Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Being grounded is never fun. You can't play outside, no TV, no friends can come over, etc. For Luke, this is every day. Luke is living in a time and place when only two children are allowed per family and the wrath of the Population Police is severe. Despite these harsh rules, there are still families that have three, even four children, meaning that these "shadow children" must stay in hiding for their entire lives...if they want to live.

Luke's father is a farmer, but is only allowed enough livestock and land to barely get by. His mother is a loving woman who works full-time at a factory and then comes home to finish all of the housework. His older brothers, Matthew and Mark, are allowed to live normal lives and do their best to make time for Luke, but as they have gotten older there seems to be less and less available. Before they had to sell some of their land to make way for houses of the elite, known as barons, to build their mansions, Luke had been able to walk around on their land and help with some of the work, but now that the tree cover is gone he is a prisoner in his own house.

The monotony is broken one day when he spots the face of a child in a window of a baron's house. After, he watches the house religiously and notices lights come on during the day while there is supposed to not be anyone home. Having not left the house for half a year, Luke finally works up the courage to run over to the house and break in when his Dad is away. His bravery pays off when he is greeted by a fellow shadow child, Jen.

Thanks to her baron parents, Jen leads a very different life than Luke. While she has to remain hidden, she has internet access and a fake shopping pass so that she can go to stores in distant towns from time to time. Thanks to the internet, Jen has set up a chat room where over 800 kids just like them are connected. However, all of these luxuries don't make up for not having an identity. Jen is in the process of planning a march at the capital when she meets Luke and while Jen ends up going, Luke makes the tough decision to stay behind.

This is a decision that will change Luke's life for the better and worse in some ways, as the reality of the population situation are revealed to Luke and he is forced to make some of the toughest decisions of his life...but, at least, it is his life.

Readers will fly through this book, wanting to find out the ending. Though, there are some fairly predictable twists, the storyline is still enjoyably fast paced and  invites the reader to ponder what is truth and deceit in their own society and the possibility and repercussions of population control in the future.

Mudshark, by Gary Paulsen

Mudshark is a funny name for a boy, but being a kid detective is too. Mudshark, aka Lyle, is a fast footed,quick witted, observant elementary kid. His agility, honed by his rambunctious triplet little sisters, is actually the source of the nickname, Mudshark, which came about when, after slipping in the mud drenched field and laying on his back, he snagged the ankle of a kid sprinting to the goal with nothing but an open field in front of him. That arm was as fast a Mudshark!

While his fast hands came in handy and made him a legend around school, his attention to detail is called on by students and teachers alike to hunt down lost items since he can remember every element of everything he sees. If you have a mystery he is your man. Lost shoe: Mudshark. Listless armadillo: Mudshark. Missing erasers: Mudshark.

In the end, Mudshark helps the principle keep the school in order, aids the librarian with her animals (dead and alive) and improving the library, finds a new friend in the custodian, and discovers a companion in a parrot with similar observational gifts.

This quick read is a perfect match for students just getting into chapter books or for older readers look for a fun mystery. 

The Downside of Being Up, by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

Puberty is a confusing, embarrassing and emotional time for both sexes, but there are certain things that pop up for boys that can ruin a perfectly good day. I'm pretty sure Sitomer uses every euphemism known to man, and possibly some new ones, to describe unexpected upward occurrence. However, the realistic and endearing story of Bobby, the protagonist in the this teen tale, is what makes this book a must-read for all boys.

Bobby is average, extremely average, in fact. He has a sister that hates him, his parents don't have a clue about him, his Granddad is a little wacky and he can hardly keep his mind on school, but does his best. This makes a down-there incident in math class, resulting in expulsion, all the more unexpected and hard to deal with. After Bobby's Dad puts his persuasive tactics, that he has been honing in his job, to use, Bobby is allowed to return to school, but only if he agrees to go through counseling. With trepidation, Bobby concedes.

Upon returning to school he is met with all of the snide remarks that would be expected from teen boys in light of such an incident. Bobby's only friend is Alfred Finklestein, a pimply, obnoxious, brace-face boy, doesn't help his current loser status, but Bobby can't shake him no matter how hard he tries. Along with the harassment, Bobby also finds that there is a new girl in school upon his return. Allison instantly takes the place of "dream girl" in Bobby's mind. The cherry on top of this disaster cake is that Allison's Dad is Bobby's math teacher; the one that tried to have him expelled.

When Bobby chances into actually talking with Allison, he can't believe his luck, and with the big dance right around the corner, he can only dream of asking her to go with him. Despite his bad luck thus far and the fact that his Dad even told him to not shoot for such a bright star, Bobby pops the question and, surprisingly, she accepts.

