"Echoes of the White Giraffe" by Sook Nyul Choi

Southern Korea's Pusan is home to many refugees from the Korean War, including 15-year-old Sookan. Sookan misses her old life in Seoul, and is anxiously awaiting news about her missing father and older brothers. To pass the time, she buries herself in her studies, and starts a forbidden friendship with a fellow choir member. This book chronicles her daily life as a refugee and how she copes with society's expectations of young Korean women. Very touching, coming-of-age, clean story. Recommended for 6th grade and up. This book is the sequel to "Year of Impossible Goodbyes."

"Kit's Wilderness" by David Almond

Kit Carlson and his family move to Stoneygate so his parents can help take care of his aging grandfather. Kit meets John Askew at school and is lured into a creepy game of Death. After school, a group of kids climb into an old mining pit. John Askew spins a knife, whoever it points at, they must die. The dead must remain in the pit, while the others wait outside for the dead to come back. This game becomes too real for Kit Carlson. Ghosts from mining disasters start to haunt Kit, in his dreams and while he's awake. This book spooked me out - big time. If you liked this book, you might also like "Skellig," written by the same author, David Almond.

"Home of the Brave" by Katherine Applegate

Kek's village in Sudan was destroyed and he gets sent to Minneapolis to live with his aunt and cousin. Life in America is hard for Kek to adjust to. He's never seen snow, ridden a bus, or seen a washing machine. To make matters worse, his mom is missing and he can't locate her in any of the refugee camps. He makes friends with a neighborhood foster kid, who helps show him how things work and helps him learn English. In Sudan, Kek used to help his father herd their cattle. In America, he makes a new friend, Gol, who helps him adjust to his new reality in America.

"Re-Gifters" by Mike Carey

Jen Dik Seong (her friends call her "Dixie") is getting ready to enter the biggest hapkido tournament in LA's Koreatown. Dixie is fiesty! Practicing this martial art gives her courage to cope with life in high school. She needs this strength to deal with her traditional parents, her crush, Adam, and some of the rough characters in her neighborhood. A surprise gift makes Dixie realize she is capable of independence and standing up for herself. Girl power!

"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.

"Before I Die" by Jenny Downham

16 year old Tessa gets the news that she's terminally ill and only has 6 months left to live. She creates a mental list of everything she wants to do before she dies. Number one is having sex. Tessa's friend Zoey is her accomplice, and Tessa's supportive family tries to understand her persistance for finishing the list. This is a beautifully written book about what it means to be alive, and ultimately facing the reality of death. Recommended for high school.

"Grief Girl - My True Story" by Erin Vincent

This is Erin Vincent's true autobiography about how her life completely changed when she was 14. Both of her parents were killed in a car accident, leaving Erin's older sister Tracey in charge of her and their younger brother Trent. Erin struggles with her loss and her sense of responsibility regarding her parents' untimely death. This book makes you realize how powerful of an emotion grief can be, and how each of us handles it differently. Erin uses a LOT of language to describe her feelings. Other than that, I think it's good for high school, maybe middle school, and even adults!