Amal dreams of being a teacher, but soon she discovers that for a girl in Pakistan, an education is
not guaranteed. After a car accident, she is forced to be an indentured servant in the household of
the village landlord, a luxurious estate financed by illegal dealings. Amal discovers the depth of the
corruption of the landlord and his family, but she must weigh the risks of trying to expose them in a
small village where girls are not always believed and their dreams are not always honored.
Amal Unbound
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Inkling
Only the cat was awake to see Inkling form on Ethan’s father’s sketch pad, but soon Ethan’s whole
family is caught up in the wonder of this ink blot that can read, draw, and communicate with
humans…Inkling can even do your homework! But as Inkling soon discovers, even an ink blot’s
efforts and adventures can lead to misunderstandings and danger. Sometimes trying to help
people get “unstuck” can make things even more sticky for everyone.
Beyond the Bright Sea
Orphaned Crow has grown up with her foster father Osh on an island off the coast of Massachusetts – but now she wants to know who she is and where she came from. The answer is far more complex than expected, involving a leper colony, a hidden treasure, and a villain – but ultimately leads Crow to a deeper understanding of family and home.
See You in the Cosmos
Alex Petroski is planning to make his own version of Carl Sagan’s Golden Record of all the sounds of earth, launched in 1977 on Voyager 1. Alex hopes to launch his, the Golden iPod, on his own rocket Voyager 3, at the Southwest High-Altitude Rocket Festival in New Mexico. His journey there and back again, however, is far more revelatory than expected–and his resourcefulness and kindness in the face of many troubles make you proud to share a planet with this kid.
The Seventh Wish
Messner, Kate, The Seventh Wish.
Charlie feels like she’s always coming in last. From her Mom’s new job to her sister’s life away at college, everything else seems more important than Charlie’s upcoming Irish dance competition, her science project, or how much she misses her sister. One day, while ice-fishing, Charlie catches a fish which offers to grant her a wish in exchange for its freedom. The most serious plot point involves the discovery of her older sister’s heroin addiction, and her subsequent treatment.
Unbound
Burg, Ann E., Unbound: A Novel in Verse.
Grace’s mamma makes her promise to “keep her eyes down and her mouth closed” when she leaves their slave cabin to work at the big house. Grace cannot remain silent as she witnesses the cruel treatment of slaves at the hands of a heartless missus and master. Her spoken thoughts trigger a series of events which force Grace to lead her family through the Great Dismal Swamp in search of freedom.
A Night Divided
With the rise of the 
Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?
Echo
Lost in the Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and finds himself entwined in a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later three children, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California find themselves caught up in the same thread of destiny in the darkest days of the twentieth century, struggling to keep their families intact, and tied together by the music of the same harmonica.
Waiting for Unicorns
Twelve-year-old Talia 
just lost her mother to cancer, and as if that wasn’t hard enough to cope with, now her father is about to bring her to the Arctic for her whole summer vacation and leave her with a mysterious Inuit woman that she’s never even met. While Talia’s dad is out researching whales on the dangerous tundra, will she somehow find hope and friendship in this barren place or will she be left alone, wishing for impossible things?
The Doldrums
Archer B. Hemsley wants nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of his adventurous grandparents, who have unfortunately now vanished in the Arctic. A real adventure will be no easy feat for a young dreamer like Archer, especially as his mother does not allow him to leave the house. With the help of his odd and wonderful new friends, Oliver and Adelaide, Archer sets a plan in motion.
Goodbye Stranger
Back in grade five, Bridge,Tabitha and Emily made a pact. Never to fight, ever. Now, two years later, they’re still best friends, but other things are changing. Bridge meets Sherm, and is soon excited and confused by her new, strange feelings. And when Emily starts texting pictures of herself to Patrick, Bridge and Tab find themselves complicit in a naïve plan that quickly spirals out of control.