Dogtag summer

Dogtag summer
By Elizabeth Partridge

Twelve year old Vietnamese refugee Tracy was adopted five years ago by a Californian family. As she struggles to fit in she is haunted by traumatic memories of her home in Vietnam and her American father. She then discovers a box of dog tags in the garage hidden among her adopted father's things, which uncovers some painful memories and family secrets. Set in the 1980s, Dogtag summer paints a picture of the aftermath of the Vietnam war.

Genre Historical fiction; Coming-of-age
Appeal elements Character-driven; Intricately plotted; Emotionally intense.
Lexile 720
Ages 7-14
Publisher information New York: Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers 2011; 240 p.

Who ordered this baby?: definitely not me!

Who ordered this baby?: definitely not me!
By Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

When fifth grader Hank finds out that his Mum is having a baby, he starts acting out in unusual ways. One annoying sibling is enough to deal with without a second! Hank starts acting rude and he even gets a pet tarantula as he deals with the new changes in his life. This is a humourous story that would appeal to reluctant readers and readers who are experiencing changes in their family.

Series Hank Zipzer
Genre Humorous stories
Appeal elements Humorous
Lexile 770
Ages 9-12
Publisher information New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap 2007; 160 p.

My so-called family

My so-called family
By Courtney Sheinmel

Even though thirteen year old Leah has a loving mother, step-father, and half brother, she feels incomplete. Keeping her quest a secret from her family, she sets out to discover the identity of her biological father. All her life she has known him as Donor 730, as Leah was conceived through artificial insemination. In her search, Leah discovers she has half siblings. As she struggles with this information, teens will be able to relate to the common themes of searching for identity and belonging.

Genre Realistic Fiction
Appeal elements Issue-oriented; Contemporary
Lexile 680
Ages 8-13
Publisher information New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 2008; 194 p.

The Savage

The Savage
By David Almond and illustrated by Dave McKean.

After Blue Baker's father dies, the school counsellor suggests that Blue write down his feelings. Instead Blue begins secretly writing and illustrating his own story about a wild and violent boy who lives in the woods. When Blue includes himself, his sister, and the school bully into his story, be begins to suspect that the wild boy has stepped out of the story and into his life. This dark story-within-a-story is filled with frightening illustrations which communicate Blue's anger and loneliness at his father's death.

Genre Fantasy
Appeal elements Graphic novel; Character-driven; Issue-oriented; Emotionally intense; Melancholy.
Lexile 730
Ages 10 and up
Publisher information Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press 2008; 80 p.

The accidental adventures of India McAllister

The accidental adventures of India McAllister
By Charlotte Agell

Fourth grader, India McAllister has some big emotional issues to overcome. India's parents are recently divorced and she misses her father. Only able to visit on weekends, India must share her Dad with his new partner Richard. Her best friend at school is a boy and it is becoming hard to explain to people that Colby is just a friend. India is also adopted and she longs to meet her Chinese birth mother. To top it off there is an embarrasing plaster breast hanging on the wall as a reminder of her mother's battle with cancer.

Genre Realistic fiction; Gay and lesbian fiction
Appeal elements Issue orientated; Humorous stories
Ages 7-10
Publisher information New York: Henry Holt 2010; 160 p.

Penny from Heaven

Penny from Heaven
By Jennifer L Holm

Twelve year old Penny spends her summers at both her overprotective mother and her dead father's large and eccentric Italian family. Neither side are on speaking terms and no one will talk about Penny's father's death. Set in New Jersey in the 1950s, Penny from Heaven is a nostalgic and slow-paced novel about the importance of family.

Genre Coming-of-age stories; Historical fiction.
Appeal elements Issue-oriented; Nostalgic; Slow-paced
Lexile 730
Ages 7-13
Publisher information New York: Random House Children's Books 2006; 288 p.

Lucy the Good

Lucy the good
By Marianne Musgrove and illustrated by Orsini, Cheryl

Lucy has a lot of trouble controlling her temper and frequently throws temper tantrums despite her best efforts. When her Great-Aunt Bep visits the family from Holland, she tells Lucy about the Dutch Santa Claus who kidnaps naughty children before Christmas. Lucy thinks that Aunty Bep is mean and old-fashioned, but throughout the book discovers her softer side. Lucy the Good is set in Adelaide and Lucy's Dutch-Australian family is modern and loving.

Genre Realistic fiction; Australian fiction
Appeal elements Humorous
Lexile 570
Ages 9-12
Publisher information New York: Henry Holt 2010; 144 p.