Absolutely Almost, Lisa Graff. Albie is a fifth grader in a new school because his parents felt he needed a fresh start, but he is no longer at the same school as his best friend, Erlan, who lives down the hall in their apartment building. In his first day of school, he sits next to Betsy who likes bugs; however, she is bullied because of her stutter. Albie is an ordinary, average boy who never quite measures up to be who the adults around him want him to be, or at least, in his mind. His parents insist on him having a "babysitter" to watch out for him until they get home from work. But Calista, a young twenty-something girl, wins over his heart. She loves to sketch and they spend time sketching, reviewing spelling words, visiting museums, and  to the donut shop. One day when they meet up with Darren, the "cool" kid in school and his father playing basketball, Darren warms up to Albie. Yet, Calista warns him to be careful and rightfully so. Darren hopes to cozy up to Erlan, who is one of triplets, along with his triplet sisters, and their reality tv show. Darren initiates Albie into the "cool" club and the first thing he has to do is ditch Betsy, the stutterer. Along with losing the red gummy bears that she always gave him, he loses her as a friend, even when he realizes he was duped by Darren.

One day, everything is just plain going wrong. His mother sends in two dozen beautiful mini cupcakes for his birthday, forgetting that there is an egg allergy in the classroom, making cupcakes not allowed. Darren is asked to take them to the kitchen and when Albie goes to pick them up at the end of the day, there is a thumbprint in each and every cupcake. He doesn't understand why he is no longer "cool" and Betsy ignores him. When he finally shares his thoughts with Calista, she decides he needs a sad day and they spend it at the zoo where they see a python completely inhale a pig. When his mom finds out about Calista's stunt, she is let go, despite Albie's protests.

Lisa Graff is the author of A Tangle of Knots (look for a review within this blog) and she firmly grasps the hardships of young minds needing reassurance. Albie is an innocent boy, one with a kind heart who means well. He makes mistakes, learns lessons, and moves on. With short, easy to bite chapters, this will be a sure win with readers, young and old.

All the Answers, Kate Messner. When Ava fumbled through a desk drawer, looking for a pencil, she never would have thought the ups and downs that pencil would give her. While taking a test at school, she learns that the blue pencil gives her answers to questions she writes down. She shares it with her best friend, Sophie, who also hears the voice. Through giggles and laughter, they ask all kinds of benign questions and get answers to almost everything. They use the pencil for good when they find out what the elder residents truly want when they visit the home where Ava's grandfather lives. Some are easy to acquire, like an old baseball or a pair of wool socks. Others are more challenging, like her grandfather wanting Ava's mother's forgiveness. The pencil brings Ava anxiety when she learns her mother has cancer but doesn't yet know it. She convinces her mom to keep her mammogram appointment instead of chaperoning on her field trip to the nature center high ropes course. To keep her mind off her mom's day, she forces herself to fret through each obstacle despite her wretched anxiety. She ends up being only one of ten kids to complete all ten obstacles.

One day in school, she learns her grandfather is not doing well. She leaves school, walking to the home, hoping to convince her mom to forgive her father. But, she also learns more about the voice behind the pencil.

This is a moving story that, at first, appears lighthearted and magical, yet has so much depth. It goes far beyond a talking pencil, but latches onto loss, life and acceptance. It wraps its arms around you, hugs you and stays with you. Don't miss out on this moving story.

A Handful of Stars, Cynthia Lord. Lucy's dog, Lucky, is blind, so she hopes to raise $2000 for her to have cataract surgery. One day, when Lucky runs away and can't hear Lily calling her, she is stopped by Salma, a migrant worker who picks blueberries for the summer. Lily and Salma become friends and go into business together painting and selling birdhouses, raising money for the surgery. Lily realizes that people love Salma's whimsical painting style and despite Lily's envy she comes to appreciate her talent. Hannah, Lily's former best friend, who is more interested in boys than playing paper dolls, takes an interest in Salma and encourages her to enter the Downeast Blueberry Queen contest. Lily is worried that the judges will not accept her migrant status because all previous contestants, including her mom and Hannah, have been local blondes. Hannah loans Salma her dress from the previous year and they practice responding to questions she could be asked.

Lord, the author of Rules, writes another charming story of an unexpected friendship. The handful of characters are likable and the story will leave you wanting to try a blueberry enchilada.

