Drita, My Homegirl, by Jenny Lombard

Drita, a refugee from Kosovo and Maxie, an African American girl in her New York City classroom are an unlikely pair. Drita barely speaks English and struggles to make friends at her new school while outgoing Maxie is in frequent trouble for clowning around in class. Their stories are told in alternating chapters as the two girls get to know each other and their families. This is an outstanding story about friendship and overcoming differences.

Lucy Rose: Busy Like You Can't Believe, by Katy Kelly

Illus. by Adam Rex.

Entering fourth grade, an irrepressible Lucy Rose chronicles her experiences eavesdropping, trying out for Annie in the school play, relationships with friends, the not so friendly Ashley, grandparents, and divorced parents. The telling is practically breathless, funny, and true. Her collection of new words and palindromes gives readers access to a sophisticated vocabulary within the comfort of a series character and style.

Grades 3-5

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Ten year old Lucky, who lost her mother due to a senseless accident and whose father disappeared shortly after that, lives with her French guardian Brigitte in Hard Pan California, (pop. 43) She becomes consumed with the notion that Brigitte, who happens to be her father's first wife, will decide to return to France and leave Lucky to be raised in an orphanage.

Lucky secretly listens to discussions of various anonymous 12-step groups as she does her job of clearing debris from the patio of the Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center. After listening to their stories, she decides that like many of them she needs to find her own higher power. She also decides that she must run away from Hard Pan, even though it means losing her close friend, Lincoln, who may be the most talented knot-tier in the world and turning her back on five-year-old Miles who just seems to want cookies and be read to, Are you My Mother?

Patron paints characters whose feelings seem genuine and easy to relate to. Even though Lucky faces tough problems she has a refreshing innocence.A few Internet references, such as e-bay and online correspondence courses are the sole things that reminded this reader that the story is a contemporary one. Maybe it’s the small town of 43 that makes Hard Pan and its citizens seem like a story from the past.

Rules, by Cynthia Lord

Twelve-year old Catherine tries to manage her brother's autism with rules such as, "It's fine to hug Mom, but not the clerk at the video store," while her growing friendship with Jason, a paraplegic she meets at her brother's occupational therapist's helps her to see beyond their disabilities. Light humor, an ocean-side setting, and Catherine's artistic talents support a well-rounded inclusion of characters with disabilities.