For Lucy Jordan and her two BFFs, the summer that stretches between the end of their 8th grade year and the start of high school is a strange, in-between time.  The long, languid hours deserve to be filled with something different, something epic.  Still reeling from the sudden death of Fat Bob, a favorite teacher, the trio decide to honor him by promoting his favorite book, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.  They hatch a plan to "relocate" copies of the classic novel at every bookstore and library they can hit.  If there's a Mockingbird scarcity, they reason, it will drum up interest in the book.  Since the friends won't be doing anything illegal—they're encouraging people to read, after all—it seems like a no-fail plan.

Not surprisingly, Lucy, Elena, and Michael discover they've bitten off way more than they can chew.  Between their relocation hijinks and the social media campaign they've launched, they've created a literary rebellion.  Worried about being found out, Lucy also has to deal with her mother's cancer and her budding romance with Michael.  As everything comes to a head, she'll have to come to terms with all the worries that plague her, including the biggie that looms just around the corner—high school.  And then there's the reading revolution she's inadvertently caused ...

I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora is a quick, quirky ode to the power of the written word.  It's funny, uplifting, and hopefully, encouraging.  Although they act a little too mature for their age (what modern teenager throws around references to Driving Miss Daisy and Johannes Gutenberg?), the kids at the center of the novel are sympathetic and interesting.  Their plight makes for a compelling story that's refreshingly upbeat.  I loved its focus on books and reading.  Book nerds everywhere will agree: this fun, easy read should be on everyone's TBR list.  You don't need to be a Mockingbird fan (but you should be) to enjoy this entertaining novel.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  You?)

Grade:

Zachary Beatrice has never felt that connected to the Colorado desert where he and his father live in an old, aluminum-sided trailer. After his mother takes off, determined to finally realize her dream of working on a cruise ship, Zachary's even more unmoored. So, when his dad suggests moving, Zachary's all for it. Falls, Connecticut, is a quirky little town, and it doesn't take long for the Beatrices to feel right at home.

One of Falls' most notorious residents lives right across the street from Zachary. Like him, Rachel Spinelli is 14. Unlike him, she has a fearsome reputation as a scrappy, hot-tempered fighter. Zachary really doesn't want to get on her bad side, but it soon becomes apparent that anything can happen during the long, hot summer in Falls, Connecticut.

Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face (available August 30), a new middle grade novel by Paul Acampora, is one of those gentle stories that always put a smile on my face. It's warm, funny, and touching in a subtle, melodrama-free kind of way. There's not much of a plot going on in Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face, but I really couldn't have cared less. I loved it.

(Readalikes: Reminded me a little bit of the Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall; also, the relationship between Rachel and her big brother reminded me of the one between Anya and Leo in All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG

To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face from the generous folks at Macmillan/Roaring Press. Thank you!