Break and Enter

His mom wanted a fresh start, but Dwayne just can't settle into his life. He misses his friends and has trouble connecting with new classmates. Nothing is familiar. Walking through his neighborhood, he sees an open window. Instantly, everything changes. Maybe he can pretend to be someone else. He can live a different life by breaking and entering ... if only for a little while. Bringing home a souvenir to remember his adventures wouldn't be so bad, right? But Dwayne is a terrible crook. And life is full of weird coincidences when he learns whose home he's burgled.

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.

Each book is approximately 100 pages with covers that will appeal to young teen readers. The titles in the White Lightning series are designed in a similar style. Students will know what to expect when they pick up a book: a fast-paced story, mature and age-appropriate topics, short chapters, and achievable reading success.