In Storm of Arranon, by R.E. Sheahan, Erynn has to deal with both a hidden secret and her feelings for Jaer. When an alien society is discovered on their planets, Erynn and Jaer are thrust into battle and Erynn's secret may be their worlds' only hope. Struggling with her feelings and the war raging constantly Erynn must figure things out quickly before horrible things happen. When Jaer and Erynn are finally together, war drives them apart. Will they ever be able to be together? Will their planets be saved?
In DOUBLE OVERTIME, written by Dana Lotito, high school student Miles Anderson is trying to figure out his life. As the new kid in school, Miles experiences several obstacles in life: he can't get the girl he is interested in to date him and he also has way too many unresolved issues with his older brother, Adam. On top of all that, he feels pressured to uphold the family legacy: excelling at basketball. Miles needs to organize his life, and fast, before things get even worse.
In the book Oreo, by Valerique Williams, Jayenia is trying to figure out who she is, because she is too black on the outside to be white, but too white on the inside to be black. She thinks high school will be a great time but does not think that after the first day. Jayenia must try to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. She wants to fit in society, but she feels as if she isn't living up to who a black person should really be.
In the Lunch-Box Dream by Tony Abbott, the character Bobby and his brother Ricky go on a road trip with their family to visit Civil War battlefields. The year is 1959, the era of the Civil Rights movement, and Bobby does not like black people. He calls them chocolates and does not want to have anything to do with them. When an accident cuts their trip short the family ends up taking the bus back to their hometown of Cleveland. Bobby and his family come face-to-face with racial discrimination that may jeopardize a black family's seats on the bus.
In City of Orphans by Avi, a young boy, named Maks tries to solve a mystery to prove his older sister Emma is innocent of stealing a valuable gold watch. Maks is a newsie, meaning he works on the street selling newspapers to make money in the late 1800s. The newsies have one fear, the Pug Uglies gang. The Pug Uglies target the newsies, beat them up and take the money they have earned. When Maks finds himself in an alley face-to-face with the Pug Uglies, Willa, a girl in tattered clothing who lives in the alley, protects Maks with her stick.
Wild Life written by Cynthia DeFelice is a story of a twelve year old boy named Erik who desperately wants to learn to hunt. His hunting plans are put on hold when his parents are deployed to Iraq. Erik is forced to move from New York to North Dakota to live with Grandparents he doesn't even remember. While left alone at his Grandparent's house he discovers a dog with porcupine quills in his snout. He calls his Grandma and together they call a vet to get the quills out.
