Wendy Mass Books You will see many of previews for her books!

Every Soul a Star The plot: Ally (short for Alpha), Bree, and Jack would never talk to each other if they all went to the same school. Ally has lived most of her life on the Moon Shadow Campground, which is miles from nowhere. She's an expert on astronomy and has never read a fashion magazine or watched a teen TV show. Bree, who spends hours on looking her best and securing her spot at the top of her school social ladder, is convinced that she was adopted into her family of academics. Her parents are astronomers and her little sister doesn't understand the point of eyeliner. Bree is brought to the Moon Shadow Campground by her parents, who have received a grant to be its caretakers for the next three years. Jack is, for want of a better description, a typical teenage boy. He's not interested in school and would rather spend his time in his tree house reading fantasy and science fiction novels and drawing pictures of aliens. After faiith science, Jack is given the option of traveling with his teacher to Moon Shadow Campground to collect astronomical data and witness a solar eclipse. It's either that or make up the work in summer school. To Jack, there is no option. Neither Ally nor Bree nor Jack is entirely thrilled about the days to come, but with nothing else around they have no choice but to get to know each other. Their isolation leads to some very cool discoveries about themselves, each other, and the universe (literally). The good: Even though all the chapters in the alternating viewpoints are in first person, Mass does an excellent job of making the voices distinguished. It's easy to tell which character is talking when. Also, each character is at a crossroads in his or her life. Rather than turning their attitudes regarding the Moon Shadow Campground a complete one-eighty, Mass shows us that major life changes must be adjusted to. Even if you don't end up where you want to be, you can assimilate and make the most of yourself in an unfamiliar place without changing the basics of who you are. If I have one complaint about the book it's that Ally and Bree's younger siblings get a little too much screen time; they're cute but I would have liked more time with the main characters. But overall, I love that the setting is not in a school but still brings all the drama and self-discovery that is a teen's life. The publisher lists this book as ages 8-12, but I don't think 13, maybe even 14-year-olds would find it too young. Those of you who lead book discussions may want to pick this one up.

The Candy Makers Four children have been chosen to compete in a national competition to find the tastiest confection in the country. Who will invent a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Lightning Chew? Logan, the Candy maker's son, who can detect the color of chocolate by touch alone? Miles, the boy who is allergic to merry-go-rounds and the color pink? Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy like it's a feather? Or Philip, the suit-and-tie wearing boy who's always scribbling in a secret notebook? This sweet, charming, and cleverly crafted story, told from each contestant's perspective, is filled with mystery, friendship, and juicy revelations.

Twice Upon a Time Raponzel, The one with all the hair Rapunzel is having the ultimate bad day. She's been stolen from home by an evil witch, locked in an incredibly high tower, and doesn't even have a decent brush for her hair. Prince Benjamin is in a pretty uncomfortable situation himself. His father wants him to be more kingly, his mother wants him to never leave her sight, and his cousin wants to get him into as much trouble as possible. Plus, there's the little matter of prearranged marriages.... Both Rapunzel and Prince Benjamin are trapped... in very different ways. It's only when their paths cross that things change.

Finally The book Finally is about Rory Swenson. She just can't wait to be twelve because her super strict parents will allow her to do everything she's always wanted. Now that she's twelve and all the rules change she sets out to do all of these things. When she does each one of these things disaster strikes.

Mango Shaped Space Mia Winchell seems to be a typical teenager, but she's keeping a huge secret from everyone who knows her: sounds, numbers, and words appear in color for her. Mia has synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person can see sounds, smell colors, or taste shapes. When trouble in school forces Mia to reveal her condition, her friends and family can't relate to her, and she must look to herself to develop an understanding and appreciation for her gift. Spiced with wit and humor, A Mango-Shaped Space is a poignant coming-of-age novel that will intrigue readers long after they've turned the last page. Praised by reviewers and award-winning authors alike, A Mango-Shaped Space has brought renewed attention to the fascinating world of synesthesia, which includes famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Serge Rachmaninoff.

11 Birthdays On their first birthday, they learned to walk. On their fifth, they planted seeds in handmade pots. On their tenth, they learned there are some words you can never take back. Amanda's eleventh birthday should have been a happy occasion. Instead she's dressed in an itchy costume her mother picked out for her Hollywood-themed party (Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, even though the flying monkeys have always creeped her out). Meanwhile, across town, her ex-best friend Leo is celebrating their joint birthday with a huge bash including a hypnotist, a football star, a giant iguana, and a rock band. SO not fair! Amanda can't wait for the day AFTER her birthday so she can stop thinking about the fight that led to her and Leo having separate parties for the first time in their lives. There's just one problem. The next day is her birthday all over again. In this hilarious and touching adventure, Amanda must figure out how to get un-stuck, in more ways than one.

Heaven Looks A lot Like the Mail Disillusioned sixteen-year-old Tessa is pretty unhappy with life. One minute an Ashlee Simpson song is running through her mind in gym class, and the next a dodge ball comes hurtling at her head. The next thing Tessa knows, she's floating up to heaven, only to find that it bears a striking resemblance to her hometown mall. Written in free verse, Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall is the story of a spunky heroine who hasn't always made the right choices but who needs to discover what makes life worth living.

Leap Day Sixteen-year-old Josie Taylor was born on Leap Day, February 29, and today is her fourth real birthday, full of birthday surprises, a school play audition, her driver's test, a scavenger hunt, and the secret sweet-sixteen initiation at the lake. Like any average teenager, sometimes she wonders what other people are thinking. But today it's the reader who gets to find out, by "leaping" into the minds and viewpoints of Josie and everyone around her, changing your assumptions of people forever.

Twice Upon a Time Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took the Really Long Nap It's not easy being Princess Rose. Especially when a fairy curses you and you find yourself avoiding all sharp objects... and then end up pricking your finger anyway, causing you to slumber for a hundred years or so. And it's not easy being The Prince. Especially when your mother has some ogre blood and tends to chow down at the most unfortunate moments. A walk in the woods would help, you think. Until you find a certain hidden castle…and a certain sleeping princess.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life Twelve-year-old Jeremy receives a wooden box in the mail with the words, “The Meaning of Life—for Jeremy Fink to open on his 13th birthday.” He recognizes the box as his dad’s handiwork, although his dad passed away five years earlier. The box has four locks, requiring four keys. But the keys are missing. He and his best friend Lizzy set off on a quest through the streets of Manhattan to find the keys before time runs out.