"Maus I: A Survivor's Tale" by Art Spiegelman

Art Spiegelman interviews his dad, Vladek, to try to piece together his father's experiences with the Holocaust during World War II. Vladek recalls how he and his wife were constantly either on the run, or in hiding, in order to avoid getting arrested by the Germans for being Jewish. Many Jews were sent to concentration camps, and few managed to escape the horrors of these camps, and were murdered while in captivity. Spiegelman illustrates his father's past, alongside his modern existence in New York State. The Nazis are drawn as cats, and the Jews mice. This story captures the tragedy of the Holocaust, not only for the survivors, but also for the families of those who experienced the terror of war. Spiegelman won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for this masterpiece.

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney

Greg Heffley is back, and he's wimpy as ever. His dad Frank is ready to turn Greg into a man, but that's proving harder than it looks. Is military school the solution? Greg is the king of laziness and will do anything to get out of real work. All my favorite characters make an appearance in this edition - Rowley, Rodrick and Manny. This series continues to crack me up! Will Greg be the star on his soccer team? Will he get a new girlfriend? The movie is coming out soon, so now's a good time to get caught up on this hilarious series.

"The Burn Journals" by Brent Runyon

When Brent was 14 years old, he poured gasoline on himself and lit himself on fire. He survived but suffered from severe burns over 85% of his body. The Burn Journals is Brent's story of the year following this fateful day and his journey towards recovery. After a year of working on physical therapy and struggling with counseling sessions, Brent re-enters high school and the life he left. This is a true story of his suicide attempt, its affect on his family, and his change in outlook on life and living. This is a true story and reminded me of Girl Interrupted and Patricia McCormick's Cut. Intriguing memoir, probably best for 8th grade and up.

"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.

"Son of the Mob" by Gordon Korman

Vince Luca's finally gotten Angela to go out with him. They're at the beach, things are going well, and Vince heads for the trunk of his car for a blanket. Something's not right. Inside the trunk is Jimmy the Rat, bound and gagged and barely alive. This is what happens when your dad's the powerful head of organized crime.

Vince Luca just wants to be normal at his high school. Good luck. People are scared of his dad, and should be if they want to keep all their limbs!

Vince falls for a new girl, Kendra. She's got it all, looks, brains, personality. Only problem is her dad. He's an FBI agent out to get Vince's father.

"Peak" by Roland Smith

14 year old Peak Marcello loves rock climbing. But after getting arrested for climbing a New York skyscraper, he finds himself facing a stint in juvenile detention. His long-lost father, famous mountaineer, Josh, shows up at court and saves him from doing time. The trade-off? Peak must leave the country and accompany his dad to the top of the world, Mount Everest. The conditions are treacherous and put Peak's climbing skills to the test. Is reaching the summit in Peak's future? Excellent adventure! Great for middle and high school.