House of the Red Fish

In 1943 on the island of Oahu, Tomi Nakaji’s father is imprisoned and his grandfather is taken away. All people of Japanese descent are suspect and placed under a nightly curfew. To keep hope alive, Tomi decides to raise Papa’s fishing boat that had been sunk by the army. The nearly impossible task is accomplished through Tomi's determination, perseverance, and ingenious approaches to the problem. Along with Tomi's best friend, Billy, who is a haole (white), other Hawaiian friends and many of their family members, the boat is successfully raised. This well-balanced novel brings the historical period and realistic characters to life.
Salisbury, Graham. House of the Red Fish. Wendy Lamb Books, ©2006.

Code Orange

Mitty Blake is searching for his infectious disease report topic. Unfortunately, the search turns into a nightmare when Mitty finds two scabs in an old medical book in his family’s weekend house. The scabs are variola major, a virus that has the potential to kill everyone in New York City. While searching on the Internet, Mitty and his friend, Olivia, inadvertently, tip off terrorists about his findings. This leads to Mitty’s kidnapping and the terrorists’ plans to use him as a human biological weapon against the people of New York. Sympathetic readers will rally around Mitty and his heroic efforts against terrorist in this modern day thriller.

Cooney, Caroline B. Code Orange. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, ©2005.

Jackie's Wild Seattle

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Seattle,

Washington

Wildlife Rescue

9/11

Doctors without Borders

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A brother and sister stay with an uncle in Seattle for a summer while their parents go to Pakistan to work in a refugee camp. Shannon takes on the responsibility of helping her little brother Cody deal with his lingering fears of 9/11 and helping her uncle. He is no longer a rock climbing engineer - he's changed his life. Now he drives a beat up old van all over Seattle rescuing animals. What does it take to heal broken souls? This is a heart warming story for anyone who has lived with suffering. Hobbs, Will. Jackie's Wild Seattle. HarperCollins, ©2003

The Old Willis Place

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Ghosts

Haunted Houses

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Diana and her little brother Georgie live in the woods behind an old decaying mansion. Why are they scared to leave the property? Why aren't they allowed to be friends with the caretaker's daughter? Why are they afraid to enter the Old Willis Place? Shivery - don't read this one alone at night.

Hahn, Mary Downing. The Old Willis Place. Clarion Books, ©2004

The Anybodies

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Identity

Magic

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Swapped at birth. A series of magical events. A mysterious man and strange occurences. Who are the Anybodies? Fantasy lovers will enjoy this one - told with tongue-in-cheek Snickety style humor.

Bode, N. E. The Anybodies. HarperCollins, ©2004

The Ravenmaster's Secret

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Tower of London

Ravens

Yoeman Warders

Jacobites

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Off with their heads! In 18th century England, people dressed in their finest flocked to the town square to watch prisoners be executed. Forrest befriends a Scottish Jacobite prisoner who is his age and she is about to be executed. Will he just go watch? Or will he risk his life to save a friend? Woodruff makes you feel like you're there - in the filth, squalor, torture and bravery of another time.

Woodruff, Elvira. The Ravenmaster's Secret. Scholastic, ©2003

Listening for Lions

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East African History - 20th Century

Orphans

Influenza

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Rachel loves Africa - it's the only home she has ever known. Her missionary parents have let her run as wild and free as the animals she has come to love but an influenza epidemic changes everything. A stuffy old English mansion with a dying old man and criminals who force her to stay there contrast like sunshine and rain with the life she had before. Can she escape a life of deception and find her way home? A little girl grows up to be a strong and admirable woman in a time when it wasn't easy for women to succeed.

Whelan, Gloria. Listening for Lions. HarperCollins, ©2005

Surviving Antarctica - Reality TV 2083

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South Pole

Antarctica

Robert F. Scott

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In 2083 reality Edu-TV is how everyone learns (the government has closed schools to save money). When five very different teens are chosen to recreate a doomed 1912 expedition to the South Pole they aren't watching TV anymore. It's fifty degrees below zero and death is one mistake away. And the whole world is watching through the video cameras implanted in their eyes. History meets the future in this exciting novel.

White, Andrea. Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083. HarperCollins, ©2005.

Under the Same Sky

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Mexico

Migrant Workers

Farming

Prejudice

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Joe just wants a motorbike for his birthday. Earning the money himself by working on his Dad's farm was NOT what he had in mind. Matter of fact he can't wait to go away to college and leave the stupid farm forever. Joe grows up this summer - picking strawberries in the hot sun bent over for hours will do that to you. This one is a real eye opener and will help you understand the current issues facing our country on immigration.

DeFelice, Cynthia. Under the Same Sky. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, ©2003.

The Lightning Thief

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Greek Mythology

Poseidon/Zeus/Hades

ADHD

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Percy is different - really different. He can't sit still in class and has been thrown out of several schools because weird things happen when he's around and of course he gets blamed. When he visits a museum with his class (he's sworn to his mother to be on his best behavior) a teacher turns into a monster with glowing eyes, his ball point pen becomes a sword and...well let's just say Percy reacts. An adventure begins with a Hogwarts type school, several encounters with mythical monsters (yes - Medusa is one of them!) and a meeting with his real dad. Those famous Greek myths are famous for a reason - they are great stories!

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. Hyperion, ©2005.

Chicken Boy

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Chickens

Bird Brains

Self-Esteem

Juvenile Delinquincy

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7th grader Tobin has one normal relative - his grandmother. But she is almost arrested in the first paragraph of the book for driving on the sidewalk at school. No wonder his self esteem could use a boost. Can one great friend and some chickens change your life?

Dowell, Frances O'Rourke. Chicken Boy. Atheneum, ©2005

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie

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Leukemia
Jazz
Drums
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No doubt - this is a middle school kid! The main character has a crush on the hottest girl in school (not reciprocated :-) He is a talented drummer in the jazz band and has an annoying 5 year old brother. Pretty typical stuff. But life changes in an instant when his brother is diagnosed with leukemia. Warning - a box of tissues may be necessary.

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. Scholastic, ©2004

Heat

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Baseball

Cuba

Immigration

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Baseball and sports lovers - this is your read of the summer. This kid throws heat (80 mph for a 12 year old is amazing!) and this book is on fire! Will the powers that be learn his secret? Can he make it to the Little League finals on ESPN? Strong characters learn that not everyone is out to get them and that sometimes dreams come true.

Lupica, Mike. Heat. Philomel, ©2006

Gossamer

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Foster children

Dreams

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Have you ever wondered where dreams come from? How about nightmares? A dreamgiver in training tells her story. John (a very real foster child), with every reason to have nightmares, becomes Littlest One's greatest triumph. A beautifully written story that will touch your heart. Lowry proves again that she is one of the best.

Lowry, Lois. Gossamer. Houghton Mifflin, ©2006

The Princess Academy

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Minerals

Royalty

Customs

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NOT just another princess story. An entire group of young mountain girls are forced to train for a year to meet the prince. One "lucky"? girl will be chosen as his bride. Young love, the importance of family and heritage, bandits, strength and the importance of communication all play an important part in this great read.

Hale, Shannon. Princess Academy. Bloomsbury, ©2005.