LOUISIANA'S WAY HOME by Kate DiCamillo

A curse, a pet crow, a seedy hotel, and a stuffed alligator are among the interesting things readers will encounter in LOUISIANA'S WAY HOME by Kate DiCamillo.

It was 3:00 AM when Granny hustled Louisiana to the car. She insisted that they needed to hit the road now. Not long after leaving their home state of Florida, Granny begins to complain about her tooth. Soon she has collapsed in the back seat moaning and begging for a dentist. Driving can't be too difficult Louisiana thinks as she gets behind the wheel and heads toward a town she hopes has the needed dentist.

Dr. Fox tells Louisiana that ALL of Granny's teeth are a problem, and he proceeds to pull them all. The Good Night, Sleep Tight Motel is stop number two. Hopefully, Granny can recuperate, and Louisiana can figure out what to do next.

Author Kate DiCamillo reveals that some people are helpful and others are not as she tells Louisiana's tale. Used to lies and secrets, this young girl finds out that telling her story in the best way she knows how might help her end up with the friends and family she has always dreamed of.

ANYTHING BUT OKAY by Sarah Darer Littman

ANYTHING BUT OKAY, author Sarah Darer Littman's newest book, hits home on several current issues. Veterans returning home with mental and physical injuries, the hot button issues of immigration and racism, and the hateful nature of politics and viral social media are all part of the complex plot of this new release. It is chock full of discussion topics for teen readers and adults alike.

Stella's parents both served in the military, and now her brother Rob has just returned from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Although Rob has no visible scars from battle, he is suffering from PTSD.

Stella doesn't really understand the true impact of her brother's struggle until she invites him to see a movie at the local mall. After the show she suggests getting ice cream at the food court. For most a simple after movie treat, but for Rob it turns into a nightmare. He is arrested and charged with a felony. Now Stella has a better idea about why her parents have been so focused on Rob since his return from the Middle East.

Rob's actions are misinterpreted by a local politician running for governor, and the hate spills over onto Stella's best friend's family. Between what is happening to her brother and best friend, and the discord she sees at school where she is running for junior class president, Stella is completely confused. Why are people so cruel? Why do they believe what they see in the media without checking the facts? And finally, is it better to do the right thing or is it better to win no matter what?

Littman uses first person narrative combined with letters, text messages, and conversational dialogue to capture readers and take them directly into the minds of Stella and her brother. Readers will see glimpses of themselves and no doubt their friends and family members as they observe Stella's world. ANYTHING BUT OKAY is a must read!

OTHERWOOD by Pete Hautman

Nine year old Stuey loves wandering in the woods his great-grandfather once owned. According to his grandfather, the area was once a golf course until it closed and the wild of the woods took over. Stuey's favorite spot is a deadfall where a number of trees fell creating a tepee-like structure that makes the perfect secret place.

Speaking of secrets, Stuey's grandfather had something to say about secrets, too. He told Stuey that secrets can split reality. If you have a secret from someone, that means that you live in one reality with the secret and they live in another reality without the secret. Grandfather also believed in ghosts.

All of Grandfather's wisdom usually confused Stuey, but after the old man died and Stuey met a new friend named Elly Rose, secrets and ghosts came to have a more important meaning. The threat that the woods were to be destroyed to build a mall and then the disappearance of Elly Rose change things forever for Stuey.

Author Pete Hautman combines reality and fantasy in this unique tale. Readers will ask questions about the real possibilities of parallel worlds and ghostly intervention after they read about the friendship of Stuey and Elly Rose and their adventures in Westdale Wood.

BANG by Barry Lyga

What happens when you are the one mentioned in this headline? Boy, 4, Shoots, Kills Infant Sister.

Sebastian Cody was four years old when he picked up his father's gun and aimed it at his four month old sister. He is now fourteen. Every day he asks himself if today is the day. He knows one shot killed his sister, and he knows one shot could end his pain, end his life. So far the voice in his head has told him the time is not right for the final shot.

Meeting Aneesa gives Sebastian a different view of life. She helps him take on his mother's challenge to do something productive this summer. Sebastian combines his love of making pizza with Anessa's creative thinking to launch a YouTube channel that takes his mind off the past. But what will happen when Anessa learns the truth? The voice may be telling Sebastian it's not the right time to fire the final shot, but losing Aneesa might give him a reason.

