Reviews and Blog Posts: Realistic Fiction

Every boy in Wil's family has taken over his small town's paper route on his 12th birthday. With Wil's birthday only a few days away, he's been practicing his paper tosses and learning the route - he can't wait until it's his turn! But on the day of Wil's birthday,...

Two oddballs, Bea and Jonah (aka Robot Girl and Ghost Boy) become unlikely friends when Bea arrives at a new school. They share an interest in listening to obscure radio shows, dressing up in costumes to go out, and photography. But things take a turn when Jonah discovers a huge...

In this sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts, Moose, Natalie, and all the Alcatraz kids are back, and this time, Al Capone wants a favor for getting Natalie into a private school. Can Moose do what Al wants without anyone else figuring it out? There could be trouble if...

How do you move on after a school shooting? What if it's your boyfriend who did it? What if people think that you helped him decide who to shoot? What if you're not sure whether you're happy you lived, even though you were shot that day? Valerie has a lot...

Cameron Smith has his opinions, especially about consumerism and the environment. He expresses these opinions through essays he turns in as English assignments, often getting them back with the feedback that he needs to focus, stop ranting, and back up his points. Throughout the year, he tries to get over...

Morgan just wants to get out of her small town in Central Nowhere, see what else is out there in the world. Until then, she has her boyfriend, Derek, who she likes, but not THAT much, Rob, who she works with at the grocery store, who she really DOES like,...

Johanna hasn't had the best life, but it's not all bad, either. Her parents have both recently died, she lives with her sister & brother-in-law, she's finishing her senior year of high school with a best friend, a job at the mall, and a volunteer position at the hospice. One...

Amy is looking forward to making some money during summer vacation. Her babysitting course taught first aid, bathing, diaper changing, and how to make bedtime pleasant. When Amy gets an urgent call from a mother needing a sitter immediately, she hopes it might turn into a regular summer job. Toddler...

Mimi really needs to get away from a bad relationship, so her father has given her the key to his cabin in Canada, where he hasn't visited in years. When Mimi gets there, she finds a guy her age, Jay, already living there. She and Jay hit it off immediately,...

This is the story of learning to trust and finding your family. Zoe is an orphan who basically raised herself, even before her mother died. She's sent to live with Uncle Henry, who is a famous heart surgeon turned withdrawn sculptor. He tries to relate to Zoe, but his moods...