Tangerine - by Edward Bloor

This is one of those books where you just come to love the main character (no, not like that... you just like him a lot, don't worry, kids). Paul, who is a seventh grader with an older brother and two parents, just moved from Texas to a new community called Tangerine, Florida. Strange things happen in Tangerine, including gigantic sinkholes that swallow schools, giant goldfish mysteriously disappearing from a local pond, evil older brothers doing terrible things (okay, that's normal), and children who can see perfectly well having to wear thick eyeglasses.

Tangerine is really Paul's story, about how he figures out who he really is, and what he really wants. It's not easy for him, but eventually he figures things out, and there are huge consequences for everyone involved. It is a challenging book, not becasue of a bunch of big words, but because the author really makes you think about things, like the differences between rich and poor communities, the importance of being loyal to friends and family, and when doing the right thing is more important than doing the easy thing. This book will appeal to advanced readers who like realistic fiction with a mysterious twist, as well as soccer fans, people who like growing tangerines, and actually, anyone who likes great stories. It's not a happy book, but it's not a weeper either. It's just like reality, full of both good and bad stuff.