Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2004. ISBN 0399238611. Ages 9-12.

It’s 1935, and one of the country’s most infamous mob bosses, Al Capone, is behind bars on Alcatraz Island. 12-year-old Moose Flanagan and his family move from Santa Monica to the island where his dad gets a job at the prison so they can send his older autistic sister Natalie to a special school in San Francisco. But when Natalie doesn’t get into the school, Moose has to give up baseball and after school activities in order to take care of her, and her eccentric and occasional difficult ways make life hard for Moose. But when he befriends the warden’s troublemaking daughter and the other children living on the island, he soon finds himself involved in an elaborate moneymaking scheme that has some surprising results.

Rennison, Louise. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. Harper Tempest, 1999. ISBN 0060288140. Ages 12-14.

In Georgia Nicolson’s journal, you’ll find out all sorts of things about this hilarious British teen. For instance, you’ll learn all about her wild cat Angus, her three-year-old sister who has a tendency to pee in Georgia’s bed, and her quest to learn all there is to know about kissing (snogging). And when Georgia’s friend Jas falls for a vegetable seller’s son, Georgia has loads to say about it, until she meets his older brother Robbie and subsequently dubs him “the sex god.” Soon Georgia is stalking Robbie’s “wet weed” of a girlfriend and stumbling through a couple of her own relationships before she realizes what she truly wants.

O’Haver, Tommy. (Director). (2004). Ella Enchanted [Motion picture]. United States: Miramax. Ages 9-14.

When Ella was born, she was given the gift of obedience by her fairy godmother. Now as a young girl, she finds that the gift has become more of a curse. For when her mean-spirited stepsister finds out about Ella’s “gift,” she tortures her for the fun of it. But even that is tolerable when she falls in love with Prince Char. Unfortunately, Char’s evil uncle has different plans for the two, and decides to use Ella’s unfortunate gift to secure his role as King once and for all. This modern retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale is based on the Newbery Honor book by Gail Carson Levine.

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. Scholastic, 2005. ISBN 0439353793. Ages 10-14.

This collection of photographs and experiences tells the history of the rise of Hitler and World War II from the perspective of the youth of Germany. From the millions of children who joined the Hitler Youth, to those who opposed Germany’s tyrannical leader and paid for it with their lives, to the German Jews who fought their own battle in the concentration camps—Bartoletti paints the entire picture of what it meant to be a tween or teen growing up in the shadow of Adolf Hitler, and the years of guilt and anguish they have lived with in the aftermath.

Thought provoking and heart wrenching, this unique perspective of World War II places tweens and teens at the heart of history, enabling them to experience it in a way they never have before. Centering on themes of peer pressure and conformity, it celebrates the actions of those who took a stand for what they believed was right. It also gives tweens and teens a sort of empowerment, showing them that they can make a difference in light of any circumstance. Hitler Youth are juxtaposed with staunch protestors and Jewish victims of the war, giving the history of such a troubling time a well-rounded feel. Paired with gritty, untouched photographs and firsthand accounts, this book is a must-read for any history or World War II enthusiast.