Diamond Willow by Helen Frost

There’s more to me than most people see. Twelve-year-old Willow would rather blend in than stick out. But she still wants to be seen for who she is. She wants her parents to notice that she is growing up. She wants her best friend to like her better than she likes a certain boy. She wants, more than anything, to mush the dogs out to her grandparents’ house, by herself, with Roxy in the lead. But sometimes when it’s just you, one mistake can have frightening consequences . . . And when Willow stumbles, it takes a surprising group of friends to help her make things right again. Using diamond-shaped poems inspired by forms found in polished diamond willow sticks, Helen Frost tells the moving story of Willow and her family. Hidden messages within each diamond carry the reader further, into feelings Willow doesn’t reveal even to herself.

Warriors series by Erin Hunter

This series is an animal fantasy with cats. There are four clans:

Thunderclan is the clan of heroes. They are impressive hunters. They live by the lake. They quarrel with the River Clan and are afraid of the Shadowclan.

Shadowclan are evil. They are proud, fight well. They are night hunters and they live in the marsh.

Windclan lives on the moor. They are suspicious and quickly startled. They are fiercely protective. They are a peaceful clan.

Riverclan loves the water. They take prey from the lakes and rivers. Other clans fear and respect them.

Skyclan are the lost warriors, those who have already died.

Marley & Me by John Grogan

The memoir of a young couple and their golden lab, Marley. Marley was a horribly behaved dog, but the family loved him and worked hard to make him part of their family. The story begins before they adopted Marley and continues until after his death. Many of the parts are funny, and other parts very sentimental. The book brings back memories for all dog owners of pets they have loved and lost.