Marie, Dancing by Carolyn Meyer

A fictionalized autobiography of Marie Van Goethem, the impoverished student from the Paris Opera ballet school who became the model for Edgar Degas's famous sculpture, "The Little Dancer."

I'm really not into Art...but the historical details were wonderful. Marie lives in a world that is a contrast between what she is on stage and what her real life is all about. I love historical fiction, so I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read.

Rating: 8 of 10

Escaping into the Night by D. Dina Friedman

Thirteen-year-old Halina Rudowski narrowly escapes the Polish ghetto and flees to the forest, where she is taken in by an encampment of Jews trying to survive World War II.

Interesting Holocaust story about an aspect that I'd never heard before. Good historical fiction. I love stories of people struggling to survive under difficult situations...this was a quick read. I think students would like it IF I can get them to give it a chance.

Rating: 8 of 10

Girls Dinner Club by Jessie Elliot

Junie, Celia, and Danielle, three ethnically diverse high schoolers in Brooklyn, form a friendship while cooking dinners together and helping one another sort through their romantic entanglements.

Readers who liked The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants will also like this book. It's a great story of friendship and also showed a variety of different home life-styles. Great quick read.

Rating: 8 of 10