Middle School Reads!

by Svetlana Chmakova Lexile: 280 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Penelope - Peppi- Torres is starting her first day as the new girl at school.  The very first thing she does is trips and knocks over a boy who happens to be the school nerd.  The mean kids start teasing her about being his new girlfriend so when he tries to help her up, she pushes him over and runs away.  Peppi is ashamed of herself and knows that she should apologize, but can't seem to find quite the right moment.  When she starts to struggle in science class, her teacher assigns her to a tutor and guess who it turns out to be?  Peppi is going to need to get up the courage to apologize and maybe she will be able to survive science and make a new friend.

by Raina Telgemeier Lexile:  300 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Cat is less than thrilled about having to move.  But her parents have decided that the climate in the Northern California city of Bahia de la Luna is better for her younger sister, Maya, who has cystic fibrosis.  Once Cat and Maya start to explore the town, they quickly discover that something is a little odd.  They meet Carlos who offers to introduce them to the ghosts that that live there.  Cat is skeptical and hesitant, but Maya is all in.  Cat will have to get over her fears if she is going to live happily ever after in Bahia de la Luna.

by Jeff Kinney Lexile:  1010 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Greg Heffley is back in book number 11 in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. This time, the pressure of middle school is really building.  Greg wants to spend his time playing video games, but his mom has other ideas.  She wants him to explore his "creative side." Will exploring that side of him help him as a middle schooler or just add more stress to his already chaotic existence?

by Kate DiCamillo Lexile:  550 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Raymie's life has been turned upside down:  her father has left the family and now it is just herself and her mom.  But it's okay, because Raymie has a plan for how to get him to come back home.  She is going to learn how to twirl a baton and enter herself in the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition.  When she wins, then her father will see her picture in the paper and come home to see his famous daughter!  So maybe the plan isn't fool proof, but in the process, Raymie meets some very interesting friends.

by Don Brown Lexile:  860 Genre:  Informational, Graphic Novel The 1930s was a long, dusty period in the history of the United States as the Great Dust Bowl swept across the midwest.  There were long periods of drought and a fine layer of dust coated everything. Homes, animals, people, their food...dust was everywhere.  It took many lives in the process, but people were unwilling to give up.  Time after time, they dusted themselves off, and started over.

by Wendy Mills Lexile:  880 Genre:  Realistic Fiction The course of Jesse's life changed forever when she was two years old.  On September 11, 2001, her older brother Travis was killed in the World Trade Center Towers.  Her family never speaks of him and has let their anger almost destroy their family.  Jesse decides that if she is truly going to understand who she is and her place in her family, she is going to have to figure out what happened on September 11th.  Why was her brother there?  And why didn't he survive?

by John David Anderson Genre:  Realistic Fiction Teachers.  Everyone knows that there are good ones.  And not so good ones.  Ms. Bixby is one of the good ones and Topher, Steve, and Brand could not be happier that she is theirs for the year.  The year is going along great until Ms. Bixby announces that she is sick and will be unable to finish the year. Topher, Steve, and Brand all have different reasons for being upset by this. They decide to work together to make Ms. Bixby's last day absolutely perfect.