Death by Toilet Paper by Donna Gephart

Ben's father passed away, and his mom is finding it hard to pay the bills. They're behind on the rent money, and the landlord gives them four extra days to pay up before he kicks them out of their apartment. Ben wants to help, so he's entering all kinds of contests to try and win the cash prizes. He's won a free sandwich and a free barbecue grill, but those things won't keep them from losing their apartment. He comes up with a plan to make quick money, and he's now determined to win $10,000 by coming up with the best new slogan for his favorite toilet paper. However, money problems get worse before they get better, and Ben's grandfather, suffering from memory problems, moves into the apartment.

This book deals with some heavy topics: death of a parent, serious financial problems, and aging issues. I don't remember reading many books that involve a middle-class family scratching for money and fearing for the loss of their home. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions. The author includes some amusing events, but Ben's friend, Toothpick, supplies much of the humor. Every chapter begins with an interesting fact about the history of toilet paper.

When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens

Audrey's mother is the president of the United States, and it's not all that great. She plans a party at the White House, but it's canceled when there's a security alert. She can't go watch a movie with classmates, can't go on a class trip due to security problems, and only has one friend at school. She chooses her own dress to wear at a formal dinner and gets scolded for it by her mother. Life is difficult, and no one she knows can understand her frustrations. Then, Audrey discovers a hidden journal written by Alice, daughter of President Teddy Roosevelt, one-hundred years ago. Alice becomes the wise, older sister that Audrey needs. Her advice...To Thine Own Self Be True.

The whole idea of reading about the daughter of the president is not unheard of, but it's unique. Audrey has problems just like any other kid, but national security issues probably make her different from most of us. The author describes her frustrations well, and we're able to empathize with her character. I was expecting a bigger conflict and a little more drama to suck me deeper into the plot, but that didn't happen. It was a nice story about the only child of the president.

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy

The Fletcher family is composed of Papa, Dad, and their four adopted boys: Sam, Eli, Jax, and Frog. Sam's in the sixth grade, loves to play soccer, is a great storyteller, and now seems to have an interest in drama. After begging his dads to get him into a school for seriously gifted students, Eli is now thinking he made a mistake. But how can he tell his dads? Jax needs to interview a war veteran for a school project at his school, and he's decided to talk to his elderly neighbor. The man hates kids and has called the police on Jax's family, so that may be a problem. Frog is starting kindergarten, and he's brought along his invisible friend. It's a wacky family with wacky adventures.

It's unusual to have a plot dealing with a family of six male characters and no females playing a significant role. Each chapter seems to focus on a different son, although all of their stories overlap. The dads even join the adventure with their curious habits. Despite the grumpiness of their neighbor, they decide to have an outdoor Halloween party with music and many guests. Many common, and uncommon, problems are faced by the family, so the book will appeal to many readers.

A Bird on Water Street by Elizabeth O. Dulemba

Jack lives in a small mining town in Tennessee, but he doesn't want to become a seventh-generation copper miner. The pollution has killed most of the trees and other plants, and it's been awhile since they've even seen a bird. Things get serious when Jack's uncle dies, and the mining company lays off half of the workers. The remaining workers feel the conditions are becoming more dangerous, so they go on strike. Life was hard before, but now it's even worse. Jack's dream is to bring nature back to Coppertown, so he decides to do something about it.

Character versus society. Character versus character. Character versus nature. This book touches on all these types of conflict. Jack battles with the expectations of his father as well as the culture he lives in. He's frustrated that plants and animals can't survive in the environment; an exciting event for the kids is when the company dumps waste down a hill. The plot is not full of action, but it's definitely full of tension.

Hope is a Ferris Wheel by Robin Herrera

Star and her family move from Oregon to California after her high school sister is kicked out of school. Star discovers it's hard to find friends in the new town once they learn she lives a trailer park. She decides to start a trailer park club, but it changes into a poetry club when it only has three members. In addition to herself, the new club is made up of a quiet girl from class, her brother who seems to hate Star, a boy feared by most kids in the school, and his buddy. The kids in the group become Star's only friends. Her older sister says she wants to drive back to Oregon and find their father, a man they haven't seen in years. However, Star discovers something that may rock her whole world. Why did her mother keep the truth from her?

The characters in the group frequently reflect on their lives, and readers will too. What is hope? Are hopes and dreams the same. Star's boycotting of the weekly vocabulary sentences is amusing but also reveals a lot about her character. The plot involves the issues of trying to fit in, understanding yourself, and having hope. Hope is like a ferris wheel; it's up to Star and us to decide what it means.

Skies Like These by Tess Hilmo

Jade travels from Philadelphia to Wyoming to spend several weeks with her aunt. She's not looking forward to it, but her aunt is very excited to have her. Jade slowly learns to appreciate the simple life of Wyoming, but the neighbor boy manages to find trouble. Ray believes he's related to the famous outlaw, Butch Cassidy, and his family needs help. His father lost his business when a big store came to town, so Ray needs to raise some quick money. Ray idolizes Butch Cassidy, and he's always talking about how Butch would steal from the rich to help the needy. Ray has many plans to help his family, and robbing the town's bank is one of them.

The conflict was interesting, and a little concerning for me, as I read about a kind boy doing some increasingly bad things. Is it okay to do bad things if you think you're helping people? Jade has problems as she tries to support Ray while hearing about the crimes he has planned. I was left wondering and worrying as I watched Ray get more desperate. The author was able to successfully blend the beauty and peace of Wyoming with the seriousness of Ray's situation.

Bringing Down the Mouse by Ben Mezrich

Charlie is a whiz at math, and he sits with the other Whiz Kids during lunch. One day, a mysterious boy named Finn saves Charlie from being bullied, and an unusual relationship begins. Finn introduces him to a new teaching assistant at their school, and she tells him about a secret college project. She loves math too, and she wants to see if her specially chosen group of students can win the big prize at a Florida amusement park. They'll first need to figure out how to beat the carnival games, and then Charlie must predict where a spinning wheel will stop. It seems pretty amazing, but Charlie wonders if something more is going on.

You probably won't like this book if you don't like math. It's kind of cool to read about ways to beat unfair carnival games, but it often involves math and science. The gang finds tricky ways to toss coins onto slippery plates, pop balloons, and climb a wobbly web made of rope. The book has an unusual conflict, and I always had a feeling there was something wrong about the teacher's story. It makes for a surprising climax.