Middle School Reads!

 by M.G. Hennessey Genre:  Realistic Fiction 12 year old Shane just wants to be a regular boy.  He loves to play baseball and hang out with his best friend, Josh.  And lately, he has been noticing Madeline and thinks he might have a crush on her.  But Shane has a secret.  It is a secret that he isn't sure how people will handle and it could cause all of his friends to look at him differently.  When rumors start flying, Shane has to decide who he is ready to tell his real story to.

 by Barbara Dee Genre:  Realistic Fiction The 8th graders can't believe it!  Their teacher, Mr. Torres, has decided that the 8th grade play for the year will be Romeo and Juliet.  For Mattie and her friends, Lucy and Tessa, it leads to much discussion about who should have which part.  Mattie decides on a small part while Lucy and Tessa want more important roles.  Gemma is cast as Juliet which Mattie thinks is fantastic, but Romeo is going to be played by Liam which everyone thinks is an odd choice.  When Liam struggles to learn his part, Mr. Torres asks Mattie to step in as his Shakespeare tutor which Mattie agrees to do because it means she can spend more time with Gemma, who seems to be, in Mattie's opinion, an amazing person.  A last minute emergency forces Mattie into the role of Romeo, opposite of Gemma in the role of Juliet.  Are the feelings that Mattie has towards Gemma all part of the play or is it something more?