All the Feels

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

If you liked Wonder, you will also like this one. It's funnier, too, while still telling the story of kids who are different finding the power to be themselves, stand up for themselves and each other. Aven Green was born without arms. She's got a pretty good sense of humor, and is a first-rate problem-solver. She can do pretty much anything armed people do, but usually has to use her feet. In her old school, where she grew up, she had lots of friends, and everybody knew her and nobody looked twice at how she did things. But her parents just moved her from Kansas to Arizona to run the Stagecoach Pass, a sort of amusement park with an Old West, cowboy-type theme. It's a bit run down, with lots of empty buildings, and a senile old man who runs the ice cream shop. But there's lots to explore, including mysterious missing pictures, a secretive owner nobody ever sees, and locked desks that might just hold some answers. At school, Aven is having trouble making friends, because everyone just sees the lack of arms, and wonders if it's catching, and she's too embarrassed to eat in the cafeteria, so she hides in the bathroom so she can eat with her feet without the 'looks'. One day, tired and grossed out by eating in the bathroom, she decides to go to the library (YAY -- THAT'S WHERE EVERYONE ALWAYS FINDS THEIR PEEPS!), where she meets Connor. Connor has Tourette's, a neurological condition that causes tics, like barking, that he can't control. He doesn't like the 'looks' from other kids that make him feel like a freak, either. Then there's Zion, who gets made fun of for being fat. Together, these three musketeers grow to be friends, and just may solve the mysteries at Stagecoach Pass. The sequel is Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

From the publisher's website: "Five years.

That's how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, criss-crossing the nation.

It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash.

Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished—the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box—she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it.

Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys...

Over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all...but that with friends by her side, she just might be able to turn her “once upon a time” into a “happily ever after… "

The Line Tender by Kate Allen

From the publisher's website: "Wherever the sharks led, Lucy Everhart’s marine-biologist mother was sure to follow. In fact, she was on a boat far off the coast of Massachusetts, collecting shark data when she died suddenly. Lucy was seven. Since then Lucy and her father have kept their heads above water–thanks in large part to a few close friends and neighbors. But June of her twelfth summer brings more than the end of school and a heat wave to sleepy Rockport. On one steamy day, the tide brings a great white–and then another tragedy, cutting short a friendship everyone insists was “meaningful” but no one can tell Lucy what it all meant. To survive the fresh wave of grief, Lucy must grab the line that connects her depressed father, a stubborn fisherman, and a curious old widower to her mother’s unfinished research on the Great White’s return to Cape Cod. If Lucy can find a way to help this unlikely quartet follow the sharks her mother loved, she’ll finally be able to look beyond what she’s lost and toward what’s left to be discovered."

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

From the publisher: "Trees can't tell jokes, but they can certainly tell stories. . . .

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "wishtree"—people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with a crow named Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood.

When a new family moves in, not everyone is welcoming, and Red's experience as a wishtree is more important than ever."

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

From the author's website: "Everyone knows there are different kinds of teachers. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard, the ones who stopped trying long ago. The ones you’ll never remember, and the ones you want to forget. Ms. Bixby is none of these. She’s the sort of teacher who makes you feel like school is somehow worthwhile. Who recognizes something in you that sometimes you don’t even see in yourself. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is, is one of a kind.

​Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she won’t be able to finish the school year, they come up with a risky plan—more of a quest, really—to give Ms. Bixby the last day she deserves. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand what Ms. Bixby means to each of them—and what the three of them mean to each other. "

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

Mason Buttle comes from a long line of apple growers -- his family has owned the orchard for generations. But they've been hit by one tragedy after another -- first, his Grandpa died, then his Mom died, they had two bad crops in a row and had to sell off part of their land, and last year, his best friend, Benny, died under mysterious circumstances. Now everyone in town gives him the 'sad-to-see-you' look, and the policeman, Lt. Baird, keeps asking him questions about the day Benny died. Mason is a big kid. He can barely read or write, but has an amazing brain and a huge heart. He doesn't seem to know his own strength (physically or otherwise). Tiny Calvin Chumsky, a new kid, befriends Mason, and his life starts to turn around. They might still get chased by bullies, but at least they can run together. Until the day Calvin goes missing, and the cop's questions start up again. Can Mason figure out what happened to Benny? to Calvin? to his family? Will you figure it out before he does??? This book won the Schneider Award, and was a National Book Award Finalist. Also by this author: Waiting for Normal.

