Overcoming Adversity

	Bluish. Virginia Hamilton. (MS) When Natalie starts school, Dreenie and some of the other kids don’t know what to make of her. Natalie’s translucent skin earns her the nickname, Bluish, and her determination in the face of leukemia earns her a place in her classmates’ hearts.
	Freak the mighty. W.R Philbrick. (MS) Kevin, small and weak due to a birth defect, is a genius. Max is huge and strong but less of a genius. Together these opposite misfits find strength.
	Gathering Blue. Lois Lowry. (MS) After her mother’s death, Kira must face the challenges of village life alone. Unfortunately, some in her community want her expelled due to her lameness.
	Joey Pigza swallowed the key. Jack Gantos. (MS) Joey’s hyperactive ways have his teachers and mother very frustrated. In spite of taking medication for ADD, Joey can’t seem to stay in control. When he accidentally injures another student, Joey’s future is uncertain.
	The mind’s eye. Paul Fleischman. (HS) Sixteen-year old Courtney and her eighty-eight year old roommate, Elva, embark on an imaginative journey to Italy in order to escape the boredom of their nursing home.
	Of sound mind. Jean Ferris. (HS) Theo grows increasingly tired with the demands of being the only “hearie” in a deaf family. When his father has a stroke, will it be more of a burden than Theo can bear?
	Peeling the onion. Wendy Orr. (MS) After a terrible car accident, Anna’s dreams of earning her black belt in karate seem far away. As she struggles to regain control of her body, she finds she must also regain control of her life.
	The Raging Quiet. Sherryl Jordan. (HS) After Marnie’s husband unexpectedly dies, she is left a young widow. Marnie’s friendship with a young deaf man draws considerable comment from townsfolk who don’t understand deafness and believe that the young man to be possessed.
	Stuck in neutral. Terry Trueman. (MS) Shawn, a teen with cerebral palsy, cannot move voluntarily or communicate with his family in spite of his intelligence. Shawn fears for his life after learning that his father believes in putting people in pain out of their misery.

(MS) = Recomended for Middle School Readers
(HS) = Recomended for High School Readers