Seedfolks / Paul Fleischman / 69 pages / Color in the title / Required Reading / Tasty cover

In Cleveland of 1997, a young girl takes inspiration from her late father, who was a farmer, and plants some lima beans in a dirty vacant.  At first, it starts off as her own private garden, but as soon as more and more people find out about it, the vacant transforms into the neighborhood's community garden, where people from diverse races and cultures come together to work, celebrate, and even look after one another.

It was a nostalgic read, as this was a book I had to read in my 6th grade English class, almost ten years ago.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating/ Christina Lauren/ 309 pgs

This is contemporary romance that was a ton of fun. Hazel and Josh knew each other in college. Josh is one of those steady, academic types who never puts a foot wrong. Hazel is one of those crazy, spontaneous types who blurts out things she shouldn't and wears weird fashions. Hazel humiliates herself a few times in front of Josh and then they go their separate ways after graduating. They meet up again in Portland seven or eight years later. Hazel is an elementary teacher and Josh is a physical therapist with his own practice. When her apartment floods, she ends up moving in with Josh. They both think they could never be The One for the other but they do form a cute, close friendship that eventually turns into something more. This is a funny, sweet story of loving someone for who they are, inside and out. Also--gorgeous cover!