BANG by Barry Lyga deals with heartbreak, gun violence, and grief. Lyga reveals Sebastian's pain and his constant struggle to deal with the guilt of having killed his sister. His sketchy memory of the actual event, the breakup of his family, and the fact that his name is forever connected with the tragedy make moving on a challenge that may be more than he can survive.

HERE TO STAY by Sara Farizan

Life would be simple for Bijan Majidi if it just involved basketball and figuring out a way to let the popular and beautiful Elle know that he loves her. For Bijan life means going to an elite private school on an academic scholarship and being the son of Middle Eastern parents.

Bijan spends his free time working on basketball skills, reading graphic novels, and hanging with his best friend Sean. Lately, he has been pretending that he's interested in a group of students trying to change the school's mascot, but that's really only because Elle is part of the group. Instead of getting her attention, it seems the group's organizer, Stephanie, is crushing on him.

Usually one to hang out under the radar, Bijan becomes the center of everyone's attention when the basketball coach calls him up from the JV squad to help the team get to the playoffs. Only a junior, Bijan's place on the varsity threatens several of the seniors and he becomes a target for taunts. Things come to a head when someone emails a photo of Bijan dressed as a terrorist to the entire student body.

He wants to find out who is responsible, but it may be safer to just go with the flow and not make waves. Coach wants everyone to focus on the game and Bijan agrees, but this attack on his heritage hurts more than he expected.

Author Sara Farizan captures the hate all too prevalent in today's society. Multiple storylines also highlight further racism and homophobia that make life difficult for some of Bijan's classmates as well. HERE TO STAY is sends a powerful message about the cultural divide and the need to educate people about hateful behavior.

ALLEGEDLY by Tiffany D. Jackson

Nine year old Mary Addison killed a baby. Allegedly. Now Mary is almost sixteen and has been released from juvenile detention into a group home. She still insists she is innocent, but during her years in detention she remained silent during psychological testing and therapy so no one really takes her seriously.

When Mary is not following orders around the group home, she is attending cosmetology classes and fulfilling required volunteer time at a local nursing home. Her mother visits once every other week, but is more focused on her own craziness than on the rehabilitation of her daughter. The other girls at the home bully Mary, steal her things, and taunt her about her alleged crime. The only friend Mary has is Ted, another volunteer at the nursing home. 

It could be said that Ted is more than a friend. Mary feels safe and loved when she is able to steal alone time with Ted. In fact, she is several months pregnant. When she tells Ted the news, he is excited and the two begin planning how they can be together and raise their child. Mary knows that keeping her baby is out of the question unless she can convince people of her innocence. That means convincing her mother to confess the truth about the death of little Alyssa.

In this debut novel, author Tiffany D. Jackson dives into the psychic of a young girl with a traumatic past. Jackson gives readers a frightening look at the justice system, the detention system, and the hopelessness of a girl attempting to make something of herself despite the odds stacked against her. From the facts of the crime to the resulting punishment, nothing is quite as it seems. ALLEGEDLY will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

NO FIXED ADDRESS by Susin Hielsen

Felix and his mother Astrid are constantly scrambling to make ends meet. They may not have a lot, but they have each other.

When Astrid loses her two part-time jobs, their precarious financial situation becomes dire. Forced to leave their home, they shuffle around through a series of housing arrangements until they end up living in a VW van Astrid "borrows" from a man named Abelard when he moves to India.

Living in a van is exciting at first, kind of like a long camping trip. But, lack of a toilet and shower, and always having to move to a new location to avoid suspicion, soon gets old. Felix finally realizes he and his mother are truly homeless.

After months of keeping the truth of their nomad existence from his friends and his school, an opportunity to change their lives arises when Felix is selected to be a contestant on his favorite TV game show Who, What, Where, When. If he would win, his life could head in a whole new direction. But, will having no fixed address ruin his chances and be the end to his friendships with his best friends Dylan and Winnie?

Author Susin Nielsen combines a tragic societal issue with heart and humor to create NO FIXED ADDRESS. Readers will find themselves cheering for Felix, booing at the villains he encounters, and laughing at his hijinks. Nielsen's new novel is perfect for middle grade and teen readers.