A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Chattana is a city in Thailand where one man controls all the light. The all-powerful governor is worshipped almost like a god and the rich enjoy light and privilege while the poor work in darkness. Pong, a boy born in prison, finds an opportunity to escape, and finds safety with a kind monk. But he soon discovers that he can never have real freedom as long as his prison tattoo marks him as an escapee. Nok, the prison warden's daughter, pursues him, sure in her knowledge that Pong should be brought to justice. But what is justice in a world of inequality? Shouldn't light be available to everyone? This adventurous fantasy has plenty of action and also provides fodder for discussions about justice and equality and how to protest effectively. This gem of a book, which is actually a new take on Les Miserables, is a delight. Recommended for grades 4-6, but older readers may also enjoy it.  

As You Wish by Nashae Jones

 

This young teen romance with a touch of magic can be summed up with the adage "Be careful what you wish for." Birdie is an 8th grader who longs for a "normal 8th grade experience" which for her means having her first boyfriend. Her best friend Deve would like to be more than friends, but Birdie doesn't see him as boyfriend material. She thinks that Deve should get a girlfriend and she should get a boyfriend and everything will be perfect. When a fight over this issue threatens to end their friendship, and an African trickster god shows up in disguise at their school, Birdie makes a wish that backfires. If you've ever dreamed of having 3 wishes, this book will make you think hard about how exactly to word your wish to get what you want. A fun romance that's perfect for middle school libraries.  

Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia

 

Imagine spending a whole summer with the father you've never met in a city you've never been to in a community where you don't speak the language. Almudena is 14 going on 15 and that's how she spends her summer. Her white mom leaves her with her Guatemalan dad in New York City. Her father, Xavier, is eager to get to know her, but he doesn't speak English and she doesn't speak Spanish. He is fixing up an old Brownstone building and expects her to demolish walls and put up sheetrock and learn construction skills. At the same time she meets his friends and neighbors and his girlfriend, and finds a vibrant community that she comes to know and want to join. This Printz Award winning graphic novel is a great example of Young Teen Lit. Recommended for middle and high school libraries. 

The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Patricia Forde

 

Everyone on Aria's advanced planet knows that Earth is just a "shadow planet," an experiment in what could go wrong if humans were left to themselves. Now it's time to restart the experiment and eliminate the humans who have destroyed their planet. Aria and her father are sent to Earth to spread a deadly virus. They begin by releasing phase one on a train in Dublin. Aria has been told that because humans have short lifespans they don't bond with each other and therefore they really don't have feelings. So killing them should be a breeze...but when things go wrong and Aria meets some actual earthlings, things become more complicated. The plot is further complicated by Aria's knowledge that she shares some DNA with the humans from Earth. But will that make her susceptible to the virus she is unleashing? It's difficult to find books that really meet the needs to 12-15 year olds, and this gem is a great example of Young Teen Lit. Recommended for all middle school libraries. 

The Shadow Road by K.D. Kirchmeier

 

In a world ravaged by deadly metallic flying dragon-like creatures called "blitz," most people have been killed or are desperately heading toward safety in California. Thomas, a 14-year-old kid on his own, meets up with a semi truck driving woman with a secret. Together they drive east to bring hope to desperate people. Meanwhile, another teen named Cassie lives in a ragtag community whose leader believes that the blitz can be killed. Their intertwined stories are action-packed and full of food for thought about the survival of humanity. Every middle school library should buy this one. 

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

 

This lovely graphic novel has developed a following in my middle school library, with kids repeatedly telling me how much they liked it. Now that I have finally read it, I can wholeheartedly recommend it to middle school readers. Manuel has experienced trauma (we don't know quite what he has seen) and his therapist has given him ways to use his camera to frame a scene and get himself centered. At first Manuel is lonely. He doesn't seem to. have great communication with his parents or peers as the book opens. But a group project that puts him with two new friends, Sebastian and Caysha, changes his life. Sebastian lives on a farm, and being involved with nurturing a new calf and helping his friends prepare for the county fair help Manuel open up and start to move on with living. Highly recommended for middle school libraries. 

Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams's Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partridge

 

I missed reading this book when it first came out in 2022 but I am here to say this should be required reading for Americans of all ages. An excellent children't nonfiction book is a treasure for kids and adults, and this is an absolutely astounding take on the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II through the lens (literally) of three photographers who documented the atrocity from different angles. Dorthea Lange, Ansel Adams, and Toyo Mitatake were all taking photos for different reasons and many of their photos remained hidden for many years. The combination of the illustrations and the photographs make for an engaging read and brilliantly show the things that could and could not be photographed. Because this book is the shape of a picture book, middle school students may not pick it up, but it is absolutely perfect for visual learners and gives them exactly the right amount of information they need to understand what happened and empathize with the American citizens whose constitutional rights were stripped from them during a time of war. Educators should read this book and work it into history, ELA, and even art classes. Don't miss this treasure!

Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson

 

It's hard to find science fiction for middle school readers. There are a lot of dystopian books, but actual sci fi is hard to come by. The premise here is that the sun is heating up and Earth has already burnt to a crisp. Humans fled to Mars, but since Mars will also be burning up soon, all the humans are being evacuated in enormous space ships heading on a long journey to a safer galaxy. Liam and Phoebe are 13-year-olds scheduled to be on the last ship to leave Mars. But things don't go as planned and they learn some world-shattering secrets as they scramble to leave the planet. This series starter is fast paced, full of reveals, and I know it will find many fans among my 6th-8th graders. The reviews would make you think this is a middle grade book (8-12 year old audience), but it has a lot of appeal for young teens as well. See youngteenlit.com for more on why we need more books for 12-15 year olds. Have all 3 books in the Chronicle of the ark Star trilogy on hand, because it ends on a cliffhanger. 

