It is 1953 and Penny Falucci is an 11 year old girl living with her mother and grandparents. Her father is dead, but his large Italian family is a huge part of her life. Penny feels trapped because she is still being treated like a child - she can't go to the pool or movie theatre because her mother is scared she will catch polio. Penny doesn't know how her father died and no one will tell her. Finally the secrets of her father's death come out in an eventful summer that ends with the unexpected. I really liked Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm because some of the characters reminded me of relatives in my Italian-American family.

Letters from Wolfie is a book that incorporates pulls at your heart strings and challenges your point of view. Mark's brother signs up for the Army and is sent to Vietnam. Mark feels shadowed by his brother's bravery and donates his beloved dog, Wolfie, to help the Army in Vietnam and assumes that his dog will be returned to him after his duty. This book does a great job illustrating the love between people and their pets and demonstrating how the nation was truly divided over the issue of the Vietnam War. This book would be an awesome choice for junior high students or for anyone studying the Vietnam War.

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages is the story of two girls who spend a year living in Los Alamos while their scientist parents work on a "gadget" that will end World War II. This book is suitable for older readers who know the background story of World War II. The unusual setting and colorful characters make this a great historical fiction read.

Do you like adventure stories? Do you like historical fiction? Then you will love The Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle. A teenage boy is trying hard to become a reporter so he decides to try and interview Ruben Hart. The reader is brought back in time to 1929 Rhode Island in the time of Prohibition, and this is where the adventure begins!

The nonstop adventure will keep junior high students reading this great book!

Moon has lived in the forest with his father for as long as he can remember. They find everything they need from the wilderness around them. When Moon's father dies, 10 year old Moon finds himself property of the state and a kid out-law. The book is about friendship, survival, and the sometimes thin line between right and wrong. I loved the descriptions of how Moon and his father survived in the wilderness. It was very interesting to see how they used the natural resources around them. Alabama Moon by Watt Key is a real adventure story!

This book is a 2009 Rebecca Caudill Nominee.

After tragedy strikes on the wagon trail and his Pa runs off, Colton Wescott is desperately trying to find a solution to his family's problems. When he sees a sign for the Pony Express, he thinks he has the solution. Black Storm Comin' by Diane Lee Wilson is the story Colton Wescott and his adventures with the Pony Express. It is a great historical fiction book and one of the nominees for the Rebecca Caudill award. I really enjoyed the realistic story as well as the colorful characters.

Why does Sam fear the number eleven? Somewhere deep down he knows it means something, but just can't remember. As Sam approaches his 11th birthday, he decides to explore his past and he is shocked by what he discovers! Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff is a great book for late elementary or middle school students. It is suspenseful and will keep you guessing until the end. If you like mysteries, definitely read Eleven.

I read two really unique picture books about going West.

The first one is called The Buffalo Storm by Katherine Applegate. This book is a girl who is not afraid of anything (except storms) and has to stay brave while traveling with her family on a wagon train moving west. Her grandmother makes her a "storm blanket" to wrap around her when she is scared of storms. I really liked the way the author paints a picture of the beautiful, untouched scenery of the west. The illustrations are gorgeous and really add to the telling of the story.

The second book is called The Elephant Quilt: Stitch by Stitch to California by Susan Lowell. This book is very unique because it the theme of quilting is incorporated into the illustrations and the language used to describe events in the book. The story is about a little girl going west with her family who is working on a quilt with her grandmother. Each event on their adventure west is documented as they design and add details to their quilt. It is called "The Elephant Quilt" because a certain prairie animal was at first mistaken for an elephant. Can you guess which one?

Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend by Alison Gold, is a moving story told by Anne's friend, Hannah. The book is not in diary format and was composed as Hannah told her memories of living through the horrors of World War II. She paints a fuller picture of Anne and by the end of the book, you have a different view on just who Anne Frank was. Hannah was lucky enough to survive the concentration camps of World War II, but suffered great losses during this terrible time.

If you liked Number the Stars or The Diary of Anne Frank, you will definitely like this book.