Here are some of my favorites. The summaries are taken from our catalog.
F WOO
The blossoming universe of Violet Diamond
Brenda Woods.
"A biracial girl finally gets the chance to meet the African American side of her family"--Provided by publisher.
One dog and his boy
Eva Ibbotson.
When lonely, ten-year-old Hal learns that his wealthy but neglectful parents only rented Fleck, the dog he always wanted, he and new friend Pippa take Fleck and four other dogs from the rental agency on a trek from London to Scotland, where Hal's grandparents live.
The Unwanteds
Lisa McMann.
In a society that purges thirteen-year-olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated, one to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic.
The one and only Ivan
Katherine Applegate
When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.
Pie
Sarah Weeks.
Alice's Aunt Polly passes away and entrusts the recipe for her world-famous pie crust to her cat, which she leaves in Alice's care, and as everyone, including Alice, tries to discover the secret ingredients, Alice learns some important lessons about faith, love, and family.
Guitar notes
Mary Amato.
Tripp, who plays guitar only for himself, and Lyla, a cellist whose talent has already made her famous but not happy, form an unlikely friendship when they are forced to share a practice room at their high school.
Out of my mind
Sharon M. Draper.
Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.
The raft
S.A. Bodeen.
Robbie's last-minute flight to the Midway Atoll proves to be a nightmare when the plane goes down in shark-infested waters. Fighting for her life, the co-pilot Max pulls her onto the raft, and that's when the real terror begins
What the dog said
Randi Reisfeld
Shortly after their police officer father is killed in the line of duty, thirteen-year-old Grace's older sister decides to adopt a dog to train as a service dog for a handicapped child so that she can write about it for her college applications, but true to form, it is the grief-stricken Grace who ends up taking responsibility for the dog.
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach
Brenda Woods.
A budding musician named Saint, who earns money playing clarinet for the New Orleans tourists, refuses to leave the city after the hurricane until he can find his best friend Shadow.
A dog's life: the autobiography of a stray
by Ann M. Martin.
A stray puppy named Squirrel relates her life story, beginning with her nurturing mother; providing details of her experiences with both nice and mean humans, busy highways, and the seasons; and ending with her meeting two friends.
Gregor the Overlander
by Suzanne Collins.
When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.
Unwind
Neal Shusterman.
Three teens embark upon a cross-country journey in order to escape from a society that salvages body parts from children ages thirteen to eighteen.
Follow my leader
by James B. Garfield
After he is accidentally blinded, Jimmy must make many adjustments including using a guide dog. ***OK, I have to confess, this was one of my favorite books when I was young. The original copyright date is 1957!
Flip
Martyn Bedford.
Sixteen-year-old Alex awakens to find that six months have gone by and he seems to be living in another boy's body, and as Alex tries to figure out what happened, he wonders if he will ever be able to return to the life he once knew. (Better for 7th and 8th graders)