Tag Archives: Friendship

Ella Enchanted

by Gail Carson Levine

Unconditional Recommendation: In this fairytale retelling, Ella, cursed by a fairy to obey every command, sets out to break her curse and protect those she loves.

Age: Middle Grade
Series: Stand Alone
Pages: 232
Published: 1997
Genre: Fairytale, Fantasy

Awards: Newbery Honor (1998), Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature (1999), Grand Canyon Reader Award for Teen Book (1999), Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award for Grade 6-9 (2000), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (1999)

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The Kings of Clonmel (Ranger’s Apprentice #8)

by John Flanagan

Conditional Recommendation: Will, Horace and Halt travel to neighboring Clonmel to disrupt a religious cult threatening the kingdom.

Age: Young Adult
Series: Ranger’s Apprentice, Book Eight
Pages: 320-400 pages, depending on edition
Published: 2010

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy

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Starclimber (Matt Cruse #3)

by Kenneth Oppel

Conditional Recommendation: Matt, Kate, Captain Walken and a new crew embark on the first expedition to space and on the way discover new celestial life forms and face dangerous odds of making it back to earth.

Age: Young Adult
Series: Matt Cruse, Book Three
Pages: 390
Published: 2009
Genre: Adventure

Award: CLA Book of the Year for Children Award (2009)

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The Lost Heir (Wings of Fire #2)

by Tui T. Sutherland

Conditional Recommendation: Told from the perspective of Tsunami the SeaWing, the five dragonets of the prophecy travel to the kingdom of the sea in search of Tsunami’s parents and discover mystery and intrigue.

Age: Middle Grade
Series: Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy, Book Two
Pages: 296
Published: 2013

Genre: Fantasy

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Front Desk (#1)

by Kelly Yang

Conditional Recommendation: Chinese immigrants Mia Tang and her family work hard to run a motel and achieve the American Dream while confronting obstacles like prejudice with determination, hope, and kindness.

Age: Middle Grade
Series: Front Desk, Book One
Pages: 320
Published: 2018
Genre: Contemporary, Autobiographical Fiction

Awards: 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature

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The Meeting Place (Song of Acadia #1)

by Janette Oke & T. Davis Bunn

Unconditional Recommendation: In Acadia, a chance meeting creates a strong bond of friendship and faith between an Englishwoman and a Frenchwoman during a time of hostilities and impending war between their homelands.

Age: Young Adult
Series: Song of Acadia, Book 1
Pages: 288
Published: 1999
Genre: Historical Christian Fiction

Awards: Christy Award for North American Historical (2000)

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The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire #1)

by Tui T. Sutherland

Conditional Recommendation: Told from the perspective of Clay the MudWing, the dragonets of destiny come out of hiding and enter the world only to discover it more dangerous and violent than they were expecting.

Age: Middle Grade
Series: Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy, Book One
Pages: 336
Published: 2012

Genre: Fantasy

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Mattie’s Unspoken Vow (A Newly Weds #5)

by Margo Hansen

Unconditional Recommendation: A shotgun wedding to a stranger, a tangle of relationships, and strange circumstances happening all over Sand Creek make for an engaging and sentimental finale to the series.

Age: Young Adult
Series: A Newly Weds series, Book Five
Pages: 322
Published: 2013

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

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Skybreaker (Matt Cruse #2)

by Kenneth Oppel

Conditional Recommendation: Matt Cruse’s adventures continue as he, Kate and a gypsy race to recover the ghost ship Hyperion and its treasures before falling prey to deadly high-altitude life forms and other sailors who seek its riches.

Age: Young Adult
Series: Matt Cruse, Book Two
Pages: 464
Published: 2005
Genre: Adventure

Awards: Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award for Adult Middle Reader (2006), OLA Forest of Reading Red Maple Award for Fiction (2006)

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