Book picks similar to
Joss by Erin Falligant


american-girl
middle-grade
childrens
children-s

Kira Down Under


Erin Teagan - 2021
    Kira and her mom are spending the summer at a wildlife sanctuary in Australia helping her aunt Mamie, a veterinarian, care for the animals. When Kira falls in love with an orphaned koala joey, her joy is complete—until a health emergency pulls Aunt Mamie away. Suddenly Kira can’t seem to do anything right. She’s put the wombats and her beloved koala joey in danger, and now her new friend Alexis won’t talk to her. Can Kira find a way to catch a roving predator—along with a few wayward wombats—and earn back everyone’s trust?

Blaire


Jennifer Castle - 2018
    Decorator. Chicken wrangler. Blaire does it all at her family’s restaurant, inn, and farm. In this first book in her series, her recent food sensitivity has made her time in the kitchen—and time with friends—a little tough. But now she has the perfect distraction: a wedding to plan! With her BFF by her side, and a million creative ideas saved on her tablet, Blaire is sure she can make the farm’s first wedding an epic celebration. But between dress disasters, texting mix-ups, and more than one incident with a mischievous goat, Blaire soon learns that wedding planning is a tricky business...and that balancing friendships is even trickier. Can Blaire find a way to make things right, or will this wedding, and her friendship, turn into epic fails?

Lea Dives In (American Girl of the Year)


Lisa Yee - 2016
    Lea is really excited to see the ocean - and when she does, she realizes she'd rather take a picture of it than swim in it. Can she overcome her fear and dive in?Then she meets a fun new friend who inspires her to embrace the thrills and beauty of Brazil. But when the fun turns to danger, she must find the courage to face adventure head on! Where will the next adventure take her?

The One and Only: A Maryellen Classic


Valerie Tripp - 2015
    Being invited to stay in at recess and practice her handwriting earns Maryellen a new friend, but what does that mean for her old friendships? Then, Maryellen is wishing for a white Christmas like the ones in the movies (not very likely in Florida!). Will she find a way to make her dream come true?

Nicki


Ann Howard Creel - 2006
    She lives on a working Colorado ranch with her parents and younger brother. She is optimistic, generous, and compassionate, and she loves skiing almost as much as she loves animals.Nicki has a hard time saying "no" to people. Whenever anyone asks for her help, she's ready to lend a hand. When Nicki says "yes" to becoming the main trainer of a service dog that she and her mother had planned to train together, Nicki ends up in over her head, and struggles to juggle multiple responsibilities: to her parents, her best friend, her teacher--and to the dog.But in the process of training the lively and spirited Sprocket, Nicki's affection for him grows--even while she keeps reminding herself that she has to give him up to someone who needs him more than she does. Equally important, Nicki learns some important lessons for herself.Book One ends with the with big test--and success!--of Sprocket's potential as a service dog, and Nicki's deep pride in their joint accomplishment.

Courtney Changes the Game


Kellen Hertz - 2020
    But she can’t understand why there aren’t more girl characters in the games she plays. When a school project allows her to create her own video game, the hero is a girl who knows how to handle any situation—something Courtney struggles with in real life. Whether it’s learning to share a room with her stepsister or supporting her mom when she announces she’s running for mayor, Courtney’s blended family has to learn to work together differently. It’s a whole new game for Courtney, and she’s figuring out the rules as she goes. Includes full-color illustrations and a historical “looking back” section.

Gabriela


Teresa E. Harris - 2016
    Still, compared to how confident she feels on the dance floor, speaking up can be scary. When the city threatens to close her beloved community arts center, Gabby is determined to find a way to help. Can she harness the power of her words and rally her community to save Liberty Arts?

The Real Z


Jen Calonita - 2017
    She's an expert at stop-motion video. In this first book about the aspiring filmmaker, Z has to make a whole new kind of movie--a documentary--and it's harder than she thought. Z wants to wow the judges, but she's not sure her ideas are good enough for a film festival. With the help of her friends, Z shoots a lot of footage, but something about it doesn't feel right. Should she start over? As she tries to make a movie she can be proud of, Z discovers that to be a real filmmaker, she'll first have to be her real self.

Isabelle


Laurence Yep - 2014
    Isabelle loves ballet, but she wonders if she'll always be dancing in her sister's shadow.Isabelle's mood takes a leap when her mom asks for her help designing costumes for the Autumn Festival. Back in the dance studio, though, Isabelle still lags behind her classmates. Can she stop comparing herself to others and find a way to become her own kind of dancer?(Description taken from the back cover.)

Grace


Mary Casanova - 2015
    She and her French cousin aren't getting along, and Grace's friends back home have started a business without her. Can she find the courage to stay open to new ideas and turn the summer around?

Granny Torrelli Makes Soup


Sharon Creech - 2003
    Twelve-year-old Rosie and her best friend, Bailey, don't always get along, that's true. But Granny Torrelli seems to know just how to make things right again with her interesting stories and family recipes. It's easier to remember what's important about love, life, and friendship while Granny Torrelli makes soup.

Freak the Mighty


Rodman Philbrick - 1993
    A wonderful story of triumph over imperfection, shame, and loss.

The Boys Start the War


Phyllis Reynolds Naylor - 1993
    When a new family--with three daughters--moves into the neighborhood, the Hatford brothers decide to make Caroline and her sisters so miserable that they'll want to go back to Ohio.

Lanie


Jane Kurtz - 2010
    She longs get out and go camping, but they all want to stay home. It wouldn't be so bad if her best friend was around, but she's halfway around the world, living out their dream of studying wildlife. Lanie feels she never gets to have any adventures-anywhere. But when her favorite aunt comes to stay, Lanie discovers that the wonders of nature are everywhere-even in her own backyard.

Fish in a Tree


Lynda Mullaly Hunt - 2015
    But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.”Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.