Any misfits out there?

Misfit or not, you'll cheer for the title character in I, Emma Freke by Elizabeth Atkinson. Emma lives with her free-spirited mom Donatella and her grandfather on the East Coast.  Although Emma is 12, she's almost six feet tall; her height, as well as her red hair and unusual name (sounds a lot like "am a freak"), make her quite an outcast, with only one true friend. Emma has never known her father, and when she gets invited to a Freke family reunion at a campground in Wisconsin, she's excited to have the chance to meet that unknown side of her family.  When she gets there, she's thrilled - not only do they pronounce their name "Frecky" (not "Freak"), but they accept her!  They like her! They look and act like her! Well...maybe not exactly.  With a lot of humor, eccentric personalities, and thoughtfulness, the author provides wonderful characters and a terrific read, especially for the summer.  

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!

Off and running with Rebecca Caudill

Every year I try to read all of the books nominated for the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award, and every year...I'm in a hurry at the end. So I'm starting now with the 2011 nominees. Wish me luck!

In Schooled by Gordon Korman, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson lives with and is homeschooled by his hippie grandmother on a commune; he's never had pizza, never watched TV... you get the idea. After she's injured and has to stay in the hospital for a while, Cap is sent to live with a counselor and her obnoxious teen daughter, while he attends Claverage Middle School (aka C Average). His long bushy hair, tie-dyed clothes, and overwhelming cluelessness about how his classmates live earn him the "honor" of biggest nerd and, according to tradition, the presidency of the 8th grade class. Each chapter is told in a different voice: Cap, the counselor or her daughter, Zach (big man on campus), Hugh (the previous biggest nerd), and others. This is one of those books for which I have mixed feelings. The story moves well, some parts are funny or touching, and Cap's view of life was pretty interesting, but the voices of the 8th graders didn't seem authentic to me, and I had a hard time getting past that. I'd love to know what middle schoolers think of this book!