The Janitor's Boy by Andrew Clements

Jack commits the perfect crime, which unfortunately leads to the perfect punishment. Having "gum patrol" is no fun, especially when your dad is the head janitor. Jack doesn't like that his dad is the janitor, you might even say he hates it. It's embarrassing. That all changes when Jack becomes an assistant janitor and is forced to get to know his dad better. 

This was a great book. I felt like I really got to know both Jack and his dad.

Born to Fly by Michael Ferrari

Bird McGill has dreamed of flying all of her eleven years. The fact that she's a girl never mattered to her. WWII is raging and Bird's dad gets sent off to fight. When a Japanese American boy comes to school, everyone is sure he is a traitor or a spy. But one night, after he saves her from drowning, Kenji and Bird accidentally discover a real spy. Will they become friends or enemies, heroes or criminals? This was an exciting page turner of a read!

Out of My Mind

By Sharon M Draper

Out of My Mind

By:  Sharon M Draper

Melody is eleven-years-old and one of the smartest kids in her class. It's too bad that nobody knows it though. Melody has a disability that keeps her confined to a wheel chair and does not have the ability to speak, so everyone assumes she is dumb, when quite the opposite is true. During a research project Melody stumbles across a machine that could give her a voice. She gets so excited that she can hardly contain herself. Would having a voice help her prove to everyone once and for all how truly brilliant she is? Would having a voice make her "normal?" This is an amazing book. It has an unexpected ending and will make you think differently. What a great choice for a battle of the books title!

Love That Dog

by:  Sharon Creech

Jack's class has to write a poem.

This is Jack's first poem:
    I don't want to
    because boys
    don't write poetry.
    Girls do.

Very very good - quick read.

Ida B

by:  Katherine Hannigan

Ida B eats the exact same thing for breakfast and lunch everyday.  Her dad says, "Why don't you try something different?"

Ida B says, "There are too many things to think about in this world besides what I'm going to eat."  Then her dad looks at her like she is a true mystery.

Excellent!

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

by:  Gary D. Schmidt
2005 Newbery Honor Book

Growing up.
Becoming friends with someone you never thought you would.
Prejudice.
Injustice.
Standing up for what you believe in and for what is right.


Awesome!

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer

by:  John Grisham

A perfect murder
A faceless witness
A lone courtroom champion knows the truth
And he is only 13 years old

Not all kids want to have the same job as both their parents do when they grow up.  But Theodore Boone does.  Theodore loves the law and spends as much time as he can in court watching trials.  He is only in 8th grade, but all of his classmates come to Theodore for legal advice because he really knows his stuff.

When Theodore learns of a witness to a murder that nobody else knows about, is he in over his head?...  Probably so...