Suzy and Franny have been best friends for a long time. Then they get in a fight just before Franny goes on vacation for the summer. Suzy is sure they’ll make up in the fall, but something terrible happens. When she hears that Franny has drowned, at first she doesn’t believe it. It just doesn't make any sense--Franny was an excellent swimmer. How could something like this happen? Franny becomes obsessed with finding out how Suzy really died. That’s how she learns about jellyfish so small they're practically invisible and so venomous they could kill an adult. Sure they're usually found near Australia, but with climate change and sea temperatures rising, maybe their territory is expanding. Everyone keeps telling Suzy to move on, but she can’t until she gets to the bottom of the mystery.

“There are so many things to be scared of in this world: blooms of jellies. A sixth extinction. A middle school dance. But maybe we can stop feeling so afraid. Maybe instead of feeling like a mote of dust, we can remember that all the creatures on this Earth are made from stardust. And we are the only ones who get to know it. That's the thing about jellyfish: They'll never understand that. All they can do is drift along, unaware. Humans may be newcomers to this planet. We may be plenty fragile. But we're also the only ones who can decide to change.”

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th
Tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, school stories, tear jerker

Micah Tuttle loves listening to his grandpa's stories of the magical Circus Mirandus with its invisible tiger, flying birdwoman, and a powerful magician known as the Lightbender. People think they're just stories, but Grandpa insists that they're true and Micah believes him. Now Grandpa is dying and the only thing that can save him is a miracle. Luckily, the Lightbender owes his grandpa just that. But is the circus real? Will Micah be able to convince the Lightbender to pay his debt? It's hard to believe in magic in a world of cynics, but Micah would do anything to give his grandpa another chance.

This is a beautifully-told, heart-breaking story of the connection between a boy and his grandfather. The circus is delightful and the magical elements fantastic, but when you boil it down this relationship is the core of the story. It suffuses the whole book with emotion and a deep meaning about the difficulty of letting go. On top of all that it's a great magical quest/adventure story.

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th
Tags: character driven, family life, fantasy, tear-jerker

Ellie has always been smart. That's why she was chosen for a special purpose. She was trained as a puppy in how to track and find people. At first, it was just a game to make her human happy. But as she grew up, she could sense that her work was important. Whether it was finding injured humans in disaster zones or comforting people when they were sad, she helped people when they most needed it. But what would happen if she couldn't do her job any more? Would she still have a purpose? Would she still have a human who loves her?

I was completely fascinated by the training process for a search and rescue dog from the dog's perspective. Cameron does a great job describing what it's like and imagining how a dog would puzzle out what humans want it to do. The story goes along at a pretty fast clip through Ellie's life with a lot of tear-jerker moments, but things always work out in the end.

Ellie's Story by W. Bruce Cameron

Erica's Picks
3rd -6th
Tags: Animals, Contemporary Fiction, Tear-Jerkers

​A young man survives a shipwreck in 1766 and goes on to create a dynasty of famous actors in London. Another runs away from his boarding school in 1990 to seek out his estranged and eccentric uncle who lives in an even more mysterious house. Their stories, told through pictures and words, intertwine in unexpected ways that will leave you flipping pages and looking for clues about how their stories meet.

This story completely wrecked me. I was deeply touched by the slowly unraveling story of the uncle and his mysterious house. I was drawn in by wondering how the two stories connected. After reading this, I made a point of visiting the museum that inspired it. The whole experience of this book is simply beautiful.

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th
Tags: Art, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Tear-Jerker

Jack lives an old-fashioned, quiet life on a farm in a small town. When he finds out his parents are fostering a teen who has been to prison and has a history of violent outbursts, he isn't sure what to think. The first sign Jack has that Joseph is more than his past is that the cows trust him. The more Jack learns about Joseph's life, the more Jack wants to help. The only thing Joseph really seems to care about is meeting his new-born daughter. Jack could never have anticipated the heartache and sacrifices that Joseph's path would require.

Get out your tissue boxes because just one may not last you with this novel. There's so many well-meaning people trying their hardest to do good in such heart-breaking circumstances. I appreciate that there's no candy-coating or easy outs. Despite the tragic ending, this book still managed to leave me hopeful thanks to the many inspiring characters in its pages.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

Erica's Picks
6th & up
Tags: Character Driven, Contemporary Fiction, Family Life, Issues Fiction, Tear Jerker

Maxie, Patrice, and Emmalee have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Normally when they're together they're talking a mile a minute, but these are not normal times. As they head to the protest, fearing that riots may break out, they sit in silence. Maxie knows that these protests are important and she'll have to be brave if she wants to be a Black Panther but Patrice and Emmalee would rather be enjoying what's left of the summer. Soon Emmalee and Patrice stop going with Maxie when she volunteers at the Panther office, and when a traitor is discovered in their midst Maxie wonders if there's anyone she can trust. If you suspected someone you loved of betraying everything you believe in, what would you do?

Maxie is a strong lead and I was completely immersed in her story and eagerly flipping pages to find out what would happen next. The historical setting helped provide me with a deeper understanding of the 1960’s and the Civil Rights Movement.  The first book in this series is The Rock and the River. I recommend reading both, because they are excellent, but this novel stands well on its own so reading The Rock and the River first is not necessary. I'd give this to anyone looking for an absorbing historical fiction. Those with an interest in the civil rights movement in particular will find this an excellent read.

Fire in the Streets by Kekla Magoon

Erica's Picks
5th-8th Grade
Tags: Character-Driven, Emotional, Family Life, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Issues Fiction, People of Color

June doesn't belong. She was not meant to live in the 1980's--she was made for the Middle Ages. Sometimes, when she's alone in the forest, she pretends that she's gone back in time. She'll stalk silently in her medieval boots and pretend she's hunting for deer to feed her starving village. Finn is the only one who understands her. But soon, she will lose him. Before he dies, he's determined to paint one last portrait of June and her sister. June looks forward to these painting sessions more than anything in the world, and she thought Finn did too. Which is why she’s shocked to uncover the secret life he was hiding from her. 

I absolutely adored June! She loves pretending that she's living in another era, she feels like a naked mole rat at parties, and imagines what words would look like if they were alive. All of the characters are portrayed with a complexity that makes them completely believable. I felt like I knew these characters personally. There are so many things that I loved about this book that I can't even begin to list them all. The book is sad, as you would expect from a book about someone dying, but there is so much more to the novel than the tears.  I’d recommend this to fans of The Fault in Our Stars or anyone looking for an emotional novel with great characters.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Erica's Picks
8th Grade
Tags: Character Driven, Emotional, Issues Fiction, LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction