THE CAT ATE MY GYMSUIT
by Paula Danziger
Marcy is 13, overweight and feels like she has no friends. But when her favorite teacher gets fired, she decides it's time to take some control over her life.

THE EARTH, MY BUTT, AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS
by Carolyn Mackler 
Great for mature middle-schoolers, this humorous self-acceptance story also tackles issues of sex and coping with family.

NO BODY'S PERFECT: STORIES BY TEENS ABOUT BODY IMAGE, SELF-ACCEPTANCE, AND THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY
by Kimberly Kirberger
Lift your adolescent's spirits with stories and words of wisdom from the co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

PERFECT
by Natasha Friend
Older middle-schoolers will be moved by this story of the way a 13-year-old uses bulimia to control her emotions about a family tragedy.

SLOT MACHINE
by Chris Lynch
An overweight teen gets sent to a summer camp and has to find the sport where he "fits." Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be one.

WHEN ZACHARY BEAVER CAME TO TOWN
by Kimberly Willis Holt
This National Book Award-winning novel explores what happens when an obese 13-year-old moves into town and changes the community forever.

Cliques, Bullies and the Friends that Help You Through It All

FRIENDS: STORIES ABOUT NEW FRIENDS, OLD FRIENDS, AND UNEXPECTEDLY TRUE FRIENDS
edited by Ann M. Martin and David Levithan
This collection of essays by several notable authors shows how important - and how much work - friendships can be.

THE MISFITS
by James Howe
Four unpopular 7th graders, cruelly taunted by classmates, band together to confront the bullies.

P.S. LONGER LETTER LATER and SNAIL MAIL NO MORE
by Ann M. Martin and Paula Danziger
Two best friends snail mail and then e-mail, school stories in these hip epistolary novels.

TANGERINE
by Edward Bloor
Adolescent readers will be captivated by this coming-of-age novel packed with themes of mystery and environmentalism.

Life Changes and Dealing With Family

BECOMING NAOMI LEÓN
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
This touching story shows a girl discovering who she really is when her absent mother reappears in her life.

A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE
by Ann M. Martin
Hattie's routine summer takes a turn when her mentally disabled uncle moves in with her family.

AMALEE
by Dar Williams
Exploring themes of friendship, this novel depicts the challenges of a girl coping with her father's illness.

SAM I AM
by Ilene Cooper
It's not easy living with two different faiths and until his parents figure it out, Sam Goodman is doing just that. 

BLISTER
by Susan Shreve
When it feels like her family's falling apart, Alyssa reinvents her wardrobe and attitude. But can her new exterior shield her from what's truly wrong?

DRUMS, GIRLS, & DANGEROUS PIE
by Jordan Sonnenblick
Things are going great for Steven - until his 5-year-old brother is diagnosed with leukemia and the family is changed forever.

Prejudice, Difference and Making Peace With Yourself

FREAK THE MIGHTY
by W.R. Philbrick
Two opposites join forces to create a strong and unusual friendship.

PLAIN CITY
by Virginia Hamilton
A mixed-race 12-year-old struggles to make peace with herself and her family when the truth about her long-missing father catches up with her.

PROJECT MULBERRY
by Linda Sue Park
A Korean-American girl comes to terms with her heritage and her new town through a science project in this quirky novel.

SAHARA SPECIAL
by Esmé Raji Codell
When a special-needs student joins a mainstream classroom, she discovers her own extraordinary talents with the help of an inspiring teacher.

SAMIR AND YONATAN
by Daniella Carmi
Encourage tolerance with this tale of two boys - Israeli and Palestinian - who find themselves sharing a hospital ward, learning they're not the enemies they thought they were.

THE SKIN I'M IN
by Sharon G. Flake
A misfit 7th grader learns to love herself with the help of an inspirational teacher.

Struggling With Schoolwork, Sports and Making Your Mark

OUT STANDING IN MY FIELD
by Patrick Jennings
Will Ty Cutter ever be able to live up to his namesake on the baseball field? Or even his sister in the classroom?

MY THIRTEENTH WINTER
by Samantha Abeel
Dive into an account of a teen's struggle and triumph over her learning disability.

NOBODY WAS HERE: SEVENTH GRADE IN THE LIFE OF ME, PENELOPE
by Alison Pollet
Will Penelope ever stop feeling invisible in her New York City prep school?

TAKING SIDES
by Gary Soto
A middle-school basketball player transfers to an affluent school, but has to face his old team from the barrios on the court.

THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY
by E. L. Konigsburg
Told from the viewpoints of five characters, this Newbery Award-winning novel shows what happens when a diverse group of middle-schoolers form an academic Olympic team.

Source: Scholastic Books