Waiting for Augusta — Jessica Lawson

With a fresh, funny voice, lots of adventure, and a healthy dose of magic, from the author of The Actual & Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher and Nooks & Crannies -- which School Library Journal called “original, engaging, and funny” in a starred review -- comes a profound tale of love, loss, and family.

Eleven-year-old Benjamin Putter has a lump in his throat, and he's certain it's a golf ball. He knows it sounds crazy, but everything's been topsy-turvy since his father died last month. And he doesn't know how to fix it.

Then, one day, something starts tugging at Ben, telling him to hurry to Augusta, Georgia -- home of the most famous golf course in the world.

Ben might be going a little crazy, but escaping Hilltop, Alabama, sounds like a darn good idea. (And just maybe it will make that lump go away.) As he makes his way to Augusta, Ben partners up with a mysterious runaway named Noni, and they embark on a journey full of strange and wonderful surprises -- and possibly magic -- at every turn.