Young Adult

Thank goodness for Dan Gutman! He has written so many sports books that have inspired my boys to read. When Joe Stoshack hears about Shoeless Joe Jackson – and the gambling scandal that destroyed the star player's career – he knows what he has to do. If he travels back in time with a 1919 baseball card in his hand, he just might be able to prevent the infamous Black Sox Scandal from ever taking place. And if he could do that, Shoeless Joe Jackson would finally take his rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But can Stosh prevent that tempting envelope full of money from making its way to Shoeless Joe's hotel room before the big game? Cool entry in Gutman’s Baseball Card Adventure series.

And here’s an inspirational book about gratitude and helping others for teens. An inspiration real-life story that chronicles the lifelong friendship between a busy sales executive and a disadvantaged young boy, and how both of their lives were changed by what began as one small gesture of kindness.

Looking for a little “light” reading with life-changing truth and ticklish humor? This book is for you, as Clarimont weaves stories and scripture between lasers, lighthouses, and lamps to illuminate the heart and enliven the spirit.

More for upper elementary and middle school students, this is a great read for the start of football season.

Great “tweener.” Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it’s probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she's dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina's tummy trouble isn’t going away... and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What’s going on? A thoughtful, charming and funny true story about growing up and gathering the courage to face fears.

The two-time Newbery Honor winner Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.

Who better than a recent graduate to help students navigate their lives ahead? And why wait until graduation to contemplate life’s deeper questions? With encouragement and advice, McHenry has collected the wisdom of 50 young women and men who share what they learned the hard way – so current students can better prepare for the same challenges. Short, insightful essays that address the real struggles, opportunities and fears that students might eventually face as they go out into the “real world” after graduation.

Using the story of a fictional NFL franchise in need of a turnaround, Hall of Famer Tony Dungy draws on more than 40 years of experience coaching and developing teams to explore the four essential principles practiced by truly effective teams. He identifies the most common issues preventing a team from reaching its full potential, then lays out a practical, proven game plan for creating a winning environment that fosters continued success on and off the field. Great read for students and coaches beginning Fall sports.

The move from elementary school to middle school can be difficult, especially for boys. Too big to be little yet too little to be big, they face the perfect storm of changing bodies, rushing hormones and learning challenges. Catherman and his two sons (one current and one former middle schooler) offer boys the practical help they need to make the move to middle school as painlessly as possible.

Do you know any boys that want to play in the NBA? Heck – almost all of my students – male and female – had dreams of playing professional basketball. What I love about this autobiography – and what sets it apart, in my mind – is Iguodala’s incredible honesty dealing with racial tensions and succeeding not just in basketball but in life as a successful investor and philanthropist. His insights into his own grit and drive provide excellent lessons and guidance. And I’m not even a Golden State Warriors fan!

To Georg Røed, his father is no more than a shadow, a distant memory. But then one day his grandmother discovers some pages stuffed into the lining of an old red pushchair. The pages are a letter to Georg, written just before his father died, and a story, “The Orange Girl.” But this is no ordinary story - it is a riddle from the past and centers around an incident in his father's youth. Now, from beyond the grave, he is asking his son to help him finally solve the puzzle of her identity. A modern fairy tale with a philosophical twist.

The second entry in Pierce’s Protector of the Small series, main character Kel has come to the palace to learn how to become a knight. Although there has been one other woman who has succeeded, she still faces many hurdles – often from those who are training her, as well as those training with her. This book covers the second and third years of that preparation, including battles with bandits and with beings from the Immortal Realm who threaten the kingdom. Fantasy with a female protagonist. Yay!

Great “tweener” for upper elementary and middle school students. A newbie to the track team, Patina must learn to rely on her teammates as she tries to outrun her personal demons in this follow-up to the National Book Award finalist Ghost by New York Times bestselling author Reynolds.

Fantasy fans – you’re in for a treat. Part four of five books in The Dark Is Rising Sequence Newbery Award-winning series, this one may be the best. It’s Will Stanton’s task to wake – with the golden harp – the six Old Ones (immortals dedicated to saving the world from the forces of evil) who must be roused from their long slumber in the Welsh hills to prepare for the last battle between the Dark and the Light.

I sound like a broken record, but one of the best ways to hook young readers is to find them a series or author that they cannot get enough of. Moyes was a British crime novelist best known for her Henry Tibbett series, and middle schoolers, in particular, devour these books.