"Eighth grader Jayson Linden has had a stutter his whole life. Though his fellow classmates can sometimes be mean, Jayson tries not to let it get to him; he enjoys playing basketball and spending time with his friends. Then Jayson's best friend, Gloria, is kicked off the debate team because of her stutter and Jayson starts to notice other injustices happening at their school. In order to make their middle school a more inclusive place and to stand...

When Lila, a worrier, moves to a new town, the what ifs only grow, and she feels alone and invisible until her teacher finds a creative and kind way to make Lila feel welcome and open to new experiences, a lesson that will stay with her long after second grade.

Includes discussion questions (pages 245-246). "After surviving a suicide attempt, Addison returns to school where her life intersects with four other students, each of whom are also struggling with their own personal struggles"--

Natty copes with her parents splitting up, moving in with her grandparents, and starting a new school by maintaining and spreading a positive attitude, but she soon realizes it is more important to feel her feelings than it is to be eternally peppy.

"The crayons are getting ready to go back to school, and each crayon has a subject they're looking forward to the most. They're also ready to meet new friends ... and let loose during their very favorite time of day: art class"--

A class that is terribly disappointed in their lack of a class pet discovers that having a class plant is the best thing ever.

On Halloween, a copycat killer may be stalking a town still reeling from murders that took place one year earlier.

Twelve-year-old Oscar Buckle is determined to discover the real reason behind why his town is so rainy.

Seventh-grader Hercules Beal has to figure out how to fulfill his teacher's assignment of performing the Twelve Labors of Hercules in real life, and discovers important things about friendship, community, and himself along the way.

"Cooler mornings, cicadas buzzing, apples ripening . . . Can shopping for school supplies be far behind? The evening before the first day means laying out your outfit, loading up your backpack, and filling a lunch box with your favorite things. When the alarm goes off, there's Dad's extra-special breakfast (and, of course, some picture-taking), then the feeling of bubbly excitement as you and your friends climb onto a bus, ready to see your new classroom...