"How to Rock Braces and Glasses" by Meg Haston

I had both braces and glasses in middle school, so was totally drawn into the title. Not that I rocked them, by any means. :-)

Kacey Simon says what's on her mind, even if people don't want to hear it. Her harsh critiques have made her a social butterfly at Marquette Middle School. Her popularity soars with her outrageous newscaster skills, and she's always surrounded by friends. But when she gets an eye infection, her contacts are taken away and replaced with new glasses. To make matters worse, her mom surprises her with a trip to the orthodontist, who puts on new braces. Getting used to metal in her mouth, Kacey struggles to overcome a new lisp. She realizes how her honesty towards others may have hurt some feelings. Her friends don't seem supportive to her situation, so Kacey starts hanging out with a new crowd, and even finds her voice as the singer for a new band. This is a hilarious look at overcoming puberty's challenges and making the best of a bad situation.

"Broken Memory" by Elisabeth Combres

Emma and her mother are part of the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda. They lead a peaceful life, until one day their village is invaded by soldiers. Emma hides behind a couch, and hears her mother get brutally murdered by Hutu soldiers. Orphaned, she flees from home, and finds refuge in an old woman's home. She calls the woman Mukecuru, and they develop a silent, trusting relationship, where Emma slowly feels safer. But her nightmares do not end, and her memories of the horrific genocide plague her for years. Emma is able to develop a friendship with another victim of the violence, and she slowly starts to remember and begin the healing process. This is a very concise (short) book that conveys the horrors of the Rwandan genocide, in an easy-to-digest and accessible format for younger audiences. Recommended for 5-12th grades