middle school students

Middle-schooler Nate Wright must compete with a new rival, the "perfect" Artur, for the grand prize of a customized skateboard in their scout troop contest.

"My name's Darius James--but everyone calls me DJ. At my old school, I was the go-to guy for all kinds of tricky problems that needed creative solutions. But at my new school, Ella Fitzgerald Middle, I'm just trying to blend in. Well, I was, anyway, until my best friend Conor got himself transferred to the Fitz too. Now Conor owes 100,000 arcade tickets to the biggest bully around--and he only has two weeks to make it happen. Impossible? Not with my head in the game"--Provided by publisher.

"Bree can't wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees--until she's stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she's forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help"--Provided by publisher.

"VIctoria has always loved horses. But riding in competitions is high stakes, high stress, and shockingly expensive. And even though Victoria's best friend Taylor loves competing, Victoria has lost her taste for it. After a heartbreaking fight with Taylor, Victoria needs a new start--at a new stables. A place where she doesn't have to worry about anything other than riding. No competition, no drama, no friends. Just horses. Edgewood Stables seems ideal. There are plenty of horses to ride, and Victoria is perfectly happy giving the other riders the cold shoulder. But can she truly be happy with no friends?"--Provided by publisher.

A reprinting of the "Big Nate" comic strip, that follows the adventures of eleven-year-old Nate Wright, in which drama queen Dee Dee competes with Nate's down-and-diry gossips gathering, will Mrs. Godfrey lighten up when she learns that she and Nate share a common obession, what happens after Coach John wnaders in the filght path of a Nate-powered projectile, and more.

"Ash is no stranger to feeling like an outcast. For someone who cycles through genders, it's a daily struggle to feel in control of how people perceive you. Some days Ash is undoubtedly girl, but other times, 100 percent guy. Daniel lacks control too--of his emotions. He's been told he's overly sensitive more times than he can count. He can't help the way he is, and he sure wishes someone would accept him for it. So when Daniel's big heart leads him to rescue a dog that's about to be euthanized, he's relieved to find Ash willing to help. The two bond over their four-legged secret. When they start catching feelings for each other, however, things go from cute to complicated. Daniel thinks Ash is all girl . . . what happens when he finds out there's more to Ash's story?"--Provided by publisher.

On the outside, Tommy looks like a regular seventh grader, but he and his parents are really refugees from the center of the earth, lizard people disguised as humans. Fortunately, Tommy finds two new friends: Dung Tran, an immigrant from Vietnam whose parents are investigating the town's mysterious sinkholes, and Scarlett Roberts, the quirky daughter of the new school janitor. But he still feels out of place, and it doesn't help that the most popular video game and TV show around are both about evil lizard people. When a misunderstanding leads Tommy to make a terrible mistake, he finds a way to tell people about his true identity.

"When Jay starts eighth grade with a few pimples he doesn't think much of it.But when his acne goes from bad to worse, Jay's prescribed a powerful medication that comes with some serious side effects. Meanwhile, school isn't going exactly as planned. All of Jay's friends are in different classes; he has no one to sit with at lunch; his best friend, Brace, is avoiding him"--Provided by publisher.

"Mackenzie Miler has big goals. For instance, conquering seventh grade--with projects. There's the Mom Project (finding her mom a boyfriend--even if she says she's not interested), the Friend project (win back the BFFs who dumped her and make a new friend), and the Band project (so what if she's never planned a fundraiser? How hard can it be?) . . . She can do it all, can't she? Or do her big goals require something more--like a little help from her friends?"--Provided by publisher.

"The adventures of the plucky Sakura Kinomoto are as adorably thrilling as ever, as she tracks down the magical Clow Cards and plunges headlong into a world of sorcery beyond anything she could've imagined"--Provided by publisher.