Have you ever heard a song that changed your life? There's a world of music Eleanor always wanted to hear. She'd write down the lyrics on her notebook and dream of owning her own music player. But she never heard the songs, until she met Park. Now she can't get enough of him or his music. But Park looks like a protagonist from a story; everything seems to go right for him. While Eleanor looks like she'll never fit in and knows just how hard life can be. It would never work out between them. But she just might be crazy enough to try.

I absolutely adored this novel and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing it. Eleanor and Park are both such endearing characters. I couldn't ask for more delightfully quirky protagonists. The author has a unique style as well and instead of the usual cliche comparisons for eyes she chose to describe Park's as "so green they could turn carbon dioxide into oxygen." I love it! The novel captures the feelings of passionate first love and bottles them up. On top of all that there is substance to the story. I'd give this to anyone looking for a good misfit story or an atypical romance set in a high school. Audiophiles will enjoy the music references throughout. 

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Erica's Picks
7th-8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Contemporary Fiction, Family Life, Issues Fiction, People of Color, Romance, School Stories

Doug Swieteck once played catch with Joe Pepitone of the New York Yankees and he gave him his signed baseball cap. It was the first thing Doug ever owned that didn't belong to another Swieteck before him and like most good things, it didn't last. His brother took his cap and his father lost his temper and his job and now they have to move to stupid Marysville where everyone looks at him like he doesn't belong. Marysville isn't all bad. There's Lil Spicer who can burp louder than anyone he's ever heard, and the library has these Audubon prints on display with birds that look like they're about to fly off the page. But the prints are being sold off and just when his life starts going okay, things get messed up all over again.

Things start off bad for Doug, then they get worse. Then they start to get better but that glimmer is stamped out and he's thrown ever farther into the abyss. But then things start to improve again and the complicated knots his life has been tied up in start to get unraveled.  Things will never be perfect for Doug, but they will be okay. This novel gets very dark but it left me uplifted with a sense that no matter how bad things get, there is always a way to make them okay again. The narrative voice is compelling and believable and adds humor to the dark corners of the novel. This book could be enjoyed by anyone who has ever felt like they didn't belong somewhere.

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

Erica's Picks
5th-8th
Tags: Character Driven, Family Life, Historical Fiction, Humor, Issues Fiction, School Stories

Hazel and Jack were best friends until one snowy day in winter. "It was the sort of snowfall that, if there were any magic to be had in the world, would make it come out. And magic did come out. But not the kind you were expecting." Suddenly Jack starts acting strange and stops being friends with Hazel. Her mother says that these things happen sometimes and to make new friends, but Hazel knows that something is wrong. Then one day, Jack disappears entirely and no one even seems to notice. Hazel has read about this sort of thing in books. She may be the only one who can save him, so what choice does she have? She packs her supplies and sets off into the icy heart of winter.

I love Hans Christian Andersen and many references to his stories are made, with the main story following “The Snow Queen.” It's a great outsider tale and Hazel is a wonderful, strong main character. Book worms will appreciate all the literary references Hazel makes. I’d give this to anyone looking for a fairy tale retold, a modern school story, or a fantasy because it is all three.

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu


Erica's Picks
3rd-6th
Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Friendship, People of Color, Retellings, School Stories

Braces were going to be bad enough, but when Raina trips and knocks out her two front teeth she's in for an even longer journey full of pain and trips to various -dontists. It will take years to get her mouth looking normal again. While she waits she has to deal with friends who are acting less and less friendly, decide who she wants to be, and cope with all the other usual pains of growing up. Sometimes it seems like nothing will ever be right again and it's becoming more and more difficult to find reasons to smile.

I went through braces, an expander, retainers, and headgear when I was growing up, but that was all nothing compared to Raina. It was cathartic to read about experiences that were similar to and even worse than my own. I love the artwork and way Raina illustrates concepts as well. I'd give this to anyone who has had any major dental or orthodontic work done or who soon will. Of course anyone looking for a good comic about middle school will enjoy it as well.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier



Erica's Picks
4th-8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Comics, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, School Stories

In a few short months, Julie will graduate and all her friends will scatter to new schools. But their elementary school has one last surprise waiting for them before they go. When Chingis and Nergui show up to class in their thick fur coats with the sun beating down outside, everyone is intrigued. The teacher asks Nergui to remove his hat and Chingis responds that his brother is like an eagle calmed by a hood, and removing his hat would have disastrous results. These new kids are clearly not their average classmates and everyone wants to get to know them. Julie is the one they pick as their guide, and she takes her responsibilities seriously. But something is wrong with the brothers. Chingis claims that a demon is chasing his brother--how could that possibly be true?

A student in the first class that Boyce visited as an author inspired this book.  It is very funny and a quick read and has lots of fun facts about Mongolian culture.  The Polaroid pictures throughout creatively illustrate the story.  I’d give this to anyone looking for a funny story set in a modern school.

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce


Erica's Pick
4th-6th
Tags: Humor, People of Color, Realistic Fiction, School Stories

On St. Mark's Eve the spirits of those who will die in the next year march along Corpse Road. Of course Blue had never been able to see them. Her gift is only to increase the psychic abilities of others. Which is why she was once again by the old church on St. Mark's Eve helping someone else record the names of unfortunate souls she could not see. That is, until she saw him. That night everything changed. There are only two reasons why a non-seer like her would see a spirt on St. Mark's Eve: she's either his true love...or his killer.

I love the characters in this novel from Blue: the sensible one in a house full of psychics to the group of Raven Boys, so called because of their private school's mascot. The four Raven Boys have a special bond and it's this group dynamic that kept me reading more than anything else. The boys clearly care about each other, but they're so different that they seem to be constantly on the verge of breaking apart. I’d give this to anyone looking for a story about friendship, boarding schools, or the supernatural.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater


Erica's Picks
7th-8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Friendship, School Stories, Supernatural

Have you ever been told that you couldn't do something because you were too short or too young or too shy? Did you take no for an answer--or did you fight back? Frankie is used to being underestimated. Most people look at her and see a naive girl, her father's 'bunny rabbit.' So when she wants to join the top-secret (and all-boys) Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, it's not surprising that they won't let her in. But Frankie has more intelligence, gumption, and courage than they realize.  She's determined to get herself into the Order—whether they want her or not. 

Frankie is a strong character and I enjoyed watching her defy those who underestimated her. I love how Lockhart took the typical secret society storyline and turned it into something more by making the pranks protests. Both the pranks and the novel are progressive messages wrapped in a sweet candy coating, and I savored them. I'd give this to anyone looking for a school story with a strong female lead. Fans of secret society and private school stories will particularly enjoy this novel.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart


Erica's Picks
7th-8th Grade
Tags: Humor, Realistic Fiction, School Stories