Something special happens when a child begins to read independently or when you read a novel aloud to your family. Whether a classic or a new favorite, novels are a wonderful way for our children to explore the world around them, to take from the books what they need at the time.
Here, then, are the most recent best of the best, the books we couldn't put down! We've indicated in each review the age level most appropriate for the book.
$16.99
ISBN-13: 9781599905129
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 11/2010
Julia’s the high school valedictorian, headed to college on a full ride and aiming for law school after that. Then her estranged sister, Sophie, comes home for graduation and drops a bombshell about the family’s past. Julia has to decide if she will stay on the path that’s been laid out for her future or toss it all and spend the summer in Vermont with her sister, who plans to open a bakery there. It a story of sisters and family secrets from the wonderful Cecilia Galante. Best for grades 7 and up. – Cathy
$6.99
ISBN-13: 9780439802444
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Arthur A. Levine Books, 5/2010
Tomboy Jessie Lou has always loved popular soccer star Conrad Parker Smith, but Conrad never gives her the time of day. Then Conrad hurts his leg and Jessie Lou has to help him home from school each day. As the two become friends, Jessie Lou wonders if it’s going to last. Full of wonderful characters, this story – now available in paperback – will appeal to grades 4 and up.
$16.99
ISBN-13: 9780545035316
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Scholastic Press, 8/2010
Cynthia Lord follows up her amazing debut novel, Rules , with the equally wonderful Touch Blue . When the state of Maine plans to shut down her island’s schoolhouse, Tess’s island community decides to take in foster children to increase the enrollment. Tess and her family soon find themselves hosting Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. What follows is a story of family and friendship that’s great for grades 4 and up.
$16.99
ISBN-13: 9780545040600
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Scholastic Inc., 5/2010
The trilogy that began with Airhead concludes with Runaway . On the run from family, friends and her employer, Emerson is trying to reveal the truth behind the bizarre experiment that resulted in her brain being placed in a supermodel’s body. Full of corporate intrigue and classic Meg Cabot dialogue, this is a very satisfying conclusion to a hilarious series. For grades 8 and up.
$16.99
ISBN-13: 9780545088183
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Arthur A. Levine Books, 6/2010
Seventeen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a secret: She's really Phoebe, the lost daughter of the loving Lilywhite family. That’s the only way she can explain how she fits into her own family. When she meets Jared, she feels like she belongs with his family and when he asks her to marry him, she couldn’t be happier. But then reality sets in and she can’t decide what she really wants. A fun debut novel for grades 8 and up.
$6.99
ISBN-13: 9780545125000
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks, 8/2010
Now available in paperback, this sequel to the entertaining Swindle has Griffin Bing and his classmates preparing another heist. When they visit a floating zoo and see how badly the animals are treated, they steal the animals and try to sneak them into a better zoo. Think Ocean’s Eleven with kids and animals and you’re in for a treat. Best for grades 4 and up.
$17.99
ISBN-13: 9780545106054
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Scholastic Press, 5/2010
Combining historical images, advertisements, news clippings and brief vignettes about historical figures with her story, Wiles chronicles the life of twelve-year-old Franny Chapman, who lives in Washington D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. This historical fiction has a compelling story in an intriguing format that will appeal to grades 5 and up.
$8.99
ISBN-13: 9780545214933
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks, 9/2010
As the lucky parents of pre-teen girls know, a day rarely goes by without some drama. Whether it’s friend drama, family drama or school drama, this guide provides sensible relationship advice for all those situations. This guide from Girls’ Life Magazine is geared for grades 5 and up.
$16.99
ISBN-13: 9780763637224
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Candlewick, 9/2010
A fast paced novel involving a train-always good, time travel-always intriguing, and a good dose of history. Set after the crash of 1929, a boy and his father are forced to sell their belongings. Oscar is forced to go with a grumpy relative when a crime sets him on a cross country adventure that is sure to please both boy and girl readers from grades 4 and up.
