Tiger Eyes

After her father is killed in a hold-up at the Seven Eleven where her works, Davey Wexler has been afraid and unable to control her feelings, so she, her mother, and her younger brother, Jason, go to live with her father’s relatives, Aunt Bitsy and Uncle Walter, in New Mexico, to get away from their lives for a little while. Davey gets a job as a candy striper, and helps care for a terminally ill patient. Later she meets Wolf, a mysteriously interesting boy, who turns out to be the son of this terminally ill patient. What will Davey learn from Wolf? Will she be able to handle her feelings? Will her family be able to return to their “normal” life in Atlantic City?

Losing someone close to you can be very difficult, but it should not stop you from living your life. This is easier said than done, but it is nice to have family and friends who care about you to help you get through tough times. It is this help from people who care about you that you can return to a life that can be considered normal. It may take some time to get there, but it is important that you let people in on what you are feeling in order for them to be able to help you.

Here's to You, Rachel Robinson

Rachel Robinson is used to getting straight A’s, being in accelerated programs, getting recommended to take classes at the local college, recommendations for extracurricular activities, and being the best. But she is not used to having Charles, her trouble-maker older brother around. Charles was expelled from his boarding school, and now he is back home, wreaking havoc on the entire Robinson family. As if Rachel doesn’t have enough to worry about(pressure from her teachers, secret crushes), she now has to worry about Charles making fun of her. Now her parents are insisting that they attend family therapy sessions. Will the Robinson family resolve their problems?

What family doesn’t have problems? What siblings don’t get on each other’s nerves? Who feels pressure from parents, teachers, and friends? Tweens will be able to connect with Rachel (or Charles, or another character in this book) in one way or another, be it trying to please everyone and meet (or exceed their expectations) or by feeling rebellious and trying to make their mark by doing the opposite of what everyone wants and expects from them.

Just as Long as We're Together

Stephanie Hirsch and Rachel Robinson have been best friends for as long as they can remember. They have been there for each other through thick and thin, and through each other’s secrets, so it’s no surprise that they start junior high together on a positive note, but things don’t turn out like they expected or how they should. Stephanie’s parents are separating. There is also a new girl in town: Alison Monseau, the girls’ neighbor, and Stephanie really wants the three of them to be friends, but will having a third person in their usual group of two ruin Stephanie’s friendship with Rachel?

There should always be room for one more in a friendship. In middle school, friends are a focal point in students’ lives. Friends are the most important topic on their minds. Middle school is very different from elementary school. Students have six different teachers and six different classes instead of just one. They will meet people from other school. Making new friends is inevitable, but it is also important that they stay in close touch with their old friends. New friends bring something new and exciting to the table, but old friends know what is good for us. All together they make a nice friendship.

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret

Margaret Simon is having a hard time adjusting to life in the suburbs of New Jersey, and it’s even tougher on a preteen. There are so many pressures on a preteen: making friends and fitting in, a new male teacher, and puberty. She also has to think about her parents and her grandmother. It’s a good thing she has their support, but it’s hard to talk about everything with them, so even though she’s not any religion, she finds herself talking to God. Even though she doesn’t always get the answers she wants or things don’t happen when she wants them to happen, she finds comfort in sharing her thoughts and feelings with God in her own way.

Tweens are at an age where their lives revolve around themselves, their friends, and school. It is very important to fit in so as not to be singled out and ridiculed by the other students. Everyone, at one time or another, has felt pressure from friends and family and wanting to do the right thing, but at the same time wanting to be accepted by their peers. People have also felt disappointed when things don’t go their way or when the people they love the most let them down, and then realizing that by talking things over with someone, they always get better.

Starring Sally J. Feedman as Herself

It is 1947, and Sally Feedman, her brother, Douglas, her grandmother, Ma Fanny, her mother, Louise are moving to Miami Beach. Sally has mixed feelings about moving, but she also sees it as an adventure. On their trip there, Sally encounters racism and segregation when she meets a nice African American family who had to change cars because of their race. This infuriates Sally, especially when her mother is surprisingly not affected by it. With help from her friend, Barbara, Sally adjusts well at her new school, and soon makes friends and even has a crush on a boy at school, Peter Hornstein. Mr. Zavodsky is a man who lives in her building. To Sally, he resembles Hitler, and this hits home with her because she is Jewish. Sally also worries that her father, Arnold (who still has to work in New Jersey), just turned 42 and will soon die because his brothers were 42 when they died. Will Sally figure out what Mr. Zavodsky is really up to? Will her father be safe? Will life in Miami Beach work out for her?

Moving far from what you call home can be very difficult, but it’s good to have your family there with you. It also helps to have a good friend to show you how things are done. Anyone can relate to having to move away from their friends and family and starting over in a new city where they don’t know anyone. Add the pressures of worrying about a parent’s health, and it can really cause a lot of stress on a person, but having an active imagination can help ease the worry.