Bobby's only feat to overcome at this point is tickets and after talking with Allison on one of their daily walks home he decides to try and improve his relationship with his sister, Hillery, and help out his friend, Alfred, by buying their tickets as well. The decision is also made to keep this plan completely to himself. When he is only allowed to buy two tickets, Bobby resorts to nabbing two from Allison's Dad, but leaves the money to pay for them. Of course, all goes haywire when Allison is told by her Dad that Bobby simply stole the tickets and the dance plans fall through.

Good old Granddad saves the day when he snags the car to take Bobby to the dance to explain everything to Allison. After everything is made clear the two love birds dance into the night, Granddad is inspired to get back his own wife, and Hillary and Alfred actually hit it off!

While this ending is almost too perfect, the uncertainty, awkwardness and highs and lows of adolescence are portrayed genuinely in a way that will engage teenage boys and maybe even girls. There may have to be some creativity in the manner in which the plot is discussed, but once you have found a way kids are sure to be hooked and will likely pass the word of the book among themselves. 

Legend, by Marie Lu

Another dystopian novel, oh man! That was my first reaction to Legend, by Marie Lu, but my feelings soon took a turn for the better only a few pages into the book. Day is a boy from the slums who is at the top of the country's most wanted list and June is girl born to privilege who is at the top intellectually and  physically. Though, from very different worlds they both call the Republic home. This area is made up of the Western United States and has been at war with it's neighbors as far back as anyone can remember.

These lives cross when the life of Metias, June's brother, is taken by Day as he is trying to escape. June is given the task of hunting down this infamous outlaw. After finding out who he is, June, disguised as someone from the slums, befriends him in order to take him down. Everything comes to a head when the police are sent to take Day's family, because they are infested with the plague that is running rampant. In an attempt to lure Day from the roof the threat is made to kill his mother. Before Day can react, that threat becomes a reality.

Day is apprehended by the authorities and June is doing the interrogating. As the interrogation is taking place, June's eyes are opened to the corruption within the Republic's authorities and the fact that the plague may not be uncontrollable, in fact, it may be part of a much larger and much more disturbing picture than she ever imagined. This realization changes June's stance on the crimes that Day has committed and the two come together to try and right the countless wrongs that have taken place.

Beware: drink a small amount of liquid prior to reading this book, because you wont want to peal you eyes away for a second. The story is told in the alternating voices of Day and June. The font in Day's chapters is gold and June's are black. I loved this idea and was surprised that it actually made my feelings changed when I transitioned from one chapter to the next. Lu has masterfully woven together a story that crosses ages and genders.

Beauty Queens, by Libba Bray

"Dreams do come true," is something most pageant hopefuls believe, but nightmares come true just the same. This becomes clear to all of the glitter-clad teenage girls as they find themselves swimming to shore following their plane taking a nose dive into the ocean. At least they were swimming. Some were not so lucky.

For those that do survive, there are still many more trials, but these beauty queens have different priorities than most. No food...what a great way to lose some weight before the competition. No protection from the elements...time to get a tan. No beauty supplies...coconut oil is great for the hair. As each girl slowly, very slowly in fact, comes to terms with the fact that they are probably going to be stuck on this island for a while, maybe forever, since the search was called off, some begin to try and find ways to make do. However, others carry on as usual.

The story is told from the various perspectives of the girls and the reader comes to have a better understanding of what drew each girl to pageants and have made them what they are today. A relationship flowers between two of the girls, one goes crazy, boys are encountered, and a few more die to add to the initial death count. Bray was not shy about using whatever vocabulary she pleased. Thus, this may not be appropriate for all Middle School, though, it was recommended for that age group. There is no doubt in my mind that this tragic tale of glitzy girls would be gobbled up in no time by most teen and preteen girls, though, I would lean toward the older teens.

12 Things to do Before you Crash and Burn, by James Proimos

Proimos takes the reader through a whirlwind of events in 12 things to do Before You Crash and Burn, as Hercules (a childhood name that stuck) makes the most of being sent to stay with his Uncle Anthony in Baltimore following the death of his father. As the story progresses, the reader finds out that Herc didn't have the best relationship with his distant father, but the two weeks spent in a different city with a list of tasks to complete from his uncle seem to be just the thing to help Hercules allow himself to come to terms with the passing of his father. The "unattainable girl" that he first runs into on the train is at the center of the Herc's adventures as he goes out of his way to find out who she is and how to meet her, all thanks to a book Herc thinks she left on the train.

This was an extremely fast read, being that it is told in a stream-of-consciousness manner and has very short chapters. While the events didn't seem completely plausible, like a girl that is a stranger making out with him after a minute of talking or the fact that they are able to reunite by way of a lost and found, it is nice to think that these sort of things could happen...and maybe in a perfect teenage world they do. One thing I would warn readers about is the amount of questionable vocabulary that is used. While it is appropriate for the story, it is definitely not ok for 6th grade up, as some of the recommendations stated.