Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak by Deborah Ellis

From chapters.ca:
After visiting Israel to conduct interviews, she presents children's stories here - in their own words. Twelve- year- old Nora, eleven- year- old Mohammad, and many others speak directly about their lives - which prove to be both ordinary and extraordinary: They argue with their siblings. They hate spinach. They have wishes for the future. Yet they have also seen their homes destroyed and families killed, and live amidst constant upheaval and violence. This simple, telling book allows young readers everywhere to see that the children caught in this conflict are just like them - but living far more difficult and dangerous lives. Without taking sides, it presents an unblinking portrait of children victimized by the endless struggle around them.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, illustrated by Ellen Forney

From chapters.ca:
In his first book for young adults, bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all- white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by acclaimed artist Ellen Forney, that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner

From chapters.ca:
Shakespeare Shapiro has always hated his name. His parents bestowed it on him as some kind of sick joke when he was born, and his life has gone downhill from there, one embarrassing incident after another. Entering his senior year of high school, Shakespeare has never had a girlfriend, his younger brother is cooler than he is, and his best friend's favourite topic of conversation is his bowel movements. But Shakespeare will have the last laugh. He is chronicling every mortifying detail in his memoir, the writing project each senior at Shakespeare's high school must complete. And he is doing it brilliantly. And, just maybe, a prize-winning memoir will bring him respect, admiration, and a girlfriend...or at least a prom date.

The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop and Kurt Wiese

From chapters.ca:
The classic story about five clever brothers, each with a different extraordinary ability is "a dramatic retelling of an old Chinese tale".

Nobel Lives: Biographical Portraits of Three Remarkable Gay Men - Glenway Wescott, Aaron Copland, and Dag Hammarskjold by Marc E. Vargo

From the back of the book:
Noble Lives examines how sexual orientation affected the careers of two historical figures generally accepted as gay, and a third whose sexual identity was in constant question during his lifetime. This unique book features comprehensive biographical accounts of Jazz Age author Glenway Wescott, Academy Award-winning composer Aaron Copland, and Nobel Peace Laureate Dag Hammarskjold, addressing the relationship between their sexuality and their achievements in literature, the social sciences, musical composition, diplomacy, and global politics.

Repossessed by A. M. Jenkins

From chapters.ca:
Don’t call me a demon. I prefer the term Fallen Angel. Everybody deserves a vacation, right? Especially if you have a pointless job like tormenting the damned. So who could blame me for blowing off my duties and taking a small, unauthorized break? Besides, I’ve always wanted to see what physical existence is like. That’s why I "borrowed" the slightly used body of a slacker teen. Believe me, he wasn’t going to be using it anymore anyway. I have never understood why humans do the things they do. Like sin — if it’s so terrible, why do they keep doing it? I’m going to have a lot of fun finding out!

As well as being funny, Repossessed provides some interesting insights into life.

Looking for Alaksa by John Green

From chapters.ca:
Before: Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the 'Great Perhaps' even more (Franois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then....After: Nothing is ever the same.

The Little Black Book for Girlz: A Book on Healthy Sexuality by the St. Stephen's Community House

Preface:
No matter what age we are, many of us prefer to speak to our peers about experiences we are going through, especially around issues of sex and sexuality. Many young women have expressed to us that there is a lack of material they can relate to on sexuality and relationships. They want something no only aimed at them, but also created by them. Out of this frustration came The Little Black Book for Girlz. The book was created by young women who hung out at the St. Stephen's Community House Youth Arcade Drop-In, in downtown Toronto. As a group we had many discussions about all kinds of different issues. These discussions were very honest and non-judgemental, and the girls wanted sex ed. material that was equally positive and empowering to them. As a group we decided to write our own book that would encourage other young women to learn more about their bodies, their relationship, and their lives.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

From Wikipedia:
The novel features Lucky, a 10-year-old girl who lives in a small town named Hard Pan (population 43) with her two friends Lincoln and Miles in the California desert. After her mother died two years ago, her father called upon his ex-wife, Brigette, to come to the United States from France to take care of Lucky. Lucky fears that Brigette is tired of being her guardian and of their life in Hard Pan. Her experiences lead her to believe that Brigette will abandon her and return to France. This anxiety prompts Lucky to seek help from her "Higher Power", a notion she gets from eavesdropping at her town's 12-step meetings.

Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld

From chapters.ca:
It has become common knowledge that childhood obesity rates are increasing every year. But the rates continue to rise. And between busy work schedules and the inconvenient truth that kids simply refuse to eat vegetables and other healthy foods, how can average parents ensure their kids are getting the proper nutrition and avoiding bad eating habits?...[This] book is filled with traditional recipes that kids love, except they’re stealthily packed with veggies hidden in them so kids don’t even know! With the help of a nutritionist and a professional chef, Seinfeld has developed a month’s worth of meals for kids of all ages that includes, for example, pureed cauliflower in mac and cheese, and kale in spaghetti and meatballs. She also provides revealing and humorous personal anecdotes, tear–out shopping guides to help parents zoom through the supermarket, and tips on how to deal with the kid that "must have" the latest sugar bomb cereal.

Having tried a number of the recipes myself, I have to say that you really can't tell that the veggies are in there!

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

From chapters.ca:
The word "unique" is overused and frequently misused. Here, however, is an instance where it truly applies. But to call The Eyre Affair a unique first novel featuring a fearless fictional adventurer barely begins to tell the story. When asked to summarize his creation is a single sentence, Jasper Fforde described it as "a literary detective thriller with romantic overtones, mad-inventor uncles, aunts trapped in Wordsworth poems, global multinationals, scheming evildoers, an excursion inside the novel Jane Eyre, dodos, knight-errant-time-travelling fathers, and the answer to the eternal question: Who really wrote Shakespeare's plays?" Swindon, a traditionally tranquil English town, is the ironic setting for most of these oddball characters and peculiar goings-on; the year is 1985.

Space Boy by Orson Scott Card

Todd's mother has been gone for 4 years. She just disappeared one day and is presumed dead. Todd's brother keeps saying that she was eaten by the monster in his closet, but no one believes him...until an "elf" appears.

The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh

From chapters.ca:
In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father travelled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family. "Keep up your courage, Sarah Noble," her mother had said, but Sarah found that it was not always easy to feel brave inside. The dark woods were full of animals and Indians, too, and Sarah was only eight! As she cares for her father and befriends her Indian neighbours, she learns that to be afraid and to be brave is the greatest courage of all.

Mummy Never Told Me by Babette Cole

From chapters.ca:
What are tummy buttons for, and how do they get there? What does the tooth fairy really look like? Why do grown-ups have hair in their ears and up their noses, but sometimes none on their heads? Why do Mummy and Daddy lock you out of their bedroom, and where do they go at night? Babette Cole explores these questions and many more with her wonderfully sharp text and riotously funny illustrations.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

From chapters.ca:
The Pearl is one of Steinbeck's most moving stories, following the life of Kino, a poor pearl-diver, who discovers a large, absolutely perfect pearl on the bottom of the sea. He hopes that it will provide him with the means of supporting his family, but he soon learns that wealth can bring out the darkest evils in the human nature.

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

From chapters.ca:
This is the story of a little girl named Fern who loved a little pig named Wilbur-and of Wilbur's dear friend Charlotte A. Cavatica, a beautiful large grey spider who lived with Wilbur in the barn. With the help of Templeton, the rat who never did anything for anybody unless there was something in it for him, and by a wonderfully clever plan of her own, Charlotte saved the life of Wilbur, who by this time had grown up to be quite a pig.

Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

From chapters.ca:
What do you get when you put twelve lively kids together with a father -- a famous efficiency expert -- who believes families can run like factories, and a mother who is his partner in everything except discipline? You get a hilarious tale of growing up that has made generations of kids and adults alike laugh along with the Gilbreths in Cheaper by the Dozen.

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

From chapters.ca:
Ten-year old India Opal Buloni moves to a small town in Florida with her father, a perpetually distracted preacher. Opal feels lonely -- as usual -- until she makes friends with a big, old, mangy dog who seems to be able to smile. Named Winn-Dixie after the supermarket where she found him, Opal and the dog become inseparable. Winn-Dixie helps to fill an empty spot in Opal's heart -- a spot left by her mother -- a lively woman who left her husband and three-year-old Opal because she just couldn't stop drinking. It's not easy making friends in a new town, but Winn-Dixie paves the way, and soon Opal finds herself surrounded with people who have empty spots in their hearts as well. There's Miss Franny Block, the librarian, and Otis, the man at the pet shop, lonely five-year old Sweetie Pie and Miss Gloria Dump. As for Opal's daddy, the preacher, he needs a friend as well.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

From chapters.ca:
People don’t just arbitrarily give you the name Maniac Magee. You really have to earn it. Born Jeffrey Lionel Magee, Maniac lost his parents at an early age; then his life changed dramatically. Kids today talk about how fast he could run and about his incredible in-the-park "frog" home run. But what the kids from the East and West sides talk about most is what he did for them all.

Who is the Beast? by Keith Baker

From chapters.ca:
Deep in the jungle, animals are fleeing from a mysterious beast, each describing a feature of the beast as he departs. A tiger, hearing their cries, realizes he is the beast they're running from and sets off to convince them that they can all be friends.