The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst

Sophie enjoys living with her parents above The Dream Catcher Bookshop, but her favorite place is the hidden shop beneath the bookstore. This secret shop is where dreams are distilled and sold. Sophie is fascinated by the dreams because she cannot dream herself. But when she drinks the dreams of others, Sophie can make those dreams come to life--a skill Sophie’s parents made her promise never to use or reveal.

When someone breaks in and steals the dreams as well as her parents, Sophie needs all her skills to save her family. With the help of her best friend--a monster named Monster--and some other friends she meets along the way, Sophie faces a reality worse than any nightmare. In this unique fantasy quest, Sarah Beth Durst combines magic, adventure and humor with a cast of wonderfully memorable characters. While the story involves nightmares, Durst includes enough magical whimsy and humor to keep the story appropriate for middle grade readers. She creates a family friendly story for readers of many ages and interests.

Recommended ages--9 and up

Connect the Stars by Marisa de los Santos and David Teague

Audrey Alcott always knows when someone is lying--always. Her unique ability to recognize lies is torture in middle school, where lifelong friends suddenly find reasons to lie about everything. Aaron Archer remembers everything he reads or sees or hears. He is an intellectual genius but rarely understands what people think or feel. With their ‘unsuperpowers,’ both tweens are struggling through the middle school years.

Audrey and Aaron join a group of other misfits on El Viaje a la Confianza--a two week survival trek through the desert. On their adventure, they face danger and death and, surprisingly, find friendship and trust. Connect the Stars is a beautifully crafted coming of age story that will speak to tweens, teens, and even adults. Although the main characters are young, their struggles are universal and their experiences and observations are profound. This story is both entertaining and thought provoking with extremely enjoyable characters. A new favorite for me.

Recommended ages--10 and up

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

Mavis, called May B, lives with her family in a sod house on the Kansas prairie. When times get hard, May’s parents send her to a neighboring farm to act as hired help. Mr. Obliger is kind, but his new wife is angry with her new life and missing home. When Mrs. Obliger runs away, her husband rushes to find her. Days pass and May realizes she is left alone on the prairie with no way to get to her family. She must learn to survive the prairie fall and winter on her own.

Written in free verse, May’s story is a powerful look at depression, discouragement, but also survival. May’s narrative describes harsh prairie life, but also follows her personal struggles with dyslexia. Young readers will relate to her learning struggles and insecurity, but they also get a fascinating glimpse into life as a prairie settler. This a perfect read for those who love Laura Ingalls Wilder and long for more books of that type.

Recommended ages--9 and up