Be prepared to laugh out loud when reading Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters (Feiwel and Friends, 2010) by Rachel Vail. The story is told in diary style and has fun illustrations by Matthew Cordell.

3rd grader Justin Krzeszewski gets nicknamed Justin Case because he's a worry wart. He's afraid of "The Way-Back in the Basement," robbers breaking in, dogs--especially the dog he begged for--his new teacher, classmate Xavier Schwartz, and more. Here's a sample of Justin's perspective on third grade: "I figured out why it is called cursive: because of the bad words you think when you can't draw the dumb letters right."

Rachel Vail is a prolific author, and, as I found out at the LA SCBWI conference, a good speaker. She shared that she wrote this book for one of her sons. A month later I still find myself grinning over part of her talk. Go to the SCBWI blog for some snippets: Standing Room Only and Keynote.

Lean more about Rachel and her books here. Check out the Fun Stuff link. See more o Matthew Cordell's art here. Read his blog and find out about work he's doing for a book by Gail Carson Levine!

Unless you're getting to read about it! Yesterday, I got caught laughing out loud in a waiting room as I finished reading Mackenzie Blue by Tina Wells (HarperCollins, 2009). I laughed so often that others commented that I must be reading a good book.

Mackenzie's got the common fear of starting 7th grade, plus her BFF has moved away. Jasper--recently moved from England--is her friend, but she's supposed to be helping him. Of course, there's a mean girl . . . or is she? A crush interest. A new teacher whom Zee likes, but someone's trying to get fired. Mix in embarrassing events (I'm not just talking parents), a lost diary, a rock band, a Teen Sing competition, and life is pretty much hopping at Brookdale Academy.

But wait, when you get done with the book, you don't have to leave Mackenzie Blue's life. Next up is The Secret Crush (2010). Science projects, homework, parties, and best yet a Rock and Roll Musical that is more important to Zee than anything. Well, except her relationship with her BFF (why can't Ally be here to help her out?) and the confusion about one certain boy, complicated by two new kids joining the music class, and a note from a secret admirer.

Just out is Friends Forever? What could be better than a week at camp with all your friends? Well, not having to worry about bugs and wild animals and weird bathrooms . . . or the mysterious MOUNTAIN MAN! And how come Mackenzie's friends are arguing? What's a girl to do?!

I'm still smiling from reading these two books this afternoon--yes, I'll confess, I read them straight through one after the other. Looking forward to the next book scheduled to come out in December, as well.

You also won't want to miss the Mackenzie Blue website where you can check out Kathi's closet, take a quiz to see which character you are, see the lost diary, get green tips from Jasper and money tips from Marcus. Oh, and you can even read about the author, Tina Wells!

CHARACTERS, that is . . .

Though both of these characters and their stories are so believable, you feel as if you could meet them on the street.

In Erin Dionne's debut middle grade novel, Models don't eat chocolate cookies, (Dial, 2009), we meet 12 year old Celeste Harris. Celeste is round and doesn't mind being round, but when she tries on the bridesmaid dress for her cousin's wedding, it's a disaster. The disaster gets worse when her aunt spots the Husky Peach modeling competition and thinks Celeste should enter, in fact she enters her. To make things worse, Celeste's best friend Sandra starts hanging out with Celeste's archenemy Lively Carson who calls Celeste a cow and worse.

Who can help Celeste in this dilemma? The lady in red!

Author Erin Dionne says she's "been a Husky Peach and a Skinny Banana" so knows what it is like to struggle with weight. Read more about Erin and her next book at: www.erindionne.com And check out the book trailer:

YA novel Wintergirls (Viking, 2009) by Laurie Halse Anderson deals with anorexia and bulimia and obviously strikes a chord with many teen readers--just check out all the YouTube videos made about the book!

The opening is fascinating: "So she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked in her coffee. She tells me in four sentences. No, five. I can't let me hear this, but it's too late. The facts sneak in and stab me." Doesn't that make you want to read on? It sure did me. And I discovered that Lia wants to weigh . . . 0. Don't you wonder how someone can be that desperate.

The questions is: Will finding out what happened to her ex-best friend Cassie change anything for Lia?

Laurie is the author of Speak, Chains, Fever 1793 and more. You can read about her and her books at her website: http://www.writerlady.com/. She has a "to-die-for" writer cabin that her husband built for her and shares the story on YouTube.

How to Steal a Dog (Frances Foster Books an imprint of FSG, 2007) by Barbara O'Connor is winning awards: Kansas' William Allen White Award (3rd-5th grade book) and the South Dakota Children's Prairie Pasque Award.