Mockingbird by Katherine Erskine

From the author's website: "In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead, and her father cries a lot. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of “closure” in the dictionary, she realizes that is what she and her father need. In her search for Closure, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white--the world is full of colors--messy and beautiful, and it is through this discovery that she embarks on a road which leads her to find both healing and closure. "

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Another poignant story about how the right teacher can make a huge impact on kids. Seven kids, with nothing in common and each with their own problems, are in Mr. Terupt's class. He helps them find their own strengths, and come together as a group. Then one day, Mr. Terupt is in a terrible accident. Will they go back to their old selves, or will they get through, together? If you like it, there are two sequels.

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

From the publisher: "On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts.

And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been.

But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known?"

The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

From the publisher: "After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting; things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory, even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe, and the potential for love and hope right next door. "

Armstrong & Charlie by Steven B. Frank

From the publisher: "During the pilot year of a Los Angeles school system integration program, Armstrong and Charlie learn to cope with everything from first crushes and playground politics to the loss of loved ones and racial prejudice in the 1970s.

Charlie isn’t looking forward to sixth grade. If he starts sixth grade, chances are he’ll finish it, and he’ll be older than his older brother ever was. Armstrong isn’t looking forward to sixth grade either. He’ll have to wake up at five thirty to ride a bus to an all-white school in the Hollywood Hills. When they are assigned seats next to each other, what starts as a rivalry becomes a close friendship.

Set in Los Angeles in the 1970s, Armstrong and Charlie is the hilarious, heartwarming tale of two boys from opposite worlds. Different, yet the same."

The Year We Fell From Space by Amy Sarig King

From the publisher's website: "Middle schooler Liberty likes to make her own maps of the stars. In fact, she is obsessed with them, especially since her family is falling apart: Her parents are getting divorced; her nine-year old sister will barely leave the house, and carries a stuffed tiger at all times; her father is suffering from depression, but will not talk about it; and the brothers down the street, once friends, have turned into bullies. So when a tiny meteorite falls in her lap, it is like a sign, but a sign of what? "

Posted by John David Anderson

Realistic story that takes place in a middle school where cell phones are banned. Since they can't text, the students find another way to communicate: post-it notes. As usual, at least one teacher tries to get them to send nice notes to each other. But also as usual, some kids use it to be mean. That old saying: "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me"... yeah, we all know that's not true. Words are powerful. They can lift you up, but they can also break your heart. Frost, Deedee, Bench, and Wolf are four guys with their own little group, their own 'tribe', and they do just fine. Until the new girl, Rose, joins them. New friendships form, and old ones fall apart. This book is funny, and sad, and real story of how cruel, or kind, kids can be to each other.

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

From the publisher's website: "In all the ways that matter, Mark is a normal kid. He's got a dog named Beau and a best friend, Jessie. He likes to take photos and write haiku poems in his notebook. He dreams of climbing a mountain one day. But in one important way, Mark is not like other kids at all. Mark is sick. The kind of sick that means hospitals. And treatments. The kind of sick some people never get better from.

So Mark runs away. He leaves home with his camera, his notebook, his dog, and a plan to reach the top of Mount Rainier, even if it's the last thing he ever does."

As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds

Another multiple-award-winner from this fabulous author. Brooklyn brothers Genie and Ernie are sent by their parents (who are working things out) to live with their grandparents in Virginia for the summer. Big brother Ernie likes hanging out with the girl down the hill, while Genie spends a lot of time with grandpa, learning a couple of surprising things about him, and about the meaning of bravery, and being a grown man. It's a beautiful family story, and a great summertime read.

