Here's a wealth of excellent books that explore the here and now, some just-the-facts-ma'am realistic and some more fantastical--pick and choose what you like.
CHILDREN'S
Released: July 17, 2012
"Meticulously researched and told with inspiring prose and stirring images, this is a gripping, triumphant story of science and survival. (photographs, source notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10 & up)"
As he did in The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (2004), Hoose explores the tragedy of extinction through a single bird species, but there is hope for survival in this story, and that hope is pinned on understanding the remarkable longevity of a single bird.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 7, 2012
"Pulse-pounding thrills leavened with laughter. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)"
A satisfying conclusion to ghostly Anna's terrifying story comes with more heart-thumping suspense and clever quips as Cas tries to save her from an undeserved, dreadful fate.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 7, 2012
"Though hamstrung by a depressingly chick-lit-y cover, this total-immersion emotional experience is one readers will both recognize and thoroughly enjoy. (Fiction. 12 & up)"
A girl in love with the theater tells the story of her first great love in the form of a script.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 14, 2012
"Far more than a summer romance, this is a tribute to those left behind. (Fiction. 11-15)"
Daniel (E.) Anderson looks back on the summer he fell in love and finally came to terms with his soldier brother's death.
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 21, 2012
"Intense, keenly insightful, nuanced and affecting. (Fiction. 14 & up)"
At the heart of Oates' riveting and poignant story of three teenage girls in crisis is the notion that a "secret can be too toxic to expose to a friend."
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CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 28, 2012
"An awe-inspiring, thought-provoking reminder that love reaches beyond physical appearances or gender. (Fiction. 14 & up)"