Haley Jackson

Title: Holes  Genre: Newbery Honor  Author: Louis Sachar  Major Awards: Newbery Medal  Age group:  11 years old - adults Summary: Stanley Yelnats, a young boy who has bad luck due to a curse being placed on his great-grandfather and is wrongfully sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp. At the camp Stanley and the other boys at the camp are forced to dig large holes in the dirt every single day. After days have passed Stanley has a s udden realization that the cruel warden is looking for something, hence why they are digging so many holes. As the story continues that author takes readers through three different stories to reveal why Stanley's family was cursed and what the warden is having the boys search for.Stanley finds the something in one of the holes that he has dug which leads to a new issue and journey. Zero, a young boy that also is at the camp attempts to run away and Stanley follows him. After days of suffering the...

Title: The War That Saved My Life    Genre: Newbery Author: Kimberly Bradley Major Awards: 2016 Newbery Honor Award Age Group: 11+ Summary:  The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Bradley is about a young girl, Ada and her brother, Jamie's rocky life during WWII. Ada was born with a clubfoot and was always told by her mother that she was a worthless cripple and was kept captive in her home at all times. Jamie, Ada's little brother on the other hand was a "normal" boy who was allowed to go to school,play outside, and really go about as he pleased.  When everyone left and Ada was home alone she practiced walking every day even though she was in excruciating pain. She felt that maybe if she could walk her mother would love her and Jamie wouldn't leave her anymore. One day an order came in to evacuate all the children from London to the English Countryside, Kent .Despite their mothers orders, Jamie and Ada snuck out and joined the other kids on the road to a...

Title: Merci Suarez Changes Gears  Genre: Newberry  Author: Meg Medina  Major Awards: Newbery Medal  Age Group: 9 - 12 year olds  Summary:  Merci Suarez Changes Gears is about a young sixth grade girl and her challenges at home and school. Merci is a student at Seaward Pines Academy, where her and her brother, Roli are on scholarship due to the fact that their family isn't very wealthy. She lives in one of the three “Las Casitas” next door to her grandparents, Lolo and Abuela, Tia Ines, and her two little cousins, Tomas and Axel. As Merci begins a new year she is faced with new challenges as well as some old such as ,a wealthy bratty girl named Edna Santos. Another obstacle thrown her way this year is a program called, “Sunshine Buddies” in which she is assigned a new boy named Michael Clark. Michael is Edna’s crush and this only makes things even worse for Merci because Edna grows extremely jealous. Her home life isn't any bett...