Also look for: The Boy in the Black Suit, and his middle grade novel, Look Both Ways.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

From the publisher's website: "Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they've got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there's Lenny, her mom's boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they're in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it's best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she's not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia's situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they're better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she's ever had?"

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Conor is having nightmares. One night, a monster comes to his window. But it's not the monster in his dream, it's something much more real. In exchange for three stories, the monster wants something from Conor: the truth. Exquisite black and white ink drawings illustrate this story: dark, scary pictures make it look like a horror story, but it isn't. It's a beautifully written, poignant story of love and loss, based on an idea from writer Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer before she could write the story. If this book doesn't make you ugly cry, you are heartless. Also made into a movie!

Sticks and Stones by Abby Cooper

From the author's website: "Ever since she was a baby, the words people use to describe Elyse have instantly appeared on her arms and legs. At first it was just “cute” and “adorable,” but as she's gotten older and kids have gotten meaner, words like “loser” and “pathetic” appear, and those words bubble up and itch. And then there are words like “interesting,” which she's not really sure how to feel about. Now she’s starting middle school, and just as her friends who used to accept and protect her are drifting away, and she’s been dumped by her very first boyfriend, and worst of all, the words she thinks about herself are starting to appear, she receives an anonymous note saying, “I know who you are, and I know what you're dealing with. I want to help.” As Elyse works to solve the mystery of who has sent her this note, she also finds new ways to accept who she is and to become her best self. "

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

Timothy is a good kid who did a bad thing, trying to help his stressed-out, single mother care for his medically fragile little brother, who has a trach. But he gets caught, and is sentenced to one year of house arrest, going to therapy, and keeping a journal. Can he stay out of trouble, or will he dig himself deeper as he tries to fix everything? This book, a novel in verse, is his journal. If this book doesn't make you laugh, and bring a tear to your eye, you are heartless.

Sequel: Knockout: Little bro Levi is grown up, and tired of being treated like an invalid, overprotected by Mom and his brother, Timothy. He secretly takes up boxing -- but will his family, and his health, allow it?

Mascot by Antony John

From HarperCollins: "Noah Savino has been stuck in a wheelchair for months. He hates the way people treat him like he’s helpless now. He’s sick of going to physical therapy, where he isn’t making any progress. He’s tired of not having control over his own body. And he misses playing baseball—but not as much as he misses his dad, who died in the car accident that paralyzed Noah.

Noah is scared he’ll never feel like his old self again. He doesn’t want people to think of him as different for the rest of his life. With the help of family and friends, he’ll have to throw off the mask he’s been hiding behind and face the fears that have kept him on the sidelines if he ever wants to move forward."

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

Based on the author's own experiences as a young girl in the 1960s. This is the story of Ruthie Mizrahi, a Cuban-American Jewish girl adjusting to life in New York after her family escaped Castro's Cuba. She's excited because her English has finally improved enough that her teacher said she can move into the regular class! She's got a new friend across the street, and is the neighborhood hopscotch queen. One Sunday, her family goes out for a drive to have a picnic, and gets in a terrible car accident. Ruth spends the next year and a half in bed in a full body cast, unable to move, but still able to observe what's going on around her. She's bored, in pain, itchy, missing her friends, upset with her aggravated mother, and jealous of her little brother who gets to go outside and play. Then one day, a neighbor brings her a set of paints, and tells her about Frida Kahlo. This book won the Pura Belpre Award. Sequel out soon!

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Anabel Pitcher

10-year-old Jamie's sister Rose was killed in a terrorist bombing in London. Five years later, his family is still blown apart. His father drinks, his mother has abandoned the family for some guy named Nigel, and Rose's twin sister Jasmine has dyed her hair pink, pierced her lip, and is hanging out with a spiky-green-haired boyfriend. Jamie's only solace in a new town is his friend Sunya, a Muslim girl. But Jamie's dad says that Muslims killed his sister, and he shouldn't be friends with them.

