Trapped

Trapped: 
How the World 
Rescued 
33 Miners 
from 
2,000 Feet 
Below the 
Chilean Desert
by Marc Aronson

Here is a true story of the survival and incredible rescue of all 33 miners trapped underground for more than 60 days in a mine in northern Chile.
In 2010, the San José copper mine entrance was shut off when 700,000 tons of rock came crashing down, and the miners 2,000 feet below had no way to escape. Using teamwork, limited emergency supplies and huge amounts of hope, they waited and waited for the difficult rescue that finally came weeks later.
Many different people from all over the world contributed to the nearly-impossible rescue, using drills and technology from NASA to naval submarines. A thrilling read and powerful story of survival!

Freak the Mighty

Freak the Mighty
by Rodman Philbrick

I was sick in bed for three days this week and happy to have this great book to read (thanks for the recommendation, Ms. Levine!).

Maxwell, an extra-large 12 year old, meets Kevin, A.K.A. Freak--a tiny, extra-smart kid who moves in down the street.
The two of them together become Freak the Mighty; Max carries Freak around on his shoulders because the smaller boy wears leg braces and needs crutches to walk. Best friends, the two boys have many adventures and help each other out in school and in the small town where they are frequently bullied.

When Max is kidnapped by his parole-breaking father, the adventure turns dark. Max needs to use the new-found confidence Freak has helped him discover in order to survive, and to move forward when tragedy strikes.

One Crazy Summer

One Crazy Summer
by Rita Williams-Garcia

This novel is one of the Middle School book nominees for the 2014 California Young Reader Medal (along with Faith, Hope, and Ivy June by Phyllis Naylor Reynolds and Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick).
Three sisters travel across the country to Oakland, CA to meet their estranged mother who abandoned them as babies. While there, the girls learn about the Black Panthers, other aspects of the Civil Rights Movement, and their mother's mysterious past.
A beautifully told, powerful story of that very important year, 1968...I especially enjoyed reading about Oakland, with a side visit to San Francisco!