The New Kid — Evan Jacobs

Themes: Hi-Lo, Fiction, Chapter Books, Stealing, Helping Others

Marlon Moore is part of Walden Lane Middle School's buddy program. The popular program helps new kids adapt to the school by pairing them up with a buddy. The buddy's job is to help new students by introducing them to friends and showing them around the campus. Marlon takes his job seriously. New kid Robert seems like a cool guy and fits in well with Marlon's crew. But Marlon learns quickly that Robert is a thief. First he steals some food from the local 7-Eleven. The boys think it's a fluke. But then Robert steals from WowTech, a gaming and electronics store. He puts an old PSP into Marlon's backpack, and he steals a high-tech smartphone for himself. Marlon wants to ghost his new buddy, but his sister, Ashley, convinces him that Robert is worth saving.

Walden Lane is a quintessential small city. And these chapter books describe a typical American family, with busy schedules and the usual problems. The series explores suburban life in a fun way, with topics appropriate for younger readers. These gentle reads are innocent, hopeful, and sometimes funny, with no unsettling surprises or storylines. Each book is 5,000 words (approx.) and 10 chapters.