Grade: 7

At her birth, a fairy blesses baby Eleanor with the gift of obedience. But for Ella this is a curse. She must spend her life doing literally everything that is asked of her, from sweeping the floor to handing over valued jewelry. When her mother dies, her father sends her away to boarding school with two cruel sisters. Ella’s spunk keeps her afloat until she meets her charming prince, breaks the wicked spell, and begins her “happily ever after” life.

Esperanza’s life takes a turn when her father is killed on their ranch in Mexico. She has been used to fancy clothes and a lovely home with servants. Suddenly she finds herself living in Central California in a one-room shack with another family, working along with migrant farm workers. Esperanza learns about surviving and that family and community hold riches of their own.

Lord Asheye of Salamandastron has a prophecy: A new Badger Lord must take his place and reign over the legendary badger fortress. But who is this young warrior who shuns both armor and sword? And how is he to be found? Mad Maudie, a feisty haremaid of the Long Patrol, is just the one to track him down. Meanwhile, the unsuspecting future Badger Lord has been captured by a scurrilous group of Sea Raiders led by the infamous fox, Vizka Longtooth, who intends on conquering Redwall Abbey. It is up to our young hero to defend Redwall so that he may fulfill his destiny as leader of Salamandastron.

There is peace at last between the warrior Clans, and Firestar is proud of the strength and unity of the cats he leads in ThunderClan. All four forest Clans are thriving, training new warriors and keeping their boundaries without conflict. But Firestar’s dreams are haunted by wailing cats fleeing a terrible disaster. With unexpected help from an old kittypet friend, he discovers a shocking secret: StarClan, the warrior ancestors who guide his paw steps, have lied to him. Firestar is faced with the hardest decision of his life. Can he really turn his back on the forest that has become his home and embark on a perilous quest to discover a dark truth—one that has been buried beyond the memory of living cats? Whatever he finds at the end of his journey, he knows that nothing can ever be the same again.

What happens to a class when the substitute teacher fails to show up? Mr. Fabian’s sixth-grade class goes solo for the day. They run the class themselves according to the routine established by their well-liked teacher. They do relatively well until a fight breaks out between two students over the death of a classmate, Tommy, who died six months earlier. Because of this fight, students start to deal with their guilt and sorrow over their classmate’s death. Fletcher balances a wide variety of emotions so the story is at times sad, funny, and profound.

Using the letters of the Spanish alphabet, Ada has written 27 poems that appear in both Spanish and English. These poems honor the lives, experiences, and culture of the Spanish-speaking people who work the farmland of the American West. Silva’s vivid paintings reflect his Mexican heritage and his life as a child working on farms.

Best known for his sports related young adult novels, Matt Christopher tackles nonfiction in this well-written book that describes nine memorable moments from baseball’s past. Christopher brings us into the careers of nine spectacular baseball players including Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, and Jim Abbott. Young lovers of sports will enjoy this informative, entertaining book.

Paulsen writes about the real events that influenced Brian Robeson’s story in Hatchet. Paulsen’s stint as a volunteer emergency worker, experiences racing dogs in Alaska, and other hair-raising exploits give a glimpse into the real-life adventures that inspire his characters.