Crutcher, Chris. Whale Talk. Greenwillow Books, 2001. ISBN 0688180191. Ages 12-14.

Intellectually and athletically gifted, TJ, a multiracial, adopted teenager, shuns organized sports and the gung-ho athletes at his high school until he agrees to form a swimming team and recruits some of the school's less popular students. TJ embodies many different aspects of everyday older tweens--he is multiracial, athletic, adopted, angry, and suffers from issues of abandonment. However, he takes all of these things with stride, and uses the best of them to try and save others. Many tweens will find aspects of his character that they can relate to, as well as the band of outcasts he forms his swim team with. Tweens will also be intrigued by the unconditional support of TJ's adopted, hippy parents.

Creech, Sharon. The Unfinished Angel. Joanna Cotler Books, 2009. ISBN 978-0061430954. Ages 9-12.

For as long as she (or he?) can remember, an angel has inhabited the stone tower of Casa Rosa and looked over the citizens of a small village in the Swiss Alps. But the angel’s purpose has never seemed important or clear until Zola Pomodoro arrives with her father and moves into Casa Rosa. Zola is a colorful character who can see the angel and instructs her to “do something” to help those in need—including a pack of orphans with no place to go. With Zola’s help, the unfinished angel helps to bring a village together and realizes that angels come in many forms.

Klise, Kate. 43 Old Cemetery Road: Dying to Meet You. Harcourt, 2009. ISBN 978-0152057275. Ages 9-12.

Best-selling children’s author Ignatius B. Grumply has a serious case of writer’s block, so he’s hoping that the house he’s renting at 43 Old Cemetery Road will give him the peace and quiet he needs to finally write another book. What he doesn’t expect is that the ghost of its original owner, Olive C. Spence, already occupies the house. As does a young boy named Seymour and his cat Shadow. Now how will Grumply ever get his book written? Perhaps all he needs is a little help from the only family he’s got. Written in the form of notes, letters and newspaper articles, this book is sure to have you laughing in no time!

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Zen and the Art of Faking It. Scholastic, 2007. ISBN 978-0439837071. Ages 12-14.

When San Lee arrives in his new town, he decides he needs to invent a new identity in order to seem cooler than he really is. And to attract the attention of Woody, who might just be the girl of his dreams. Quite by accident, he decides to fool everyone into thinking he is a reincarnated mystic of Zen Buddhism. And for quite some time, it actually works! But lies have a funny way of turning on you when you least expect it, and when his whole persona blows up in his face, it is up to San to pick up the pieces and make things right with the ones he cares about.

Like most middle schoolers, San is just trying to fit in and find his identity. As an Asian kid in a small Pennsylvania town, he also wants to both fit in and stand out (in a good way, of course). Ironically, in his quest to fool others into believing that he is a Zen mystic, he actually learns quite a bit about himself and the person he wants to be. We also get a glimpse into San’s rocky home life; one that tweens will appreciate and identify with on many levels. Full of ancient wisdom and powerful life lessons, this book has much to offer to the tween population.

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Found (The Missing: Book 1). Simon & Schuster, 2008. ISBN 978-1416954170. Ages 9-12.

Thirteen years ago a plane full of babies appeared out of nowhere, then later disappeared without a trace. Now Jonah and his friend Chip, who are both adopted, are getting anonymous messages and warnings telling them they are “one of the missing.” Along with Jonah's sister Katherine, they vow to solve the mystery. Were they two of the babies from the plane? And if so, where did they come from? And who is sending the mysterious messages? Find out in Found, the first book in Haddix’s exciting new series—The Missing.