Red Thread Sisters

by Carol Antoinette Peacock

Age group: 10+
Genre: Realistic fiction
Rating: **** (4 stars)

Wen lives in an orphanage in China with her best friend, Shu Ling. Shu Ling and Wen do everything together. Ever since Wen joined the orphanage when she was five, Shu Ling looked after her. But one day everything changes and Wen is adopted by an American family. She's happy about being adopted, but very sad about having to leave Shu Ling behind. Director Feng says she probably isn't going to get adopted, because of her clubfoot. She promises Shu Ling to help her get a home and then leaves for America. Life is hard in America. She knows English but somehow can't let it out. She misses Shu Ling a lot. And most of all, she's finding it really hard to tell her new mom she loves her. But she stays true to her word, and keeps trying to find a family for Shu Ling. It isn't easy--can she do it before Shu Ling turns 14 and can't be adopted any more? She has to--after all, they're red thread sisters.
This book was really great. It had many emotions in it, and the author does a really good job conveying those emotions through the characters. For example, during the one really suspenseful moment in the book, she shows the suspense by describing all the characters rather than just saying it straightforwardly. The characters also have a lot of depth. They are all pretty fully developed and so they're easier to relate to and to feel for. I thought Red Thread Sisters seemed very real and full and warm. I liked it a lot.

Small as an Elephant

by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Age group: 10+
Genre: Realistic fiction
Rating: ****` (4.5 stars)

Jack Martel is going camping with his mother in Maine when one day he wakes up and she isn't there. This isn't exactly unusual - his mom has an illness, and back in Boston she did this sometimes. But there's a big difference from being safe in your own house and being in a small campground with only $14.63 and no food. School is starting in Boston, and Jack knows people are going to notice he's not there. He sets off on a journey to find his mother, but it's going to be hard - sure enough, his friends and family notice he's not in Boston and soon everyone's looking for him. But if they find him, they will have to take him away from his mom because of her illness. He has to lay low while trying to get back to Boston and find his mom - and it's not easy.
I thought this was a really interesting book because it takes place in cities and towns. Usually survival stories are in woods or some other rural, mostly uninhabited area, but Small as an Elephant isn't. The problems for this type of survival story are VERY different. For example, Jack has to deal with the problems of having no money, and whether or not he can trust certain people, which don't really need to be worried about in the woods. Because of that, this book stands out from the other survival novels out there. I also thought this book had an interesting plot, where the mother isn't as straightforward. I liked how the story was more weaving instead of going in a straight line. There are also many elephant references throughout, which sort of adds a solid standing point for Jack as he searches for his mother. Excellent book.

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

by David Lubar

Age group: 12+
Rating: ****` (4.5 stars)
Genre: Realistic fiction

Scott Hudson is just starting high school--and it's not easy. His friend group is slowly breaking apart, the bullies pick on HIM, for some reason, and his mother has just announced she's pregnant. Oh, and that girl, Julia, he used to be friends with in kindergarten? She's suddenly gone from the blending-in type to highly attractive and highly unattainable. Now he has to deal with hard-to-understand Spanish teachers, mean gym teachers, LOTS of homework, and... well... life itself. Since he's finding high school so hard, he decides to write a guidebook for his soon-to-be sibling, hopefully a boy. And during his journey through his freshmen year, Scott learns a lot of important things--about friends, books, life and girls. 
This book is really great. Mostly, it's just plain HILARIOUS. Scott has a very funny, real voice. David Lubar did an excellent job writing from his perspective. Because of this, it's easy to relate to Scott and his problems (most of the time) and the book is more down-to-earth and interesting. This book is a light read, and it deals with a few more serious problems in a not-too-serious way. Scott breaks up the chunks of text with lists for his soon-to-be sibling that are usually hilarious. It's a good summer read because of the lightness, but it's also good for school because of the shorter chapters and because it's about school.