Summer on the Short Bus — Bethany Crandell

Seventeen-year-old Cricket Montgomery was born with a silver spoon in her mouth (though Tiffany Platinum would have been preferred). So when her father rips her from her cashmere comfort zone and ships her off to work at a rural Michigan summer camp, she is less than thrilled. Adding to her horror is the arrival of two short buses and the realization that she will be a counselor to teens with special needs.

What puzzles Cricket more than just a world without Vuitton bags and four-star dining, is why these "strange-faced" kids are so happy, despite their obvious differences. But between being force fed a hearty dose of reality (by a very cute co-counselor) and organizing the end-of-summer talent show, Cricket might be able to survive this summer one wheelchair spoke at a time.

In this upbeat and realistic coming-of-age YA novel, debut author Bethany Crandell explores the stigma society places on human differences, and how one person can rise above it. Cricket's sharp humor and unexpected journey make for a summer read that promises to never hold back.