Shakespeare's Secret, by Elise Broach

When Hero starts 6th grade at a new school, all she wants is for the other kids to stop teasing her about her Shakespearean name. But when her old neighbor, Mrs. Roth, tells her that an old diamond is hidden in her house, everything points back to Shakespeare. Will she and her new friend Danny find the diamond and discover how Shakespeare ties everything together?

This literary mystery offers a good introduction both to the history of the debate over Shakespeare's identity, as well as to good mystery writing. Tweens interested in history will be interested to see how Broach intertwines English history with the present-day story.

This book was selected as an ALA Notable Children's Book in 2006. Scholastic published an online discussion guide which includes lit circle questions and student handouts. Quick booktalk ideas can be found here. A compilation of editorial reviews can be found at Amazon.com.

Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede

Princess Cimorene is not a proper princess. Her parents, the King and Queen of Linderwall, do their best to teach her all the things a princess ought to know--dancing, embroidery, etiquette--but Cimorene prefers fencing, or cooking, or magic, over the things she is expected to do. Cimorene can tolerate this, until her parents arrange her marriage to a prince. Handsome as can be, he is also humorless and dull. So Cimorene takes the advice of her fairy Godmother and runs away to be a dragon's princess. What happens when an unconventional princess challenges the boundaries others have placed around her? She challenges dragons and wizards as she uncovers a treacherous plot against the dragon king.

With a strong cast of characters and a feminist protagonist, this books is perfect for any spunky tween who doesn't want to be just like everyone else. Anyone who likes fantasy will enjoy reading Wrede's subversion of typical fairy tale tropes.

Other reviews can be found at amazon.com.