The Biggest Poutine in the World

The Biggest Poutine in the World
By Andree Poulin

     Thomas remembers his mother leaving him when he was five years old and he remembers the delicious poutine that she made for him.  More than anything Thomas wants to see his mother again, so he decides to make the biggest poutine in the world and get into the Guinness Book of World Records.  By doing this he believes he will get his mother to take notice.  This book will take readers on a journey meeting many interesting characters and there will be closure as to what happened to his mother and if he make the record books.

Need

Need

By Joelle Charbonneau

     Need is a new social networking site that students in Nottawa, Wisconsin start to join.  This site will give students what they "need."  To some this seems like a great site, if they need a new iphone, they get one.  If they need a new outfit, they get it.  But, will their be a price to pay for what they need?  And, what exactly is a need?  Students start to realize that the demands of what they must do for a need could destroy them all.  This is a book that middle school readers will relate to and be able to think about the choices they make online.

Pax

Pax

By Sara Pennypacker

Pax was a kit when his human boy owner took him and took care of him.  As war is headed to the area, Pax is left by his boy in the woods.  The boy, Peter felt forced by his father to leave Pax and immediately regrets it.  This story chronicles Peter's journey trying to find Pax and Pax trying to find his way as a fox in the wild.  This book is for anyone who loves animals, has had to make challenging choices in life, or who has ever had a pet they love.

Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories

Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories

By R. J. Palacio

If you've read the book Wonder and enjoyed it, you'll enjoy this book as well.  Auggie and Me adds three new stories to Auggie's story.  The Julian chapter shows the mindset of Julian and what happened to him after he left school.  Pluto, is the story of Auggie's oldest friend Christopher.  The last story is from the perspective of Auggie's classmate Charlotte. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed reading Wonder.

Untwine

Untwine

By Edwidge Danticat

Twin sisters Giselle and Isabelle life takes a wrong turn when their family is in a car accident.  The story is filled with love and heartbreak, showing how we must go on even when things seem to be at their worst.  For students who enjoyed the book If I Stay this one will resonate with them as well.  

The Hired Girl

The Hired Girl

By Laura Amy Schlitz

Joan Skraggs lives on a farm with her father and brothers, living a life of a farm girl all she does is clean, cook, and make sure things are in order for the men in her life.  Joan wants more, so she decides to flee the farm and take off for the city to become a hired girl, save money, and hopefully go to school some day so she can become an educator.  

The story is told through Joan's journal.  While reading the journal one is able to see how the decisions she makes changes the journey of her life.  This book will give readers and interesting look into what life was like in the early 1900's.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

By William Kamkwamba

This true story is an amazing story of how resilient young people can be.  William, a young man living in Malawi had to stop going to school to help his family out when the country was going through a drought.  All William wanted to do was be educated and make life easier for his family.  In his free time, William went to the village library and read about electricity, he scoured garbage dumps and he created a windmill to help bring electricity to his family farm. He was seen as being crazy by many, but what he did was incredible.  This is a story of a boy finding a passion and working hard because he knew life could be made easier.  Students will find true story amazing and hopefully will see a bit of them self in William.