Ginger never knew her father but believes that the strange man who appears all around town is her real father. Afraid that her mother would disapprove, Ginger keeps her encounters with him secret. Although Ginger wants more information from her mother as well as more trust, she finds it hard to be honest as her mother tries to keep Ginger from making the same mistakes she made. Good family story of miscommunication with dangerous results. For ages 12 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y Cooley
Review Date: 8/13/04

Sixteen year old Brit is not happy about being left at her 86 year old grandmother's house for two weeks while her parents travel to Alaska. She cannot see her friends or use her new driver's license. However, her grandmother, Nannie, informs her that they are about to embark on an adventure with her three dear old college roommates to attend their 65th reunion. Brit sees that Nannie is too small to drive the huge rental van and so she illegally takes over. Brit is also involved in kidnapping one of "the girls" from a nursing home her son has put her in. This is a story of friendship, family and adventure for ages 12 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y/Cooney
Review Date: 6/29/06

During an advanced summer school program, Tommy Petrak is sure that the girl across the cafeteria, Cathy Ferris is his missing cousin, Murielle Lyman. Five years before, the Lymans fled the country after being accused of embezzling clients' money. No one heard from them and their 10 year old daughter disappeared into the state's foster care system. Who is she, Cathy or Murielle? This is another page-turner from a popular author. For ages 10 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y Cooney
Review Date: 4/15/10

Sam's Jewish father and Christian mother have never shared much of either religion with Sam and his siblings. Since Hanukkah and Christmas overlap, the family celebration will include both grandmothers who do not get along. Sam worries that this will be a disaster and his fears come true. This causes him to spend a lot of time thinking about religion. When his seventh grade class studies the Holocaust, Sam questions his parents, grandmothers and others to find answers. A family story for grades 4 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y Cooper
Review Date: 2/10/05

Michael has to learn to accept the sudden loss of his grandfather and work through his grief. His anger is directed towards his friends and teacher until he finds a way to accept the changes in his life. His busy father is not much help but with art lessons from an older neighbor, Michael finds a way to hold onto the memories of his grandfather. For ages 9 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y Cotten
Review Date: 12/29/07

At 12, Liam Digby is always mistaken for an adult because he is so big. Since he loves his space video games, he decides secretly to enter a contest for the first kids in space. Each entry is for a child and parent so Liam applies as a dad and asks his friend Florida to pretend to be his daughter. The consequences of being a childish dad in a group of space trainees causes all kinds of problems for Liam as well as the others. His adventures aboard the rocket make this a very funny tale about space travel. For ages 10 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y Cottrell Boyce
Review Date: 4/11/11

Spending her entire summer on a remote Caribbean island is not Casey's choice. She does not want to leave her friends in California. She is sure it will be boring to watch her younger brothers while her father and his wife study endangered turtles. Without electronic communication, Casey copes and gains self-confidence as she learns to sail and survives a dangerous tropical storm. A family/adventure/mystery/romance story for ages 12 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y Dahl
Review Date: 5/31/07

11 yr old Emily has survived a car accident that has killed her 14 yr. old brother. She struggles to overcome her injuries and keep up her ballet while preventing her parents from selling their house. She has conversations with her brother in the basement space where they spent a lot of time together. Her caring housekeeper, her psychologist, and an elderly friend help her understand her parents' feelings as well as her own. Gr. 5 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y Deans
Review Date: 2/4/04

Typical teen Jamie mistakenly turns in her journal entry instead of a writing assignment. Her English teacher reads it aloud to the class and sends it to a publisher friend of hers. Jamie's story involves a young superhero who is totally fine with being herself. Her alter ego makes a fist and flicks away evil and nastiness. Soon Jamie is best selling author, keeping busy with interviews, book signings and other public appearances. A funny story for ages 10 and up.

WPL Call Number: Y DeVillers
Review Date: 4/25/05

Three close sisters, Amber, Jazz and Geena, manage their household while going to school in the first year after their mother's death. Their workaholic father doesn't seem to pay much attention to their needs and allows them to buy whatever they want. This all changes when their Auntie arrives from India to take care of them. The girls resent her interference in their lives and try to make her miserable. They realize the only way to get rid of her is to marry her off. This humorous story shows how the family copes with change. For ages 9 and up.

WPL Call Number: J Dhami
Review Date: 2/19/05