Amy Ignatow

Twelve-year-old best friends Julie and Lydia are reunited after six months apart, but the news that their friend Sukie's mother has died after a long illness causes them to reevaluate their goals and focus on being supportive of the friends they already have.

Two best friends embark on a project to study the behavior and taste of the popular girls at their elementary school so that by the time they get to middle school they too will be in the right crowd. Novel appears in the form of a scrapbook.

"The schools of Philadelphia were filling up with broken violins, drums, pianos, and more, making it difficult for students to learn to play. This sparked an idea for a symphony, played entirely with the broken instruments, that would raise funds to repair the instruments themselves. Musicians young and old volunteered, and their captivating performance showed that even something broken can sing--and that great music is always possible with a bit...

Best friends Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang are as ready as they'll ever be to start junior high. But before they can try out the lessons they've learned about friendship and popularity, tragedy strikes: Lydia's mom is moving her family to London for six months. Separated for the first time, each of the girls must face bullies, secrets, and the challenge of standing up for herself. With the help of their trusty notebook, they try to keep in...

In her second year at Jedi Academy, Christina travels to the planet Cholganna where she falls in love with a baby nexu, a cat-like creature, but when Christina sneaks it back into the dorms, she realizes why wild animals do not make good pets.