Hoover Middle School

 Bystander by James Preller    

      Realistic Fiction 

In today's schools there is tremendous focus on the problem of bullying.  As a result there are several new books with the bullying theme, but they are written from the vantage points of the bully or the victim.  James Preller's Bystander is written from the viewpoint of an observer to the interactions between the bully and the victims.   The key question asked by the bystander is what do I do about what I know.  Eric needs to figure this out quickly to make things right and he needs to know what the decision will do to his world. 

Closed for the Season, by Mary Downing Hahn
     Mystery 

Moving into a house known as “the murder house,” 13 year-old Logan and his new neighbor, Arthur, investigate a three year old “cold case”. Rumor has it the motive for the murder was to get the money the victim had supposedly stolen. Logan and Arthur set out to prove the victim didn't steal anything from the now closed Magic Forest Amusement Park. Join the boys as they try to find out what really happened.
For added fun, this book is set in a fictional town near Richmond, Virginia; but the book's Magic Forest bears a strong resemblance to the now closed Enchanted Forest amusement park that really did entertained many families in Ellicott City, Maryland! 

 Cosmic, by Frank Cottrell Boyce
     Humorous Adventure 

The Defense of Thaddeus A. Ledbetter, by John Gosselink
     Humorous 

Thaddeus Ledbetter is a 7th grader who knows all and is not afraid to share his expertise. He's clever, motivated, and deficient enough in social skills to alienate most of the people in his school.  By January his exploits have landed Thaddeus, who views himself as a future lawyer, in In-School Suspension for the rest of the year. The format of his defense of these exploits appears similar to that of the Wimpy Kid series, but he's oh-so-much more!  You can learn more about this young man at www.thaddeus-ledbetter.com   

Fish, by Gregory Mone 
      Adventure 

“Fish” is an Irish lad from a poor farming family with unusual ability to swim. He leaves home to work as a courier for his uncle in the city. When a pirate steals an important package from him, Fish swims after the scoundrel in an attempt to get it back. He becomes a crewmember on the Scurvy Mistress, and finds himself caught up in treasure-seeking adventure with the ship’s captain, while living his day-to-day life trying to the thwart raid-loving, mutinous scoundrel Scab. With the pirates on the ship choosing sides and another ship chasing the same treasure, who can he trust? 
 

Half Brother, by Kenneth Oppel
  

Ben Tomlin’s 13^th birthday is one he will never forget. It’s the day his parents bring home his new “sibling”- a baby chimpanzee. Ben’s parents are research scientists who are conducting an experiment attempting to prove that chimps are capable of intelligent thought and communication. At first, Ben resists the newest member of their family, but as time passes and they learn to communicate through sign language, Ben and Zan connect and form an amazing bond.  But, just like humans, even a baby chimpanzee will eventually grow up. Every action, even loving something, causes a reaction. What will happen when the experiment is over? 

One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia
   Historical Fiction (1960s) 

One Crazy Summer was, in fact, one crazy summer. The summer of 1968 was a turbulent time in American history. There was uproar especially in Oakland, CA. where three young girls are sent to become reacquainted with their mother, Cecile. Questions arise about motherhood and who/what makes a mother. The girls are sent to a center run by the Black Panther Party, and further questions about revolution and identity are asked. In the end, the motherland is nothing like Disneyland and mom’s cooking is carryout Chinese. 

Out of My Mind, by Sharon M. Draper
   Realistic Fiction 

Melody is the smartest kid in her school but no one knows it.  Trapped in her body by cerebral palsy, she cannot speak or walk or write. With the help of her school aide  Melody gets a Medi-Talker which allows her to communicate clearly for the first time, which opens up her world. This is a compelling story of Melody’s gutsy determination to overcome a wide range of obstacles, including the lack of acceptance many disabled people face. 

The Smoky Corridor, by Chris Grabenstein
   Mystery 

Zack is about to start at his new school, and his dad, who went there years before, tells Zack the stories of the haunted janitor’s closet, the specter of a dead crossing guard, and the Donnelly brothers, who perished in a suspicious fire. Dad doesn’t know that Zack has already met the Donnellys’ ghosts, who have warned Zack that there is an evil zombie under the school. Zack also learns that while zombies are usually content eating corpses, if they happen to bite someone who isn’t dead, that person also becomes a zombie.  Before midterms, Zack is dealing with two zombies, while trying to protect a friend whose curiosity has put him on the zombies’ menu. 

Trash, by Andy Mulligan
   Science Fiction 

In the future, the poor living in third world countries pick through mountains of trash for valuables they can sell to support themselves. One day three trash-picking teens find something they know is valuable and hide it. When the authorities come looking for it they realize it must be worth far more than they thought; and the trio sets out to find the real owner. The teens dig deeper, uncovering political corruption as they try to stay ahead of the pursuing police.  Secret codes lead them to someone who can help them solve the puzzle and reveal the truth. Hope for a better future, through perseverance and determination, becomes a real possibility for the three boys. 

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story, by Linda Sue Park
            Historical Fiction 

After All, You're Callie Boone, by Winnie Mack
             

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity, by Mac Barnett
            Mystery 

Dream of Night,  by Heather Henson
             

Emily's Fortune, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
            

Everything for a Dog, by Ann M. Martin
            Realistic Fiction 

The Girl Who Could Fly, by Victoria Forester
            

The Gold Rush Kid, by Mary Waldorf
             

Turtle in Parasise, by Jennifer L. Holm
             

A Kiss in Time, by Alex Flinn
     Fantasy 

All Unquiet Things, by Anna Jarzab 

Girl, Stolen, by April Henry 

Hate List, by Jennifer Brown 

How to Say Goodbye in Robot, by Natalie Standiford 

Jump, by Elisa Carbone 

Marcelo in the Real World, by Francisco X. Stork
     Realistic Fiction 

The Rock and the River, by  Kekla Magoon 

Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi
     Science Fiction