realistic fiction

Scarlett, twelve, ended her friendships and activities when her mother started blogging about her every move, but when an elderly neighbor introduces her to cooking, she begins forging new connections.

"They say you can't get something for nothing, but nothing is all Sami has. When his grandfather's most-prized possession--a traditional Afghan instrument called a rebab--is stolen, Sami resolves to get it back. He finds it at a music store, but it costs $700, and Sami doesn't have even one penny. What he does have is a keychain that has caught the eye of his classmate. If he trades the keychain for something more valuable, could he keep trading until he has $700? Sami is about to find out"--Amazon.com.

Believing she has a talent for solving others' problems, seventh-grader Emma Woods starts an advice blog for her classmates, but in spite of her good intentions, she quickly discovers that she sometimes creates problems and that not everyone wants her help.

Inspired by the success of their first birthday bucket list, Ari and Kaylan set goals for the new school year but both face challenges that may threaten their friendship.

"T'Shawn and his family have been struggling ever since his dad died. But they finally got out of the homeless shelter and into a small apartment on Chicago's South Side. T studies hard, and when he gets the opportunity to join a prestigious diving team at the local private swim club, he is eager to sign up. It will be a struggle to pay for it, but T thinks his mom can swing it . . . until he finds out that Lamont, his older brother, is coming home, getting released from prison early. Now everything will change. Then a diving scholarship is offered to T'Shawn, and he is able to put his frustration with his brother into his diving practice. But when criminal activity increases in the neigborhood, and people in the community automatically blame Lamont, T'Shawn begins to worry that maybe his brother hasn't left his criminal past behind. And he struggles to hold on to the hope that they can put the broken pieces of their damaged relationship back together"--Jacket flap.

Twelve-year-old Isabel dreams of seeing the world but has never left Oregon, and so when her best friend, Sophie, tells her of a baking contest whose winners travel to New York City, she eagerly enters despite concerns about her mother, who is opening a cupcake bakery. Includes recipes.

After a summer of making friendship bracelets with patients at a local hospital, the members of THREADS worry that time for school, along with various problems, may spell the end of their club.

Told from three viewpoints, teens Doris, Nell, and Grant find friendship and the possibility of love while working in Unclaimed Baggage, a store that sells items that went missing during airline travel.

Brothers Teodoro and Manny Avila take a road trip to address Manny's PTSD following his tour in Iraq, and to help T. change his life and win the heart of Wendy Martinez. Includes information and resources about PTSD.

"Eighth-grader Emma Macintyre is mourning the loss of her mother's best friend and struggling to keep her own friend from drifting away when she receives a mysterious letter telling her to list ten lucky things she would like to have happen"--Provided by publisher.