You look wonderful!

I'll admit that I don't know much about the practice of wearing the hijab (Muslim head scarf), and I'd never read a book on the subject, but I'm so glad I started with Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah. Amal is a 16-year-old Australian-Muslim-Palestinian (she freely states that she's "whacked with some seriously confusing identity hyphens") who goes to a prep school. She likes texting, fashion, and watching Sex in the City, and she's decided that she's ready to wear the hijab. The author does an amazing job of leading us through Amal's decision and consequences, staying true to a high-schooler's thought process and faith, without being preachy. Some parts of the book are funny and some are sad, but they all shed a beautiful light on a culture that's quite different from my own. Highly recommended for 8th grade and up.

On a more serious note

With a title as goofy as Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, written by Jordan Sonnenblick, I figured this book would provide a light-hearted read. Yes, some parts were pretty funny, but others were deadly serious. Steven is an eighth-grader concerned with typical middle school issues: his impressive drumming talent, a mild obsession with beautiful Renee, and his annoying little brother Jeffrey. Then Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, and the roller-coaster begins. Their mother quits her job to deal with doctors, hospitals, and endless cancer tests and treatments; their father worries about finances and becomes withdrawn; Steven takes refuge with his drums and the All-City High School Band which he was talented enough to join. His emotions are realistically described, ranging from elation after a conversation with Renee to fury at feeling neglected by his parents, from being "in the zone" with his drumming to worry for Jeffrey. Get the tissues - you'll want to laugh and cry with this book.

Calling all horse lovers

If you like horses, this is the book for you! There seem to be two parallel stories going on in The Georges and the Jewels by Jane Smiley. Abby is a 7th grader growing up on a California horse ranch in the 1960s. Her father calls all of their male horses "George" and all the females "Jewel," so Abby won't get too attached to any of them before they're sold. Abby does tons of work with the horses, from feeding and grooming to riding and training. The author alternates between this theme and life at school, which features plenty of stress from the Big Four - Linda, Mary A., Mary N., and Joan - and changing friendships with Gloria and Stella. I kept thinking there was going to be a significant link between these two stories, but that never seemed to be developed. Another part of the book, when Abby was asked to help train a horse for Melinda, a shy and very wealthy young girl, had a lot of potential, but it also fell flat. If you like lots of detail about horse raising (each chapter starts with a few beautiful pen and ink drawings of horse equipment), give this book a shot. Otherwise, you may want to take a pass.

How do you spell embarrassed? D-A-D

It's tough enough being thirteen and having divorced parents. But when you find out you're going to go live with your dad (okay) in Chicago (still okay) for a few months (less okay) and he's now impersonating Elvis (way NOT okay), life gets a little crazy. That's just what happens to Josh in this hilarious Rebecca Caudill nominee All Shook Up by Shelley Pearsall. Josh thinks he can make it through a few months of seventh grade in a new location, as long as nobody finds out about his dad, but then learns - oh, no!! - his dad has been invited to perform at his school. Josh comes up with a plan to prevent the performance, but the situation progresses from bad to worse. With help from Ivory, a free-spirited classmate; Viv, Ivory's mom (and girlfriend of Josh's dad); and Gladys, an elderly neighbor who thinks Josh's dad really IS Elvis, Josh learns how to accept the hunk-a, hunk-a burning embarrassment who's trying his best to be a good father.

Sisters...sisters...

Okay, so you might not know the song that begins with those words, but it's a perfect way to describe Peace, Love & Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle. It's the beginning of the school year, and older sister Carly is a high school sophomore. Her younger sister Anna is now a freshman, and Carly thinks it's going to be great seeing Anna at her school. Only...it's not. Anna's really sweet, but over the past summer, she started getting super curvy. Guys are drooling over her, and the relationship between the sisters begins to change. Add to the mix their lives in an affluent neighborhood and exclusive high school, Carly's crush on the wrong boy when the right one is right under her nose, and a shifting landscape of friendships, and you get an authentic, funny, and touching look at sisterhood.

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!