See you in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng

From the publisher: "11-year-old Alex Petroski loves space and rockets, his mom, his brother, and his dog Carl Sagan—named for his hero, the real-life astronomer. All he wants is to launch his golden iPod into space the way Carl Sagan (the man, not the dog) launched his Golden Record on the Voyager spacecraft in 1977. From Colorado to New Mexico, Las Vegas to L.A., Alex records a journey on his iPod to show other lifeforms what life on earth, his earth, is like. But his destination keeps changing. And the funny, lost, remarkable people he meets along the way can only partially prepare him for the secrets he’ll uncover—from the truth about his long-dead dad to the fact that, for a kid with a troubled mom and a mostly not-around brother, he has way more family than he ever knew."

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacey McNulty

When lightning struck Lucy Callahan, the electricity gave her super-powered math skills. With that kind of genius, she's been home-schooled and is light-years ahead of her peers. But her grandmother thinks she needs something besides math, and makes her go to middle school for one year. She has to make a friend, join a club, and read a book. But Lucy doesn't fit in so easily, and she's not sure she wants to. Or does she?

Bang by Barry Lyga

Though it hinges on a tragic event, this is not a downer of a book. Sebastian was just 4 years old when he picked up his father's gun and accidentally shot and killed his baby sister. Now a teenager, he has lived with terrible guilt ever since. His parents split up; Mom is just going through the motions, Dad left. Everyone in town knows who he is and what he did -- he can't get away from that identity. When his best, and only, friend tells him he's going away all summer, Sebastian figures this is the time to do what he thinks he deserves -- to die, too. But then Aneesa moves into the neighborhood. She is unlike anyone he knows -- and best of all, she doesn't know his history. So, he can be more relaxed around her. What a relief! Sebastian falls for her, and so will you. Aneesa encourages his pizza-making -- they start a Youtube vlog, and it goes viral! Sebastian has a glimpse of the life he could have. Eventually, his two worlds will collide. Can he make peace with himself? READ IT! Warning: it will make you hungry for all kinds of pizza!

Swing by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess.

Like the beloved 8th grade class novel, The Crossover, by the same author, this is a novel in verse that packs a punch.

Best friends Noah and Walt got cut from the baseball team, again, but are trying to find their cool, somehow. Walt is into jazz. Noah wants out of the friend zone with the girl he loves, Sam. Noah finds some old letters, and uses some of the words to secretly woo Sam. But even if that works, will he have the guts to let her know it's him? Meanwhile, something is going on in town, with American flags left all over. Is it a protest? patriotism? or something different?

These creators also collaborated on Solo. If you like Alexander's style, try Booked, or Rebound, the prequel to The Crossover.

Untwine by Edwidge Danticat

If you liked If I Stay, you should read this one. 17-year-old twin sisters Isabelle and Giselle, and their parents, are in an accident. Giselle wakes up in a hospital, unable to move or speak, not knowing whether any of the rest of her family has survived, and everybody calling her by her sister's name. Through flashbacks, Giselle tells about their life leading up to the crash. The twins were so close, they were born holding hands, and knew what each other was thinking. Isabelle loves jazz music and played the flute. Giselle loves art. Each has just fallen in love. They are planning their futures. And then the crash. But there are hints that something was not right. Their parents had just told them they were separating. Then a police officer visits Giselle's hospital room, and she hears her saying that the crash "might not have been an accident".

Invisible by Pete Hautman

Doug Hanson is a strange guy. People tend to ignore him, or think he’s weird. Doug is obsessed with trains. He has a set up in his basement that covers three Ping-Pong tables and Doug built everything from scratch. He’s working hard on a matchstick bridge to connect the two ends of his “town”. Andy Morrow couldn’t be more different– Mr. Popular, football player, has girlfriends. But he and Doug are best friends. They grew up living in houses next door to each other, built a tree-house together. They talk to each other about everything. Except the day they broke into the Tuttle place together – that’s a secret. What happened that day has affected both boys. The secrets and lies have been buried for more than two years.

This unforgettable story by an award-winning author is strange, and extraordinary, and like its main character, disturbing.

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

From the author's website: "Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life. Alternating between reality and magic, past and present, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, bravery, and love."

