Brilliant by Rachel Vail

Realistic Fiction, Family Problems, School

"Notes: Sixteen-year-old Quinn struggles to maintain her image as a brilliant, good girl when her mother's major error at work leads to financial and legal troubles that turn Quinn's and her younger sisters' world upside-down.

From the Publisher:

Everybody knows who Quinn Avery is. She's the smart, calm, responsible Avery sister, the one who's kept it together in spite of all that's happened since their mom lost her job. But when the family house goes up for sale and Quinn faces the prospect of losing the home she loves, something snaps inside her, and a new, wild, reckless Quinn emerges.

Soon Quinn's lying, sneaking out, and partying with a brand-new crowd. When Quinn adds ditching her best friends and kissing the wrong boys—including her sister's boyfriend and her own piano teacher—to her list of crimes, she may finally have gone too far. Can Quinn find her way back to the family that needs her and the only boy she's ever loved?"

Kirkus Review

"This final book in the Avery sisters trilogy (preceded by Lucky, 2008, and Gorgeous, 2009) centers on introverted Quinn, the oldest and most responsible of the three. On the surface, Quinn is dealing well with her family's losing their home and many of their possessions, but her first-person narration shows a fair amount of inner turmoil. Not entirely sure of how to deal with the feelings no one expects her to have, Quinn engages in reckless boy-kissing and party-going. The only boy she's really interested in kissing, however, is her piano teacher, college student Oliver. Her insecurities about herself and her future lead her to make poor but understandable choices about her friendships and romances. Quinn's intelligence, which she expresses while still sounding authentic and often funny, allows for full exploration of her mixed feelings. Her calm nature also plays well against the personalities of her high-strung sisters. Vail ends this trilogy on a high note, one that should especially resonate with teens whose lives have changed with the economy. (Fiction. 12 & up) "
     - Kirkus 

Loved this! I appreciate the sensitivity and depth of Vail's writing which conveys realistic emotions and struggles that appeal to a wide audience. I will definitely recommend this series to my middle and high school students.

Go to Rachel Vail's website for more information http://www.rachelvail.com/pages/brilliant.htm

ALLEGIANT by Veronica Roth

Science Fiction, Family Life, Identity, Courage

From titlewave.com

"Notes: Sequel to: Insurgent. "The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered--fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready."--Dust jacket.

From the Publisher:

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?
The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent."

Read Follett interview with Veronica Roth

EASTCHESTER MIDDLE SCHOOL'S FAVORITE BOOKS

Please click on the comment link below to suggest good books for middle school students.

Write your suggestion for a good book to read.
1. Write the title, author (if you know)
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3. Who would you recommend this book to? Who is the perfect audience?
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6. You may have to fill in the random letter form to prove you are an actual person and not some robot!
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Thank you and happy reading!
Mrs. Schuster

THREE TIMES LUCKY by Sheila Turnage

Mystery and Detective Stories

From the Publisher:

Newbery honor winner, New York Times bestseller, Edgar Award Finalist, and E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor book.

"A hilarious Southern debut with the kind of characters you meet once in a lifetime

Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Full of wisdom, humor, and grit, this timeless yarn will melt the heart of even the sternest Yankee." Dial Books for Young Readers & Titlewave

It took me a few pages to settle into this story, but I was soon swept into the murder mystery and the colorful characters inhabiting this small town and local cafe. Good sixth grade mystery or Newbery choice.

DEAD GIRLS DON'T WRITE LETTERS by Gail Giles

Mystery and Detective Stories, Sisters, Death, Alcoholism

"Fourteen-year-old Sunny is stunned when a total stranger shows up at her house posing as her older sister Jazz, who supposedly died in a fire months earlier." (image and summary from titlewave.com)

Great short page-turner. I had to read the surprise ending twice!

THEODORE BOONE: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

Fiction; Mystery and Detective stories; Trials; Murders

Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone, who knows every judge, police officer, and court clerk in the small town of Strattenburg, finds himself involved in a murder trial because of knowledge he might have about a cold-blooded killer. "(image and description from titlewave.com)

This is an engaging page-turner choice for middle school students. It portrays a motivated kid with loving but distracted parents who allow Theo to pursue his passion for law. The story conveys values of compassion, communication, trust, and justice.