I loved Yumi much the same as I loved Mia in the novel Front Desk. Like Mia, Yumi's family is an immigrant family in the USA trying to make a way for themselves. Yumi's Korean parents have high hopes for her in school, and Yumi's struggles with the pressure of living up to her parents dreams and following her own dreams of being a comedian. Will she ever be able to@do what she love?

This book is a definite "wow" book. Exquisitely written in verse, I finished this beautiful novel in one sitting. Michael is gay and we experience his story through his eyes as he grows from child to university student and lives his journey to figure out his identity and to accept himself. Michael expresses himself best through poetry and the reader learns more about him and his journey through the poems that he writes, that are sprinkled through this story. An important read about identity, self worth, self love, and acceptance.

An exhilarating, fast-paced and twisty YA book that I really enjoyed. Nora grew up most her life with her con artist mom living con after con. When life is finally beginning to feel more settled with her older sister, and her mom is in prison, she lands herself in a dangerous situation and must pull off one last con to save her life. Full of crime, cons, and heart, this is sure to be a book many will enjoy.

Oof! This book packs a powerful punch. Brilliantly told in verse, this is the story of teenager Ellie. Since she can remember, she has been fat. She has also has been terribly bullied- by peers, strangers, her family, and most painfully, by her Mom. The people around her say and do cruel things about her weight regularly and from her experiences she has created the “Fat Girl Rules”, in an attempt to avoid these humiliating moments. Her parents decide she needs to see a therapist, which she is very resistant to, but over time she begins to trust her as she becomes one of Ellie’s biggest supporters and cheerleaders. The book arrived in the mail today I read it in one sitting tonight- such an amazing book! Told in a brutally honest way, this book is a must for any anyone in middle grades and higher. One of my best reads of the year without a doubt!

Meet sisters Viji and Rukku, two runaways trying to survive in a big Indian city with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. This book was the Middle Grades choice for the Global Read Aloud (www.theglobalreadaloud.com) and what an amazing book it is! I read it with my grade 6s and we loved it! Heartbreaking yet full of hope, we loved these two sisters and were captivated by their journey.

I have seen this on many pages and lists of books to read so I thought I should check it out. Such a brilliant book! Things are changing in Bea's life and the one thing that regularly comforts her is her list of things that will not change, that both she and her parents wrote. As she navigates big changes in her life, unkind friends, and guilt over the past, she does so with humour, self reflection, and some help from the people who love her. A brilliantly told story.

Written in text messages and emails this book genuinely captures the friendships, drama, and upsets in the lives of Middle Grades girls. An authentic and sweet view into the lives of these grade 6 girls. Also a YRCA nominee at the intermediate level.

This modern high school teen version of the story King Henry Vlll is brilliantly told and so much fun to read. We meet Henry, aka the most most popular kid in school, who can't seem to keep a steady girlfriend and is now on girl number 5 and is starting to question that relationship too. Told through the eyes of Henry's best friend, and former girlfriend, Cleves, the sass and highschool hyperbole makes this book such fun to read. Capin has woven this historical story exceptionally well into this high school story of love, deception, death, and might I even say, girl power. Read it, loved it, and look forward to reading it again.

One of my students reminded me today of this great book. 4yrs ago Lucy was hit by lightning and becomes a math genius and savant from the accident. By the time she gets to middle school, she is ready for college. Her grandmother has different plans and insists that Lucy attends one year of middle school where she needs to make 1 friend and join 1 club. There begins her journey of self-discovery.