Listening For Lions
by:  Gloria Whelan

Africa is the only place Rachel has ever lived.  Her father runs a hospital for people who live too far away from the city hospital and her mom teaches.  When a flu epidemic breaks out, both of Rachel's parents die.  Rachel must go live in England with  someone she has never met.  All Rachel want to do is return to Africa and run the hospital.  Very good!

Out of the Dust
by: Karen Hesse

1998 Newbery Winner

Billie Jo tells the story of her life in her short easy to read diary entries.  This is an easy, but powerful story about hardship and victory.

Because of Winn-Dixie
by: Kate DiCamillo

2001 Newbery Honor Book



The story of a girl named India Opal Buloni and how a tray dog the she rescues becomes her best friend.  This story is a must read!

Among the Hidden (Book 1)
by: Margaret Peterson Haddix





Luke is a shadow child, a 3rd child, 
forbidden by the Population Police.
One day Luke sees a girl's face in
the window of a house where he
knows 2 other children already live...

Okay for Now           
     
by: Gary D. Schmidt



Gary Schmidt is one of my new favorite authors!  I love his characters and you will, too!
Doug Swieteck is a middle school boy trying to make it.  Things are anything but easy for Doug, but he has as amazing way of rising above his not so great circumstances.

The Bad Beginning                by: Lemony Snicket

(Book #1 of A Series of Unfortunate Events)





Even though they are charming and clever,
the Baudelaire children lead lives full of misery and woe.  
One might say they are magnets for misfortune.

Wringer
by: Jerry Spinelli
1998 Newbery Honor Book




Palmer did not want to be a wringer. 
This was one of the first things he had 
learned about himself.  It isn't easy
choosing not to do something that
everyone expects you to do.