A chance at a million dollars?!

Who wouldn't like a chance to win a million dollars?  Thirteen-year-old Whisper Nelson, the main character in The Million Dollar Kick by Dan Gutman actually has her doubts.  She's geeky, unpopular, and can't stand any kind of sports.  After winning a contest that her sister entered her in, she can win the big bucks if she can score a goal against Carmen Applegate, star of the local professional soccer team.  She hasn't touched a soccer ball since a huge soccer mistake in third grade...should she even try? Carmen is trying to psych her out, but with encouragement from classmate Jess and high school goalie Ellie, Whisper decides to try.  References to the environment throughout the story don't seem to fit it, but you'll understand the link at the end of the book.  Give it a shot!

She wants to be my friend...what's the catch?

I really liked the strength of the main character, Kate, in Hot Girl by Dream Jordan.  Kate is fourteen, and after getting moved from one foster home to another, her life is finally settling down - she gets along pretty well with her foster parents, her grades are good, and she's got a great friend, Felicia.  After Felicia goes on a trip for the summer, Kate's on her own.  She's not sure why she's befriended by super stylish fly-girl Naleejah, but Kate's not complaining when the make-over Naleejah gives her catches the eye of Charles, Kate's long-time crush.  Something is up, though, and if Kate can't keep her actions under control, she's liable to lose the stability her current foster home is finally offering.  What is she willing to risk?  The voices, thoughts, and conflicts in this book are wonderfully authentic and the character development is great.  A super book, especially for older middle school to high school girls.

Not your typical grandmother

You might have mixed feelings if you were told you'd be spending a week of every summer at your grandparent's house.  In A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck, Joey starts out feeling the same way, but by the end of the book, I'd want to go to his grandmother's, too!  It's the time of the Great Depression, and each chapter represents a different summer that Joey and his sister spend with Grandma Dowdel.  She's NOT your typical elderly lady - she doesn't mind hauling out the shotgun, lying, stealing, or playing tricks on people.  But deep down, she's got a heart of gold.  Whether she's fooling the sheriff, hoping to win a prize for her gooseberry pie, or helping a young couple elope, Grandma will make you smile.

Don't try this at home

If you have a problem, I wouldn't recommend you deal with it like Alex did in Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick.  But the way he dealt with the consequences of his actions was pretty cool.  Upset about his parents' separation, Alex gets drunk, takes his mom's car, and crashes into a garden gnome.  He's basically a good kid, and the judge sentences him to 100 hours of community service at a nursing home.  He gets paired up with Sol Lewis, a cranky old guy who's fond of playing practical jokes.  At first, Sol is basically a pain, but he and Alex end up bonding over their shared passion of guitar playing.  Sol eventually gives Alex guitar lessons, advice on girls (very funny), and insight into Sol's past.  There's a neat little tweak at the end of the book - you may figure it out ahead of time. Alternating between silly and serious, this will especially be appealing to readers who liked Sonnenblick's Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie.  

I've heard of a bride-zilla...but a quince-zilla?

Nothing heavy here, but that doesn't mean Fifteen Candles by Veronica Chambers isn't a delight!  Alicia has got it made. Wealthy family, easy life, awesome house, lives in Miami.  She's volunteered to help her co-worker Sarita plan her quinceañera - the very special fifteenth birthday party of a young Latina woman.  Alicia enlists the help of her best friends Carmen, Jamie, and Gaz, and together they form Amigas Inc.  The planning starts off great, but as the big day approaches, there are problems right and left.  It's fairly predictable that all will end well, but the glimpse of what goes into a quinceañera was fun and fascinating.  If you like fashion and pop culture, you'll especially have fun with this book, and you might also enjoy the sequel: Lights, Camera, Quince!

Happy Birthday! Again. And again, and again...

Most people enjoy having a birthday, but what would you think if you lived that same day over and over again?  That's what happens in 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass.  Best friends Amanda and Leo were born on the exact same day, and they had celebrated every single birthday together, until something happened at their 10th birthday that drove them apart.  After having a disastrous 11th birthday party (separate from Leo), Amanda woke up the "next" day...and it was her 11th birthday all over again!  She finds out the same thing is happening to Leo.  Do they have to keep repeating the day until they get it right?  Will salvaging their friendship be enough?  And does the mysterious elderly woman, Angelina D'Angelo, have something to do with the situation?  This is a fun book, and at the beginning of every chapter, you'll wonder if the SpongeBob balloon is still there...

Trouble with a capital T

I have to admit that I had a hard time getting into the book Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt, but maybe your experience will be different.  Henry is the younger son in a well-off family of Boston's North Shore, where life is calm, easy, and privileged. But things change when Henry's older brother Franklin is critically injured in a car accident involving Chay Chouan, a Cambodia immigrant.  Henry and Franklin were going to climb Mt. Katahdin some day, but now Henry is determined to do it on his own.  Hitching a ride to the mountain with his adopted stray Black Dog, the only person to give Henry a ride is - improbably - Chay.  The soul-searching was authentic, and Henry's attachment to the dog was beautifully described, but I thought much of the character development was weak and there were a few too many coincidences to make for a satisfying read.