if you come softly

written by Jacqueline Woodson
Is it black vs white vs being Jewish vs being a Christan

Two fifteen year olds, Jeremiah and Ellie, meet at school and immediately feel an attraction between them. Jeremiah, an African American, is the son of a famous movie director and author. Ellie is the daughter of a white, Jewish doctor. Drawn together through shared pain, Jeremiah’s parents are divorced and Ellie’s mother has abandoned her in the past, they recognize a kindred spirit in each other. Even as Jeremiah and Ellie enjoy their developing relationship, the two must face the opposition they feel from family, friends, and outsiders.

Cryptic Cravings Vampire Kisses 8

Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses 8)written by Ellen Schreiber
This is such a better series then House of Night, its not a dark and violent series. And I have read the Twilight series this I would is even a better series then Twilight.

The morbidly monotonous Dullsville has finally become the most exciting place on earth now that Raven is madly in love with her hot vampire boyfriend Alexander, and a crew of vampires has taken residence in Dullsville's old mill. Raven discovers Jagger's plan to open a new club, The Crypt, right here in Dullsville. But is it her dream come true, or her worst nightmare? Raven and Alexander have to figure out what the nefarious vampire has in store for Dullsville's teen and vampire population. Can Raven convince Jagger to listen to her plans to make the Crypt the morbidly magnificent dance club it could be? Will it be safe for mortals and vampires alike?

And as Sebastian and Luna's relationship heats up, Raven wonders about her own amorous fate: Will Alexander ever turn her? Does he crave her and does he want to spend eternity together? And what does she really want?

With cryptic secrets and cravings, this eighth installment in the Vampire Kisses series is a romantic and mysterious thrill ride.

Chasing Lincoln's Killer written by James Swanson

This volume is an adaptation of Swanson's Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer. Devoted to the South, John Wilkes Booth had planned to kidnap Lincoln and hold him hostage, but when that plan did not materialize, he hatched his assassination plot. Co-conspirators in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia helped him escape and evade capture for 12 days before being surrounded in a barn and killed.

Ways to Live Forever written by Sally Nicholls

What matters most when every minute counts? When I finished reading this book, I didn't shed a tear. The author prepared me the reader for the ending. This book is a VRC for 2011- 2012.

Sam is in the last stages of leukemia and wants to know facts. Facts about UFOs, ghosts, how it feels to kiss a girl. He wants to break a world record, watch horror movies, go up the down-escalator. ..and find answers to all of the questions nobody ever answers.
Written as a collection of journal entries, lists, questions, and pictures, Sam's story will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will show you how one boy finds a way to live forever.

Mockingbird written by Kathryn Erskine

(mok'ing-burd)

In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead, and her father cries a lot. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of “closure” in the dictionary, she realizes that is what she and her father need. In her search for Closure, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white--the world is full of colors--messy and beautiful, and it is through this discovery that she embarks on a road which leads her to find both healing and Closure.

POP written by Gordon Korman

Marcus is happy to have somebody to practice with, and has a ball interacting with his new friend, Charlie Popovich, but as time goes on, he can't help but noticing that Charlie really seems to be a little strange. As time goes on, Marcus realizes Charlie is suffering from Early Onset Alzheimer's, a fact which his family is struggling to keep hidden.
Marcus means no harm, but his friendship with Charlie is bringing Marcus into conflict with the ex-ball player's family, the football team, a grumpy exterminator, and even the law. Marcus may have to make some considered choices in regards to his own future, if he wants to keep up his friendship with Charlie!

The Leanin' Dog written by K A Nuzum

Fear keeps Dessa Dean tied to her home, a cabin in the snowy woods. It is 4 days before Christmas and she tries very hard to step off her front porch to meet her father who is coming home from a day of hunting and trapping. She wants to welcome him home and show him that she is ok now, but she is not ok. Try as she might, Dessa Dean's legs don't obey her any more. With an iron will she can make it to the edge of the porch, but no further. If she manages to kick one foot over the edge, her frostbitten ears begin to ache again, filling her from head to toe with the dreaded "losing-Mama ache." With a scream, she bolts and runs back into the safety of the cabin. It is always the same, day after day. One afternoon there is a scratching at the door. She pushes against the door, which seems stuck. Finally she pushes it open and trips and falls on top of an injured dog. With all her heart, Dessa Dean tries many different ways to encourage the dog to come back: leaving the door to the cabin open, cooking some meat and placing it on the porch, and calling to the dog again and again. Several times she tries to get off the porch to follow the dog's footprints, but each time it is the same: her frostbitten ears begin the "aching process," which culminates in the world spinning and caving in on her. The dog does come back, and Dessa Dean starts an elaborate and creative taming and training program. Initially her father is upset about the arrival of the dog and having another mouth to feed during these lean winter days, but then he realizes that the injured dog is a blessing for Dessa Dean. They each need healing, and they find a way to help each other.

A VRC for 2011-2012