"Suicide Notes" by Michael Thomas Ford

15-year old Jeff is in the nuthouse, the psychiatric ward of a mental institution, for attempting to commit suicide. But he didn't do it on purpose. At least he didn't mean to. He's got 45 days of treatment to explain to his counselor why this is all a big mistake. At first Jeff is opposed to group therapy and doesn't want to discuss his personal issues with all the other locked up teenagers. But after he gets befriends a few insiders, he realizes everyone has issues and maybe he's just been ignoring one big issue he didn't want to face. His relationship with his best friend, Allie, may have more to do with his suicide attempt than he's willing to admit. This book is part "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and part "Girl, Interrupted" but funnier. Good for 8th and up.

"Facing the Lion-Growing Up Masai on the African Savanna" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton

Have you ever been face to face with a lion, scared he's going to eat you for dinner??

This is the true story of Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton who grew up as a Masai warrior in northern Kenya. His tribe is nomadic, which means they move their houses to where the food is plentiful. Growing up in Kenya is totally different than growing up in the United States. Joseph's family lives in a hut made of sticks and cow dung, and they survive on a diet based on cow milk. Cows are very sacred to the Masai and they depend on them for everything. Lions like to eat cows, and it's up to the Masai warriors to protect their friends, family and cattle from lion attacks.

"During the middle of the night, I woke to this huge sound - like rain, but not really like rain. I looked up. The starlight was gone, clouds were everywhere, and there was a light drizzle falling. But that wasn't the sound. The sound was of all the cows starting to pee. All of them, in every direction. And that is the sign of a lion. A hyena doesn't make them do that. An elephant doesn't make them do that. A person doesn't. Only the lion. We knew right away that a lion was about to attack us."

I was able to visit a Masai village when I went on safari in Africa last year. I like learning about their culture and was so excited to find this book. It also totally counts as a biography if you need to read one for school. Other people's lives are fascinating!

"The Compound" by S.A. Bodeen

Being rich doesn't protect you from a nuclear attack! Eli and his family have been living in an bunker that his billionaire father built to protect his family. For 6 long years the family has been living underground in a plush mansion, but tensions are wearing thin. Grief plagues the family, as Eli's twin brother, Eddy, and their grandmother didn't make it into the compound in time and died outside the steel doors. Eli becomes suspicious of his father's weird behavior, and discovers the food supply may be contaminated. Things aren't what they seem and his worst fears are confirmed when he makes contact with the outside world...is things are o.k. outside, why are they still living under lock and key? And why is his father the only one who knows the code to get out?? Eli discovers his own father may be a madman, and it's up to him to help his family survive.

"Skim" by Mariko Tamaki

Skim, a.k.a. Kim, struggles to fit in at her private Catholic high school. Skim and her best friend Lisa are considered goth, spending their free time on Wicca, tarot cards, smoking and hanging out in coffee shops. Drama teacher Ms. Archer becomes an infatuation for Skim, making her question her crush and her own sexuality. When a classmate commits suicide, Skim finds herself befriending his popular ex-girlfriend. She discovers grief is universal and most teenagers yearn for acceptance. Mariko's cousin, Jillian Tamaki, superbly illustrates Skim's depressive state in her wispy pencil lines and muted calligraphy.

"What I Saw and How I Lied" by Judy Blundell

World War II has just ended, and Evie and her parents are on vacation in Palm Beach, Florida. It's just what the family needs - palm trees, warm weather and time away from the hustle and bustle of Queens, New York. Peter Coleridge shows up at their resort, and Evie is immediately smitten with the handsome veteran. It turns out that Peter and her step-father Joe served together during the war. Evie's relationship with Peter takes a romantic turn, and her parents do not approve of the age difference between them. It's hurricane season in Florida, and one powerful storm will inflict tragedy upon Evie's family. Her adoration of her gorgeous mother and loving step-father are forever tarnished, and she must come to terms with the grave reality of her family's situation. High suspense and great historical fiction. This book won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature.