"True...Sort of" by Katherine Hannigan

Delly Pattison is constantly in trouble. Whether it's getting into fights, talking back, or acting out, people always tell her she's bad. And she's begining to believe it. Delly doesn't have many friends, so when Ferris Boyd turns up at school, Delly is determined to make nice. Ferris doesn't talk, but they form a strong bond over exploring nature and marshmallow fluff. Ferris is a basketball hot-shot and likes to play with another classmate, Brud. Together, Delly and Ferris make an exceptional team, focused on fun and adventure. But when Brud and Delly suspect Ferris may be in trouble at home, Delly decides it's time to do good, and help her friend out. This is a great read for 3-5th grades.

"Badd" by Tim Tharp

Ceejay has always been close with her older brother, Bobby. He is charismatic, smooth and wild at heart. When he gets caught stealing a car, Bobby has to decide between jail and the army. Bobby has been serving in Iraq, and Ceejay misses him terribly. She is both stunned and thrilled when Bobby comes back to town early and unannounced. Something isn't quite right, his behavior is moody and he's not acting like himself. He doesn't want to associate with the family and he's heavily drinking and doing dangerous drugs. There is an old, hippie musician in town named Captain Crazy. He is known for his unusual art sculptures and erratic behavior. Ceejay sees him protesting the war, and she gets very defensive about her brother and his tour of duty. But when Bobby and the Captain develop an unlikely friendship, Ceejay tries her best to support him. Each family member has their own way to deal with Bobby's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Tharp also wrote "The Spectacular Now," which was a National Book Award Finalist. This is a powerful account of a family dealing with war in current times. It is well crafted and the characters are realistic and believable. There are lots of references to drugs and sex, but the main character Ceejay is pretty level headed and has disapproving perspectives on those behaviors.