realistic fiction

Frankie Sparks, the self-proclaimed "best inventor in the third grade," does research and creates a tool to try to persuade her classmates that a rat would make the best class pet.

"Erika is good at sports, actually she's good at everything, and she has loads of friends. But her two best friends Daisy and Phoebe are worried about her--she seems really quiet and is avoiding them. If it wasn't Erika they'd be worried she was being bullied, but surely no one would bully the most popular girl in school?"--Back cover.

Lexie and her fragile cousin Elena are inseparable until Lexie tells a lie that splits apart her large, colorful Greek-Cypriot family.

"Learning disabilities make school painful for Annabelle, thirteen, but a summer of swimming with the high school team is fantastic until a prank goes wrong, spoiling everything"--Provided by publisher.

"It's the first day of summer and Rachel's thirteenth birthday. She can't wait to head to the lake with her best friend, Micah. But as summer unfolds, every day seems to get more complicated. Her 'fun' new job taking care of the neighbors' farm animals quickly becomes a challenge, whether she's being pecked by chickens or having to dodge a charging pig at feeding time. At home, her parents are more worried about money than usual, and their arguments over bills intensify. Fortunately, Rachel can count on Micah to help her cope with all the stress. But Micah seems to want their relationship to go beyond friendship, and though Rachel almost wishes for that too, she can't force herself to feel 'that way' about him. In fact, she isn't sure she can feel that way about any boy--or what that means"--Publisher.

Eleven-year-old Fig enrolls in an art class to better understand her father, a composer and pianist whose mental illness she tries to conceal from classmates, neighbors, and social services.

"Sixteen-year-old Leo dreams of becoming a police officer and is on his way to earning the rank of Eagle Scout. He makes sure to always do the right thing and be responsible. With his mom deployed and his dad constantly working, Leo is often left in charge of his two younger siblings. Then Leo's brother, Jack, gets caught up in a dangerous plot that rocks the community"--Back cover.

"Cameron Bright is known for her brutal honesty, but when her crush, Andrew, decides that her bluntness is a turn-off, she vows to tame herself by making amends with everyone she has wronged, starting with Brendan"--Provided by publisher.

"Alma yearns for the truth about her dead birth father, and a trip to his birthplace might provide the answers she desperately seeks"--Provided by publisher.

Twelve-year-old Scarlett's wildly successful blog may lead to a television show, the Secret Cooking Club has new members, and she is going to bake her mother's wedding cake, but trouble is looming.