THE ART OF BEING NORMAL by Lisa Williamson

 

David has spent most of his life wishing he was a girl. When he is home alone, he tries out being who he wants to be by dressing up and practicing the YouTube make-up video tips he watches. At school he tries to be normal, but only his two best friends treat him kindly.

Leo is starting at his new school. He hopes no one knows what happened at his old school. If they find out, he definitely won't be able to pretend to act normal. When he meets Alicia, the most popular girl in school, he can't believe she likes him. As their relationship becomes more serious, Alicia pushes things physically. That's when everything falls apart. 

David and Leo are both trans. David wants to come out to his parents as Kate, but he isn't sure how they will react. Leo is already out to his mother and siblings. They haven't thought of him as Megan for quite some time. The person he wants to tell is his father who left long ago. Searching for him has been challenging, but Leo has made a breakthrough. He hopes his father will welcome a son instead of a daughter.

Author Lisa Williamson tackles a difficult subject bravely and deftly. David and Leo are confronting what can often be a cruel world. Through their stories, Williamson offers trans teens an inspiring approach with hope for a positive future.

NOT NOTHING by Gayle Forman

 

Alex is twelve years old. He is trying to adjust to the new normal of living with his aunt and uncle. He isn't sure if he will see his mother again or not.

Josey is 107 years old. He lives in Shady Glen, an assisted living facility. He doesn't speak because he doesn't see any reason to communicate anymore.

Alex and Josey meet when Alex is assigned volunteer work at Shady Glen. Alex is under court supervision because of a terrible thing he did. He doesn't want to be around these old people, but it's either that or the judge will send him to a juvenile detention facility.

This is not the way Alex wanted to spend his summer, and it gets even worse when he meets Maya-Jade. She also volunteers at Shady Glen, and it turns out she is Alex's boss. She has him washing everything with bleach and helping with activities for the old people Alex describes as zombies. It isn't until he is sent on an errand to Josey's room that he begins to see the value of his time with the elderly.

Author Gayle Forman's new middle grade novel is a book that should be read by everyone. The parallel stories of Alex and Josey are sure to touch hearts and convince all readers that everyone has something to contribute to the world. NOT NOTHING will stay with readers long after the last page is turned. 

THE ENIGMA GIRLS by Candace Fleming

 

Author Candace Fleming gives readers yet another great nonfiction book. THE ENIGMA GIRLS tells the story of ten teenagers during WW II. These girls ranging from 17-20 years old enlisted in the WRENS and served as code breakers. 

They worked at Bletchley Park, a secret location in England. Beginning in 1940, their work was to break the ciphers used by the German to follow their movements and uncover their battle plans. Ciphers were changed on a daily basis so the girls had to work quickly to determine the meaning of the coded orders and report them so action could be taken to prepare for and defeat the enemy. In 1945 alone, more than 6,000 women worked to decode and translate information from the enemies.

The work was tiring and stressful. Everyone was sworn to secrecy. They didn't even discuss these secrets among themselves for fear of revealing critical information that could result in the death of troops or civilians. These girls later married and had families who didn't even know what contributions they made for the war effort.

Some thirty years after the war ended, facts began to surface about the Enigma girls' significant efforts to direct the paths of British and Allied forces during the war. Author Candace Fleming's research into these brave individuals is presented in THE ENIGMA GIRLS. 

QUAGMIRE TIARELLO COULDN'T BE BETTER by Mylisa Larsen

 

Quagmire "Quag" keeps to himself. Life at home is pretty unpredictable so he has to stay on his toes and be ready for just about anything. It has been a bit of surprise that he has connected with a small group of kids involved in the drama department. Summer break might be interesting.

Quag is getting to know Cassie who invited him to join the drama group at the Y. He isn't sure if he can commit since his mother has started what he calls "spinning." He's sure she isn't going to work. That is definite when she packs them both in the car and heads off on a wild cross-country trek.

When she leaves Quag on the side of the road and speeds away, Quag knows she is out of control. He ends up connecting with an uncle he didn't know he had. Now he has to figure out how much he should reveal about his mother's ups and downs. Will his uncle understand? Will this be a safe place until he can figure things out?

Author Mylisa Larsen explores mental health and the effects on family members. Grit and humor help Quag exist in an up-ended world. QUAGMIRE TIARELLO COULDN'T BE BETTER is a perfect read for those looking to understand more about the effects of mental illness.

CHANGE THE GAME by Colin Kaepernick, Eve L. Ewing, Orlando Caicedo

CHANGE THE GAME is a graphic novel focused on Colin Kaepernick growing up. He was adopted as a baby. His parents were very supportive and encouraged him in school and in sports.

Colin was a three-sport athlete, playing baseball, basketball, and football. Everyone encourage him to follow the baseball path into college and then on to the pros, but he felt his place was on the football field as a quarterback. 

Much of his growing up years he spent time trying to please his coaches and his parents. The closer he got to the end of his high school career, the more he knew he had to follow his dreams. He worked hard to be noticed by scouts for his quarterbacking abilities and was determined to follow that path. He also wanted to encourage other athletes to find ways to make a difference in their sports and the world around them.

 

LIFEBOAT 5 by Susan Hood

 

I just finished Susan Hood's LIFEBOAT 12 and decided to jump right into LIFEBOAT 5. She discovered that Ken Sparks and the group aboard Lifeboat 12 were not the only ones to survive after the sinking of the Benares. Two girls also survived clinging to a Lifeboat 5 for nineteen hours.

Bess and Beth met when they boarded the ship bound for Canada. They quickly became best friends. They enjoyed the splendid accommodations, meals, and fun on the luxury liner until the torpedo hit. Together, they ended up in Lifeboat 5, but like many of the other lifeboats, it capsized, throwing them into the freezing water.

Even though Bess couldn't swim, the two girls found a way to hang on and encourage each other as the tragedy unfolded. They were eventually rescued and reunited with their parents.

If you are looking for some historical fiction based on true events, check out LIFEBOAT 5 and LIFEBOAT 12 by Susan Hood. Both are quick reads written in verse that are packed with historical adventure.

LIFEBOAT 12 by Susan Hood

 

LIFEBOAT 12 is based on a true story. Set during WW II as the Nazis began bombing England, readers will learn about the effort to transport children out of the city and out of danger.

Thirteen-year-old Ken Sparks was sent by ship to Canada by his father and stepmother. Although he knew he would miss his little sister, Ken was eager to go on this adventure. What followed was an uncomfortable train ride that included many stops when bombs threatened until Ken and the rest of the group of children arrived at the ship that would take them to safety.

The ship was a luxury liner which meant Ken and his fellow young passengers benefited from comfortable accommodations, delicious meals, and entertainment they weren't used to at home. 

Five days into their journey, the ship was hit by German torpedoes. Ken ended up with nearly 50 others in lifeboat 12. It was eight grueling days later before they were finally rescued and taken back to England. 

Author Susan Hood recounts the horrors of the lifeboat passengers as they rationed water and food, suffered by trench foot, blazing sun, followed by freezing night temperatures. Ken Sparks was able to contribute firsthand details before his death in 2015.