Double Fudge

Peter Hatcher’s brother, Fudge (Farley Drexel), is now five and has developed an obsession with money; he wants it, and he wants lots of it. To try to cure this obsession, his parents take him to the engraving and printing bureau, but this only peaks his curiosity and obsession. The Hatchers run into long lost relatives, the Howie Hatchers: Howie’s preganant wife, Eudora, their identical twin daughters Flora and Fauna, and their three-year-old son who also happens to be named Farley Drexel Hatcher. Peter knows that nothing good can come from this, and it looks like he is right as the Howie Hatchers cause problems and trouble for Peter and his family, including trying to take Fudge’s nickname for the three-year-old Farley Drexel Hatcher. Will Peter and his family be able to deal with the Howie Hatchers in a civilized manner, or will chaos resume as the Hatchers and Howie Hatchers reunite?

Almost everyone has had to deal with annoying relatives. There is a reason why families don’t visit some relatives often, right? Sometimes we just have to put up with these relatives even though it may not be easy, so it’s a good idea to be cunning about it, and things will work out for the best.

Fudge-A-Mania

Peter Hatcher was looking forward to summer…until he found out that his family was going to be sharing a house in Maine with Sheila the Cootie Queen Tubman and her family. Things look better for Peter when his mom says that he can invite his best friend, Jimmy Fargo, to spend the summer with them. Peter is not sure how he will explain the Cootie Queen to Jimmy, so he’ll just keep quiet about that until Jimmy arrives in Maine a week after the Hatchers and the Tubmans arrive. Being stuck with Sheila and his brother, Fudge, is not Peter’s idea of a great summer vacation, and things are going from bad to worse for Peter. Will his summer turn out better than he is expecting?

It seems that whenever we have something fun and exciting all planned out to the last detail, things end up going wrong or they don’t go quite as we planned, but we should not let this get in the way of enjoying ourselves and making good use of our time. Sometimes things work out how they are supposed to work out, which may or may not be what we had in mind, but that doesn’t mean that we should sulk and feel sorry for ourselves. Doing this will make the situation worse not better.

Superfudge

Peter Hatcher’s life continues to be chaotic thanks to his little brother, Fudge, especially since Fudge’s vocabulary increasing. To make matters worse, Peter’s mom is pregnant, and Peter is sure that the new baby will be as much trouble for him as Fudge. The new baby turns out to be a girl, and they name her Tamara Roxanne, but call her Tootsie. Fudge finds that Tootsie is now getting all the attention that he used to get, and he is not OK with this, so he starts to act out even more than before. Meanwhile Peter’s dad decides to take a leave of absence from his job to write a book, so, much to Peter’s discontent, the family moves to New Jersey from New York. Jimmy Fargo, Peter’s best friend tries to help Peter see the bright side of things. Will things work out for Peter in New Jersey? If things don’t work out, will Peter make good on his promise and move away from his family?

When your little brother is Fudge, and your parents are expecting another baby, it’s easy to expect the worst. When your parents tell you that they’re planning to move to New Jersey so your father can write a book, it probably seems like the worst possible situation has arrived. When you have a best friend like Jimmy Fargo who is optimistic and helps you see the positive side of things, you realize that things will work themselves out and you’ll be OK. When you believe that things will be OK, and they do turn out to be OK, you realize that you were probably worried for nothing. Having friends and family to help you get through tough times is definitely a good thing.

Otherwise Known as Sheila The Great

Sheila Tubman and her family are spending the summer in Tarrytown. Sheila is disappointed because she won’t be going to Disneyland, but brightens up when she learns that she will have her own room and not have to share with Libby, her sister. Sheila gets off to a rough start in Tarrytown (spiders, dogs, ghosts), but soon meets some neighbors, Mouse, Sondra, and Jane. She even gets to go to day camp where she participates in arts and crafts in addition to swimming lessons and a play. What Sheila thought would be a horrible summer turns out to be completely different than what she would have thought.

Sometimes things don’t go quite as we planned or how we would like them to be, but it is important to have an open mind, try new things, and make the most out of what might seem to be a bad situation. This may not be easy, but the first step is to be willing to give it a try. It is only then that things will begin to turn around and get better.

Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing

Peter Hatcher has a three-year-old brother named Farley Drexel Hatcher, but he prefers to be called Fudge. Fudge is constantly causing problems for Peter, and Peter, being the older brother, has to put up with it and set a good example for Fudge. Sometimes he feels as though he doesn’t exist. This annoys Peter, especially when their mom puts Peter in charge. Peter can take some things, like doing things so Fudge will do them or getting blamed when Fudge gets hurt at the playground, but when Fudge ruins Peter’s big assignment he almost cannot take it. It’s when Fudge gulps down Peter’s turtle that Peter has the last straw. How will Peter get his parents to realize that he is part of the family, too, and that he shouldn’t be ignored just because Fudge is the youngest?

Just about anyone can relate to being an older (or younger) sibling and what it is like to be annoyed by and blamed on for everything the younger sibling does. Or maybe they know what it is like to be the younger sibling who always gets the older sibling in trouble. Older and younger siblings alike something laugh with and relate to Peter, Fudge, and their friends as they read through the Fudge books.

