Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Twin brothers Josh and Jordan Bell are two middle school star basketball players, whose father was a popular and talented "baller" overseas that lost an opportunity to play for the L.A. Lakers due to an injury. In this free verse, fast-paced novel, the audience is taken through a period of these boys' lives of basketball, family, girlfriends, school, and traumatic life events. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and became deeply attached to this family, mourning at the end and longing for a different ending. The rhythmic sound of each page made this a page turner that I finished in just two hours. 

#5 Mrs. Staples

Mosquitoland by David Arnold

Mary Iris Malone, Mim to most, takes off on adventure to find her mother. Her parents are divorced and her father feels that Mim needs to be on her medication at all times. Sure that something is going on with her mother, Mim hops a Greyhound bus to find her.  Along the way, Mim meets a variety of characters. Some she can trust and others she cannot. This was our first Book Club selection for this year.

#5 Mrs. Spreder

every day by David Levithan

Meet A...Each day A wakes up in a new person's body. For most of A's life, he has attempted to live the day so that he does not disrupt the person whose body he is inhabiting. That is until the day he meets Rhiannon.

My thoughts...I liked this one. I wanted to keep reading to find out if A was ever going to figure out how to find his own body. I did not find the ending satisfying but would still recommend the book.

#4 Mrs. Spreder

Keep You Safe by Melissa Hill

Keep You Safe by Melissa Hill is definitely a page turner. It's almost comparable to The Scarlet Letter in a sense that two mothers are being shunned and demonized (one more than the other) for not vaccinating their children who ultimately expose others to a disease. It's a great read on herd immunity, helicopter parenting, and how quickly others are to judge. It is emotional and takes the reader on a journey pulling for a young girl and her mother unable to catch a break; first with the death of the patriarch in the family and next coping with a potentially deadly illness. Set in modern day, I can easily relate to it as I am a mother of three and constantly feel as though mothers are always judging, gossiping, competing, and providing unsolicited advice on parenting. It may not be for all audience types, but it definitely is something I would recommend to my age group!

#4 Mrs. Staples