Still Life with a Tornado by A. S. King

Sarah is an artist who can't draw -- she's having an existential crisis and her world is falling apart. Something happened at school (two somethings) -- neither one is horrific, but they really affected her, and now she doesn't want to go back to school. She doesn't want to stay at home, either, because her older brother, Bruce, moved across the country and won't have anything to do with the family, and her parents do nothing but fight. So she spends her days walking the streets of Philly (where she lives), following a homeless artist named Alleged Earl, and talking to past and future selves (ten-year-old Sarah, 23-year-old Sarah, 40-year-old Sarah). Flashbacks to a family trip to Mexico, and interspersed chapters from mom's point of view help Sarah, and the reader, flesh out what is breaking this family apart.

Be sure to read the author's other books: Reality Boy; Glory O'Brien's History of the Future; Everybody Sees the Ants; Ask the Passengers; Please Ignore Vera Dietz; I Crawl Through It, and others.

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Ed Kennedy is nothing special -- just a regular guy, crushing on his best friend, Audrey, and working as a cab driver on the sly. One day, he sort of accidentally thwarts a bank robbery, and starts getting ace playing card 'messages'. They tell him where to go, but not what to do. He has to figure that out himself -- how to help people in some sort of need or trouble, such as a battered woman. As he gets deeper into his 'mission', Ed is more curious about who is giving him these tasks, and why... It's a terrific story of humans, how we can hurt each other, and how we can help each other.

Award-winning author Zusak tackles big themes in his books. Other works include: The Book Thief, and Bridge of Clay.

HS

Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

Bingham was inspired to write this novel in verse by the real story of Bethany Hamilton, the surfer who lost an arm in a shark attack. In this fictional tale, 15-year-old Jane is an artist. Every year on the last day of summer before school starts, her family goes to the beach. This time, Jane is attacked by a shark, and her arm must be amputated. Her rescue was videoed and went viral -- strangers all over the world send her cards, and gifts, and flowers, but Jane feels no connection to them. Her mother is relentlessly positive, and her friends have abandoned her, not knowing what to do or say. Having lost her drawing hand, Jane can no longer be an artist. So who is she now? With help from a young man also going through intense recovery and physical therapy, Jane will come to terms with her new normal. Sequel: Formerly Shark Girl.

Fadeaway by Maura Ellen Stokes

From the publisher's website: "When Sam's best friend Reagan dies after her heart suddenly gives out, Sam must learn to deal with her grief and ultimately discover who she is without her best friend by her side.

Fourteen-year-old Sam thinks she has all summer to hang out with her best friend, Reagan. But then her life changes forever. Sam's world, once filled with school, basketball, and Reagan, has now abruptly changed and she must learn to navigate high school on and off the court without her best friend.

But when Reagan suddenly "reappears," Sam clings to her friend's presence, even as it hurts rather than helps her grief. Can Sam learn to accept herself without her other half? "

Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

From the publisher's website: "Cerebral palsy confines Shawn McDaniel to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle. For all Shawn's father knows, his son may be suffering and may want a release. As long as Shawn is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger. Within these pages, the reader will meet another side of him-a spirit that is rich beyond imagining."

This short novel packs a punch. Read the companion novel from the brother's point of view, Cruise Control.

The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

If you liked The Fault in Our Stars, and Everything, Everything, read this one, next. The author is a former nurse who worked with Sickle Cell Anemia patients. From the publisher's website: "When Jack and Kate meet at a party, he knows he’s falling – hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack.

But then Kate dies. And their story should end there.

Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind.

Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves."

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Caden Bosch is on a ship heading for the Mariana Trench (the deepest point on Earth), with a group of pirates. He is also a high schooler, who joins the track team but walks for miles trying to make sense out of the disjointed thoughts in his head. His family will do anything to help him, but first they have to understand what's happening. A metaphorical story about mental illness, by the popular and acclaimed author, who's son, like the main character, has schizoaffective disorder. The illustrations were drawn by the author's son, when he was in a hospital. You might feel confused at first, but stick with it, it's worth it. This book won numerous awards.