"Crash" by Jerry Spinelli

We all know bullies are bad -- that's basically a fact of life. But what is it like from the bully's point of view? In the beginning, Crash, whose real name is John, has the same thought process anyone would expect from a bully. But then he starts to change when his grandfather, Scooter, has a stroke. Jerry Spinelli (author of "Eggs," "Maniac Magee," and many other amazing books) has done it again with "Crash" and crafted a wonderful and entertaining story with some surprising twists and turns.

Appropriate for: advanced young readers and early teens

Rating: pretty good

"A Friendship for Today" by Patricia C. McKissack

On the first day back to school, many people get that feeling in the pit of their stomach -- the irrational fear that no one will like them. For Rosemary Patterson, that fear is definitely not irrational. Why? Because she knows for certain that at least half the kids in her class will hate her before they even meet her. Because she is African American and the rest of her class is white. Because this is the 1950s. Rosemary must be a pioneer at her new school, Robertson Elementary, all by herself. I definitely recommend this story to all who enjoy learning about this period of history and to everyone (hopefully anyone reading this blog) who loves a great book.

Appropriate for: advanced young readers and early teens
Rating: pretty good