forced frontier life, including the details of meeting Caleb, a very cute fellow camper, and Nora, the very jealous and bitter daughter of the camp owners.   Gen discovers that th