Jen's parents moved her all the way to Los Angeles, the least they could do was get her a pet. And Jen chose Mimi. Little did she know that Mimi was not the perfect cat. She was stubborn. She was standoffish. And she was mean. But one day, Mimi started talking to Jen and telling her what she wanted and needed. A talking cat? What could be better? Mimi shows Jen how much she loves her and makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Chris always does the right thing. But when he knows who messed with Sam in the school yard, he can't speak up. His friends can't either. There's the silent Code that every kid follows. Chris decides he can't live with himself if he doesn't say something, so he makes a stand and is shocked at the outcome. Mean bully Phil is actually . cool. But then Phil asks him to do something so wrong.

White Lightning Books addresses a wide variety of themes and interests in a narrow range of reading levels, no higher than a 2.5. Middle school is a time of self-discovery, high energy, and hormonal change. It can also be a time of self-assertion and defiance. Students who struggle to read will often not recover from low reading achievement in elementary school if their particular interests are not addressed. Encouragement and finding the theme to hook them is key. There is a broad range of interest and abilities in this age group, even with struggling readers. These are not YA or elementary books a fact younger teens will appreciate.