It's Not the End of the World

Karen Newman knows that her parents haven’t been getting along; their arguing has gotten worse and worse, but she never saw a divorce coming her way. She knows she has make her parents realize that they belong together, remind them about how they once felt about each other, and that she needs her family in one piece and not all fragmented. With encouragement from Garfa (her grandpa) Karen sets out to make sure her parents stay together; she knows they belong together, but do her parents know that?

Divorce can be very hard on a family, especially when there are children involved. It can be especially hard on them; they might think that they caused their parents’ divorce or want to fix it, but it is important for children, regardless of their ages, to understand that divorce happens, but their parents will still love and care for them no matter what. If their parents are having a difficult time getting along, a divorce is probably the best answer, but just because they don’t love each other anymore does not mean that they don’t love their children.

Deenie

Deenie Fenner is open to the idea of becoming a model, but her mother’s insistence on good posture has gotten way out of hand for her. The modeling agents would love to sign her up with their companies, but there is something that’s stopping them from signing her up. That’s OK with her; what she really wants is to be a cheerleader. Then one day, her gym teacher checks Deenie’s back and talks to her parents about seeing her doctor. They get referrals to more doctors and specialists and they all make the same diagnosis: Deenie has adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, which means Deenie will have to wear a brace from her neck down to her hips for the next four years (at least). This can’t be true. How could this happen to her? What will people think? Will Deenie have a normal life?

Fitting in is very important. It’s easy if you’re part of the popular crowd and everyone looks up to you. But what happens when all of a sudden you’re not going to be exactly as you once were? Will people still look up to you? Will they accept the “new” you? Sometimes more than anything people want to feel like they belong. Getting used to the idea of change and being different from who you once were is tough, but having support from friends and family makes the change easier.

Iggie's House

Winnie Barringer is sad because her best friend, Iggie, has moved to Japan, but they have promised to write to each other everyday. Winnie discovers that a new family has moved in to Iggie’s house, and Winnie is excited about welcoming the Garbers into the neighborhood. They are the first African American family to move into the neighborhood. Leave it to Iggie’s family to sell their house to an African American family. Winnie is anxious to show Glen, Herbie, and Tina around the neighborhood, and the Garbers (except Herbie) are glad that they have a friend, but not everyone in the neighborhood feels the way Winnie does. Mrs. Landon, a neighbor, starts a petition to pressure the Garbers into moving to a different neighborhood, but much to Mrs. Landon’s chagrin, Winnie starts a questionnaire of her own. People can’t be treated this way. Will the Garbers be driven out of their new home? Will their friendship with Winnie last?

What’s fair and decent to one person may not seem fair and decent to another person. People are people, and their differences make them unique, and people should celebrate those differences. It is important to get to know people before making harsh judgments or decisions about them. It is also important to remember that sometimes people just need a friend to talk to and be there for them and not someone to fight for them.

Blubber

Jill Brenner never really intended to be in on calling Linda Fisher “Blubber.” She just wanted to think about Halloween, but a note from Wendy, the most popular girl in the class, states that everyone should call Linda “Blubber” because of her weight. Not wanting to upset Wendy, Jill joins her class in bullying Linda. One day Wendy refers to Jill’s best friend, Tracy Wu, by a racial slur, angering Jill and causing her to question Wendy’s authority. Wendy vows to make Jill sorry for what she did. Jill has not become the victim of Wendy’s (and that of the class) bullying. Will Jill be able to stop Jill and her classmates from picking on her?

Bullying is tough…on the victim. It can also be tough on the people who join in on the bullying because they might feel like they want to fit in and be on good terms with the person who started the bullying. But it is also important to remember to stand up for what is right and for people who have a hard time sticking up for themselves. This is not always easy, especially when the tables are turned and the person who once did the bullying becomes the person who is being bullied. In a way they’re getting a taste of their own medicine, but at what expense?

Then Again, Maybe I Won't

Tony Miglione comes from a working class family, and he is completely happy until his father, an electrician, announces that he invented electrical cartridges and will be a partner in a company, so they’re moving to the suburbs where they will have a big house and anything and everything Tony could ever want. Tony is not thrilled with the idea of moving away from his friends, but he soon realizes that his father’s move up in the world has its advantages. He soon makes new friends, but as he gets to know them, he isn’t sure if they’re the kind of people he wants to be friends with. The rest of his family seems to appreciate what his father’s new job has offered them, but Tony realizes that his family has changed, and he’s not sure if this change is for the better. Moe than anything, Tony wants things to go back to the way they were before his father’s invention. Will Tony and his family get used to their new fortune?

Sometimes the very things that are supposed to make our lives better and easier turn out to be the things that make our lives harder. The Miglione family wanted what was best for Tony, but they are not putting much thought into what he wants, and they don’t realize how hard he has had it until it is almost too late. It is important to be considerate of others when making important decisions. It is also important to voice our opinions if something is bothering us or not going well for us. Tony learns this the hard way.