How I Survived Middle School by Donna Gephart

Eleven-year-old David Greenberg is nervous about starting Harman Middle School and deals with his fears by making TalkTime videos to post on YouTube. He dreams of becoming a TV superstar like his idol, Jon Stewart, and displays his zany sense of humor in his videos of his pet hamster and his top 6 1/2 lists at the end of each video. When he and his best friend, Elliott, have a fight, David meets Sophie. She thinks David's videos are hilarious and begins sending out the links to everyone she knows. Before long, thousands of people view his videos. Could David be on his way to becoming an Internet Super Star?

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

Evan Treski is not happy when he finds out that his younger sister, Jessie, is skipping third grade and will be in his class when school begins. Even though Evan is much better at dealing with people than Jessie, he feels threatened because Jessie is much better at math than he is. Rivalry and misunderstandings grow as they each set up a lemonade stand and compete to see who can reach $100.00 first. This is war--a lemonade war! You will enjoy the tips for running a lemonade stand and ideas for making money in any business.

Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

It is 1776 and 13-year-old Samuel lives with his parents on the edge of the wilderness in the British colony of Pennsylvania. Returning from hunting in the woods one day, he finds that his home has been attacked and burned by British soldiers and Iroquois Indians. Samuel soon realizes that his parents have been taken captive. Using his forest skills he begins to track them, confronting the horrors of war as he moves through enemy territory. He finds unexpected help from people who are secretly helping the colonists. Can Samuel reunite his family? Gary Paulsen alternates the chapters of Samuel's story with historic notes about the Revolutionary War to create an informative as well as suspenseful read.

The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary by Candace Fleming

The fifth-grade class at Aesop Elementary school has a reputation for being difficult to teach. They are so "extraordinary" that the only teacher willing to teach them is their former fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Jupiter. ( You might want to read The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary school, first.) Mr. Jupiter, himself, is no ordinary teacher. Most of the other teachers at school agree that he is just plain weird. His methods of teaching border on eccentric, but his students love him and are enthusiastic to learn from his outlandish activities. Some of the humor is definitely corny, but will make you smile, roll your eyes and shake your head, and even laugh. From singing guinea pigs, to students whose names match their personalities, to morals learned from fable-like lessons, this is a fun and silly read that just might teach you some things!

Framed by Gordon Korman

Griffin Bing and his friends are in trouble again. A valuable Super Bowl ring is missing from a school display case. Even though Griffin didn't take it, all of the evidence points to him. Join Griffin and his friends as they try to find the real thief. Will the Man With a Plan be able to prove his innocence? If you enjoyed Swindle and Zoobreak, the first two books about Griffin and his friends, this will be a great pick for you.

Confetti Girl by Diana Lopez

Lina Flores loves volleyball, science, and socks of all colors and designs. Her best friend, Vanessa, lives across the street, and their special bond has always gotten them through every problem until now. Lina is grieving the sudden death of her mother and trying to cope with her dad's grief as well. She feels lonlier still when Vanessa develops an interest in boys and isn't always available when Lina needs her. Lina's grades start to slide, and she is not allowed to play volleyball. Even worse, she begins to feel that her dad loves the books he hides behind more than he loves her. Read this heart-warming book to see how Lina restores her relationship with Vanessa and her dad. She even learns alot about herself in the process.

The Big Field by Mike Lupica

Hutch Hutchinson loves everything about baseball. He especially loves playing shortstop, a position his dad once played professionally until an injury ended his short career. Hutch has always played shortstop and has been the star until Darryl Williams joins the Cardinals and takes over the position. Hutch is moved to second base and feels "second best." He strives to remain a team player and wants desperately to have a closer relationship with his dad, who no longer shows an active interest in baseball. When Hutch sees his dad giving fielding tips to Darryl, he feels angry and betrayed. As the Cardinals advance to the summer league championship, Hutch battles his emotions to remain a good teammate and salvage the relationship with his dad. If you love baseball, you'll feel the excitement of the game within the pages of this book. "Take me out to the ballgame!"