Fiction for children & youth

Wonder, by R. J. Palacio. A deformed face and hideous hearing aids mark August Pullman as a freak. Forced to leave homeschooling and be mainstreamed, August knows what’s coming: sneers, jokes, bullies. But an overnight field trip and a selfless actress set the stage for a welcome transformation. Ages ten and up.

Unstoppable, by Tim Green. The one piece of dignity Harrison still has is his name—and he will not be called Harry. Large but nimble, Har­rison has spent a lifetime dodging foster homes. His mother died an addict, and his foster fathers enforces discipline with a belt buckle. When Harrison is rescued by a compassionate caseworker, he finds himself on the field, carrying a football, running toward the goal line and away from anger. Ages ten and up.

Hidden, by Helen Frost. In a story written in free verse, Wren tells of being kidnapped when a man stole her mother’s car—with Wren hidden in the back. She stayed hidden for hours until, with the help of an unlikely accomplice, she escaped and the kidnapper was caught. Eight years later, at summer camp, Wren comes face to face with Darra, the kidnapper’s daughter, who blames Wren for ruining her life. Ages ten and up.