Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies, by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by Dan Santat

Twins, Joules and Kevin, have a fairly typical life, if one considers having parents that are SPAM obsessed and being named after scientists normal. With the arrival of summer, comes the annual visit to Camp Whatsittoya. Canoing, campfires, crafts. What could go wrong? "Three Fierce, Large, and Ferocious Furballs...with fangs. Fluffs." Alien bunnies, to be exact, that have landed on Earth after fleeing their planet with the intention of taking over the world, starting with the campers. The camp counselors are the first to fall under the bunny brain-wave induced stupor and one camper after another follows. The fate of the world is on the dynamic twin duo's shoulders and they have a plan! Along with a plan B, C, and D...RUN!!

The accompanying black and white illustrations add a quirky element to this quick read. This aspect paired with  the narrator addressing the reader directly give Beaty and Santat's Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies a fun feel that is sure to keep reluctant readers tuned in. 

Junonia, by Kevin Henkes

With fond memories of the pearl sands and crystal clear water of Florida I reminisced of my own childhood summers spent with family in sun as Henkes told the story of Alice Rice's own annual family vacation to this beautiful Gulf getaway. Alice is self-conscious of her beauty mark (as her parents call it), missing the family and friend who didn't make it to the beach, annoyed by the addition of 6-year old Mallory and her obsession with a doll, and obsessed with finding the rare Junonia (a type of shell that washes up on the Florida coast).

This is a story of self discovery in a sense; of finding out that, though, everything isn't always perfect, you must embrace the good that does come along and make the most of the bad. Alice is moving away from being an oblivious child, like Mallory, and seeing that sometimes people can be mean (like old Mr. Barden) and others can be overly kind (like her parents). Nothing last forever (like the sandcastle made for her Birthday) and so you have to make the most of change (like Kate having a new boyfriend, Ted).

In the end Alice not only learns a lot about life, but leaves the beautiful beach with memories that will last a lifetime and shape her into the person she will become along dreams for the coming year and those that will follow of returning to the beach. Girls from 5th-7th grade are sure to relate to the difficulties that Alice encounters and become enthralled in the lush descriptions of this beautiful part of the U.S.

Crossing the Wire, by Will Hobbs

There are few stories that are more intriguing than those that are based on truth. Crossing the Wire, by Will Hobbs, tells the story Victor, a fourteen year old boy from Mexico who is doing all in his power to support his Mother, brother and sister following the death of his Father while he was working on a construction site in the states. His Father had passed back and forth annually; only seeing his family during the few Winter months and then crossing the border again to make money to send back to his family.

Victor has done his best to grow corn to sell in order to keep food on the table, but after finding out that he won't be able to get by on such income since corn can be bought from American farmers for much cheaper he is forced to consider other options. His best friend, Rico, has ambitions of joining his brother in the U.S. and has the $1,500 needed to purchase a coyote (a man that leads people across the border along with paying off the police).Victor isn't so sure, but ends up leaving for the border himself shortly after Rico departs since the work is as dry as the land.

What follows is a series of heart wrenching and heart thumping events in which Victor is defeated physically and mentally, but somehow continues to persevere despite the impossible circumstances. This book will give readers a whole new perspective on what immigrants have gone through and will continue to go through to get into America in order to make a way for themselves and their family. It is a truly inspiring story that, while not based specifically on one individual's plight, reveals a number of encounters that hundreds truly have experienced. Hobbs has not only constructed fast-paced thriller, but shed light on the issues that exist on our borders, specifically with Mexico, and how the line that separates right from wrong when is comes to immigration is undoubtedly gray. 

Hate That Cat: a Novel, by Sharon Creech

Are you a dog or cat person? A common question, asked with the expectation of a definite answer. Dog or Cat. Never both. In Hate That Cat: a Novel, by Sharon Creech, Jack is definitely a dog lover and a cat hater; especially the big, fat, black type. In poems exchanged between Jack and his teacher poets and poetic concepts like alliteration, metaphor and onomatopoeia are discussed along with daily events.

As Jack learns about poetry he also learns to accept the loss of his yellow dog, sky, embrace his mother's deafness, and let the love he feels for a black Christmas kitten grow, in spite of this reservations. All of the poems that were used for inspiration throughout the book can be found at the back. This is a nice addition, though, definitions of the terms used throughout the poems would have been helpful.

Creech ends the book in wonderful fashion with this poem written by Jack for his mother:

I will listen
for you


I will hear
all the sounds
in the world


all the
delicious
ineffable
effable 
sounds


all the
thrumming
and 
humming
and 
tintinnabulating
sounds


I will hear
all the sounds
in the
world
and I will write them down 
so you
can 
hear
them
too. 


(p. 124-125)

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, by John Grisham

Theodore Boone is a kid on a mission. As the child of two lawyers, he knows a thing or two about the judicial system and has a rotating door of customers ranging from peers to teachers asking him for legal advice. Of course, he is more than willing to lend a helping hand and gets the chance of a lifetime to make a real dent in a case when a local man, Pete Duffy, is on trial for the murder of his wife.

Theo arranges for his government class to take a school trip to the first day of the the trial and has no problem bringing the class up to date on what to expect from a trial in general and with this particular case. After some handy work he weasels his way out of school a few times to catch some more of the trial, but he becomes much closer to the happenings of the case when a friend contacts him about a family member that is certain they witnessed Pete leaving the scene of the crime, his house, at the time of the murder.

The only problem is that Bobby, an employee of the golf course where Pete was supposedly golfing at the time of the murder, is an illegal citizen. Therefore, he is wary of coming forward out of fear that he will be deported. Theo is not deterred by this minor setback, however, and manages to work his magic to allow Bobby to tell his story without losing his way of life.

This is Grisham's first stab at teen fiction and, unsurprisingly, he has handed us another riveting legal tale that will hook another generation into devouring his literature for decades to come. Not only is this a fast paced story with characters that are easy to identify with, but the basics of the court system are laid out in a manner that is easy to understand for kids that have never been exposed to the setup and a good refresher for those that haven't had the legal system cross their minds in a while.

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.