Zebra Forest by Adina Gerwitz - 2014

Zebra Forest by Adina Gerwitz
Candlewick Press
200p.

 Summary:
When eleven-year-old Annie first started lying to her social worker, she had been taught by an expert: Gran. She told Annie and her little brother, Rew, the one thing they know about their father: that he was killed in a fight with an angry man who was sent away. Annie tells stories, as she and Rew laze under the birches and oaks of Zebra Forest -- stories about their father the pirate, or pilot, or secret agent. But then something shocking happens to unravel all their stories: a rattling at the back door, an escapee from the prison holding them hostage in their own home, four lives that will never be the same. Driven by suspense and psychological intrigue, this novel deftly portrays an unfolding standoff of truth against family secrets, and offers an affecting look at two resourceful, imaginative kids as they react and adapt to the hand they've been dealt.

The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata - 2014

The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
269p.


Summary: Just when twelve-year-old Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong in a year of bad luck, an emergency takes her parents to Japan, leaving Summer to care for her little brother while helping her grandmother cook and do laundry for harvest workers.

Kindred Souls by Patricia MacLachlan

Kindred Souls by Patricia MacLachlan
HarperCollins Children's Books
119 pg.


Ten year-old Jake shares a special bond with his grandfather, Billy, but when Billy asks Jake to build him a sod house, Jake is not sure he wants to do it.

Curveball by Jordan Sonnenblick

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick
Scholastic Press
285 pg.


After an injury ends former star pitcher Peter Friedman's athletic dreams, he concentrates on photography which leads him to a girlfriend, new fame as a high school sports photographer, and a deeper relationship with the beloved grandfather who, when he realizes he is becoming senile, gives Pete all of his professional camera gear.

Ten Rules for Living With My Sister by Ann M. Martin

Ten Rules for Living With My Sister by Ann M. Martin
Feiwel and Friends
2011
228p.

Nine-year-old Pearl and her popular, thirteen-year-old sister, Lexie, do not get along very well, but when their grandfather moves in and the girls have to share a room, they must find common ground

Addie on the Inside by James Howe

Addie on the Inside by James Howe
Atheneum Books for Children
2011
206p.

Outspoken thirteen-year-old Addie Carle learns about love, loss, and staying true to herself as she navigates seventh grade, enjoys a visit from her grandmother, fights with her boyfriend, and endures gossip and meanness from her former best friend.

Small Persons With Wings by Ellen Booraem

Small Persons With Wings by Ellen Booraem
Dial Books for Young Readers
2011
302p

When Mellie Turpin's grandfather dies and leaves her family his run-down inn and bar, she learns that for generations her family members have been fairy guardians, and now that the fairies want an important ring returned, the Turpins become involved in a series of magical adventures as they try to locate the missing ring.

Jake by Audrey Couloumbis

Jake by Audrey Couloumbis
Random House
2010
162 p.

Summary:  When ten-year-old Jake's widowed mother breaks her leg just before Christmas while her sister and best friend are both away, a grandfather Jake barely remembers must come to Baltimore, Maryland, to help a neighbor take care of him.