"The day I decided to steal a dog was the same day my best friend, Luanne Godfrey, found out I lived in a car." How can you not read on after reading that line? The rest of the book holds up to that beginning, too.

Good story about what happens after a father abandons his family and truthful look at the struggles (laundry, hygiene, food, frustration). Georgina tries to fix their homelessness herself. We see her bad attitude towards her mother, how her little brother figures out things she should have, and her notebook about how to steal a dog. Through the help of a bum, Georgia learns about forgiveness.

Barbara O'Connor has published 8 novels and 6 biographies. Read more about her here.

If it was up to me The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z (Walker, 2009) by Kate Messner would be a Newbery winner. I absolutely loved this book.

7th grader Gianna loves to run, but is on probation for the sectionals cross-country track meet unless she gets her leaf project turned in on time for science, and she's barely started. Throw in family problems, sabotage, a friend being teased, death, and a funny little brother for a great mix. The author juggled issues on many levels and created believable characters. (Warning to writers: it's so good it may make you despair over your own writing... However, you'll see Gianna didn't give up, so why should you?)

Read more about the book and the author at www.katemessner.com/books.html Fun to have the sound on, too. You'll need it to watch the trailer anyway where authors talk about what kind of tree they'd be.

You can also become a fan on facebook.

LATE BREAKING NEWS

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z has been shortlisted for the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Crossing my fingers for a win!

Along with some other writers I got to read the ARC of Joni Sensel's The Timekeeper's Moon which came out this month from Bloomsbury. It continues the story of Ariel the first Farwalker in countless generations. Is she going crazy or is the moon really talking to her? Should she follow the itch in the soles of her feet? Or is death coming for all no matter what she does?

This novel is the sequel to The Farwalker's Quest (see my blog entry here)

Check out Joni's FAQ on her website where she says she gets her ideas "from her sock drawer!"

In The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Henry Holt and Company, 2009) 11 year old Callie Vee is the middle child between 3 older brothers and 3 younger brothers. She's also caught in the middle of wanting to learn about nature with her grandfather and her mother's desire for her to learn womanly pursuits. This historical novel by Jacqueline Kelly is funny, interesting, touching. I love the relationship between Callie and her grandfather, her struggles in the kitchen, the music she likes to play, her conversations with Viola their cook, her misunderstandings of what the future might be, the excitement and interests as new things like the phone and automobiles begin to affect their lives.

I believe the Newbery honor award for this book was well deserved.

And it's Jacqueline's first book! Read about Jackie at her publisher's site or on her own website. There's also a fan page on Facebook.

Boys without Names (Balzer & Bray, 2010) by Kashmira Sheth is a very powerful book which demonstrates the power of story in the book itself.

11 year old Gopal and his family have to move away from their village to Mombai in order to survive. But things don't go well there either. His father lost, Gopal decides he must earn money for the family and trusts someone he shouldn't. Gopal ends up as a slave in a sweatshop with other boys, who can't even share their names. It's Gopal who makes a difference to all their lives. First by giving them names, next by telling stories.

Don't miss it! I know I'll be rereading it.

Thanks to Ruta Rimas for introducing me to this book.

Read about the author here: http://kashmirasheth.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Because the squirrel got in the house and Mama had to have surgery on her knee, Ronnie has to take care of her younger brother, Gee, who is ADHD. When their only living relative, her grandfather who lives and travels in an RV, shows up. He agrees to take the kids on a trip. But she knows Gee will ruin the trip, which he does. But if you want to know how, you'll have to read J.B. Cheaney's The Middle of Somewhere (Knopf, 2007), which she herself describes as a "road trip from hell."

The Middle of Somewhere was named a 2008 Kansas Notable Book by the Kansas State Library. Ms. Cheaney's book has recently been nominated for the 2010-2011 Young Hoosier List. She also writes good historical fiction. Read more at her website.

I am a GENIUS of UNSPEAKABLE EVIL and I want to be your CLASS PRESIDENT by Josh Lieb (Razorbill, 2009) is as funny as the title. It's also a story of revenge, manipulation, and sadness, although the main character, 7th grader Oliver Watson, would never admit to the last. The former two, yes. Winning, yes. Oliver is rich and as the title says--a genius, although he works very hard to keep both facts under wraps.

I kept reading snippets of this story aloud to my husband as they HAD to be shared. The text is embellished with pictures Oliver wants you to see, but only those as he is in control!

Read about author Josh Lieb, his day job, and the writing of this book at: http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-10-21-josh-lieb_N.htm?csp=books.