Cassidy Silver wants a friend but is a social outcast in her seventh grade class because of the taunting of a group of popular girls. When Victoria moves to Cassidy’s school, Cassidy finds a friend who seems to have magical powers; Victoria claims to be telekinetic. Cassidy wants to believe but finds she doubts Victoria’s claims. The setting for the book is Canada, and while slight international differences in school are evident, the frustrations felt by Cassidy are universal. The theme was reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s novel, Matilda, in a shorter story for young teens and with a less complex plot. This is a good quick read for young teens and tweens.
This book just won a 2009 Newbery Honor Award, and justifiably so. Mibs Beaumont is about to turn 13, and in her family it means that she will "inherit" some skill that will need to be managed. Her oldest brother was able to create electricity when he turned 13 - her other brother disrupted the weather by causing hurricanes. After a car accident leaves her beloved Poppa unconscious in a hospital, Mibs hopes that her new savvy will help him wake up. With that belief, she stows away on a pink bus she thinks is heading toward the hospital 90 miles away. Driven by a pink bible salesman and accompanied by two brothers, two church friends and a waitress they meet along the way, a wild chain of events begins that will affect the lives of the entire group. What will Mibs' savvy be? Will she be able to save her father? This story is very well written and after a very suspenseful and chaotic ride though Kansaska-Nebransas, comes to a satisfying conclusion. Readers in grades 5-9 will enjoy this story.
D.J. spends her summer coaching Brian Nelson, the conceited star of the rival high school’s football team out in the pasture of her family’s Wisconsin dairy farm. It’s not her choice to coach a jerk like Brian, but what else is new? She has no choice but to run the family dairy farm since her father is recuperating from an injury, her mother is extra busy with work, and her older brothers have moved away. Between running the farm and school, D.J. doesn’t have time for friends. Who is she kidding? She doesn’t have time for school either and her best friend Amber is mad at her.
As D.J. coaches Brian the two teens begin to bond. When D.J. joins her own high school’s football team and ends up opposing Brian on the field sparks fly. Brian is furious and hurtful. D.J. struggles with her attitudes about friendship, self-confidence and sports, gender and sexuality, gender and sexuality, and first love.