Lost in the Sun, Lisa Graff. While playing hockey, Trent shot a puck right into the chest of Jared Richards, killing him. No one knew he had a heart defect. Trent's life takes a downward spin from there: friends distance themselves, grades spiral downward, behavior takes a negative turn. Fallon Little, a girl with her own hidden story leading to a noticeable scar on her face, sees something in Trent that draws her to him. They eat lunch together, and form the after school movie club, watching baseball movies. Not wanting to spend time with his distant father, whose new wife is expecting a baby, he lands himself in after school detention with Ms. Emerson, his homeroom teacher. She gives him the chore of watering her plants each day. Baseball is his love; however the coach for whom he must try out, is also his gym teacher and Trent prefers hanging out in the stands than participate in PE class.

Despite his mom's and brothers' attempts at encouraging him to spend time with their dad, he's not interested. And when Jeremiah Jacobson, his arch nemesis, picks a fight with him, Trent pummels him badly. Unbeknownst to him, Fallon saw it all and begins to withdraw from him. Her parents don't want him around anymore. It takes quite a bit of work for him to earn her trust back again.

When you try to catch a fly ball, it can get lost in the sun. Trent got lost in the sun. With the help of a friendless girl, Fallon is the one able to help him find his way again. This is a story of forgiveness and friendship . . . and one that will stay with you for quite some time.

The Truth About Twinkie Pie, Kat Yeh. DiDi (Delta Dawn II) and GiGi (Galileo Galilee), sisters, move from the poverty of South Carolina to Long Island, New York to begin again after their mother died. With the million dollar winnings from a cooking contest, Gigi attends a new school and DiDi, a high school drop out, becomes a hairstylist. At their old school, they were given the nicknames Double D and Double G, bra sizes, so GiGi now wants to be called Leia, to go along with her fresh start. The first day of school, GiGi bumps into the cutest boy in the school, Trip, and lands on her rear. From that moment on, they become best friends, much to the dismay of Mace, who might be feeling a bit threatened, because she keeps sending GiGi tagger looks.

Even though they have a million dollars in the bank, DiDi keeps the purse strings tight, insisting GiGi study every minute so can go to college and become the scientist she wants to be. One night while having a sleepover with Haven and Allie, she tells them all about Cherries in the Snow lipstick, the one lipstick her mother wore but is now discontinued. They laugh and giggle, while making phone calls searching for a distributor with a special reissue of the brand. When they stumble upon a voice saying they have it available, GiGi turns serious and Allie gives her credit card information to purchase two tubes, one for her and one for her sister as a surprise birthday present. When asked for her name, she gives Delta Dawn Barnes, her mother's name, the service rep asks if she wants it shipped to the Red Cedar Road address? GiGi hangs up the phone and needs to go home.

GiGi's life takes an abrupt turn. She has questions and won't talk to DiDi, who has become unknown to her, because of her seemingly new relationship with arch enemy, Mace. She asks Trip to run away with her to her childhood home on Red Cedar Road, in search of answers. With the plans all set, meeting at the train station in place, it is not Trip that meets her there, but Mace, who takes complete control of getting them to her birth place, including paying for hotel and food. When she finally makes her way to Red Cedar Road, her life takes another abrupt turn. Thankfully, Mace doesn't push for answers as they make the long way back home in silence. Once home, DiDi explains the past, but GiGi is not listening.

Sprinkled throughout the book are recipes, including Twinkie Pie, that Delta Dawn once had the talent for making until Delta Dawn II, or DiDi, stole the recipe box and now makes herself.

Brace yourself for heartache as GiGi comes of age under less than desirable circumstances. Her sister is not who she thought she was, Trip is not the boy she thought he was and Mace is not the girl she thought she was. And yet, all will be ok.

Paper Things, Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Ari, age 11, and Gage, her brother, age 19, are on their own and homeless. Being orphans, the home they had with Janna is not working for Gage and he insists he can take care of his younger sister on his own. Shuffling from couch to couch, floor to floor, or when necessity calls, the homeless shelter, they trudge with their few belongings from place to place. Lack of food, wrinkled clothes, disheveled hair, and a hungry stomach get to be too much for Ari to hide from her best friend, Sasha, and others suspecting things are not going so well. Her comfort is her years of "paper things" she has cut from catalogs to make families and homes and comforts that she, herself, does not have.

Reggie and his dog, Amelia who make their home in a rented storage unit, offers them a night of respite and he makes Ari a paper airplane using a Jiffy Lube advertisement. Coincidentally Gage lands his first job at Jiffy Lube . . . leading Ari to believe his planes make wishes come true. With Sashi pulling away and making new friends, Ari finds a new friend in Daniel, the weird kid with a bucket list of things to do before moving on from Eastland Elementary.

With the growing concern of more and more students living in poverty and without homes, this is such a story and how well some students can hide their situation. It gives us a glimpse into the life of one girl trying to remain true to her home with her brother doing his best and the one with Janna that may not include Gage.