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepytus and Steve Sheinkin

 

Historical fiction and mystery are expertly combined in this fast-paced book set in the summer of 1940. It begins with Lizzie on a ship bound for her grandmother's home in America to avoid the war. Lizzie escapes from her guardian just before the ship sails, proving herself to be no ordinary 14-year-old girl. She stays in England with her older brother Jakob who is covertly working as a code-breaker at Bletchley Park where Alan Turing and other real historical figures are frantically cracking Nazi codes. While Jakob works on the Enigma machine codes (fascinating!) Lizzie is solving the mystery of her mother's disappearance in Poland just as the Nazis invaded. Lizzie provokes government agents, works as a messenger at Bletchley Park, and evades her grandmother's attempts to retrieve her yet again, all the while solving mysterious codes in messages seemingly being sent by her missing mother. It's great fun and there is much to be learned about the potential Nazi invasion of Britain during World War II. Pair this with Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming and Spying on Spies by Marissa Moss and Radar and the Raft by Jeff Lantos for readers of any age (adults included) who want to know more about this time period. Septetys and Sheinkin are top-notch writers for young teens and pairing them up is a big treat for readers. 

Worldwide Crush by Kristin Nilsen

Texts, song lyrics, letters, and short chapters make this breezy, funny story about a 7th grade girl with a huge celebrity crush an appealing addition to romance books for middle school (and younger middle grade) readers. The story is inspired by Nilsen's girlhood crush on Sean Cassidy and all those strong feelings are there in the story of 7th grade Millie, whose crush on teen superstar Rory Calhoun leads her on a quest for concert tickets and later on a family whale watching vacation to Rory Calhoun's hometown. The ending is utterly perfect and the audiobook read by the author is a delight. In a publishing world where humor is hard to come by, this was a fun read and kids need FUN. Truth be told, Gen X librarians will enjoy it as much as the kids. For more on Sean Cassidy crushes and Gen X culture, check out the Pop Culture Preservation Society podcast that author Kristin Nilsen co-hosts. Recommended for grades 4-7. (It has a couple of humorous uses of swear words but I think this book probably has the most appeal to the younger end of the age range.)  

 

Pearl by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie

 

This captivating graphic novel follows a 13-year-old girl from Hawaii to Hiroshima and back again. The year is 1941 and Amy's parents, who are Japanese American, send Amy on a ship to Japan to meet her dying grandmother. Amy's grandma, whom she calls Sosobo, was a pearl diver in her younger years and Amy grows close to her in the months she lives in Japan on her family's farm. But it is 1941, and when Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, the world is at war and Amy can't go back home to Hawaii. Amy soon discovers that America is imprisoning Japanese Americans, including Amy's family. And when the Japanese army finds an American in their midst, they take teenage Amy to spy on American radio broadcasts. So much happens to this young girl, and middle schoolers will be engrossed in Amy's story and they will learn quite a bit about world history, including the atomic bomb that is destined to fall on Hiroshima. This is a quick read with a lot to think about, and one that should be in all middle school libraries. 

Faker by Gordon Norman

 

Gordon Korman's 104th book is another winning middle school story. This time it's about a kid whose dad runs an elaborate scheme in every town they live in. People invest in his sham businesses, and then Trey, his dad, and his little sister leave town in the middle of the night. They always befriend rich people who can afford to be cheated out of their money, so that's how Trey rationalizes the family business, which he is being groomed to take part in on a larger scale. Now they are in a new town and his dad has created a prototype electric vehicle that has everyone wanting to invest in the secretive new company. But Trey is making connections and realizing he doesn't want to run this time. I was unsure how Gordon Korman was going to get them out of this difficult bind--after all, Trey's dad is probably a felon at this point and it wouldn't be a fun ending for him to end up in prison. But as always, Korman manages to keep his endearing characters out of serious trouble while making sure they learn a little lesson along the way. Another Gordon Korman book that will be enjoyed by middle school students.  

If Anything Happens to Me by Luann Rice

 

Young teens love murder mysteries and horror books, and it is hard to find age-appropriate titles to satisfy their interests but don't cross into being too gruesome or sexual for readers in the 13-15 year old age range. This mystery about Oli, a 16-year-old whose sister was murdered less than a year ago, is being sold at middle school Scholastic Book Fairs and is appropriate for young teen readers. Oli visits the site of her sister's murder once a month, and in the opening chapter of this book she finds a teenage girl left for dead in the same site. Her name is Iris and she insists on not notifying the police. Iris does not remember much about her situation, but she does know that she has a sister who is being held in captivity, so Iris and Oli set off to find the captor, save Iris's sister, and find the person who killed Oli's beloved sister. This book is not nearly of the same quality as The Good Girl's Guide to Murder or One of Us is Lying or The Agathas, all popular mysteries with middle school and high school students. The teen characters are poorly developed, and the kidnappings and murders are highly implausible, and the characters lack racial diversity. However, I already know an 8th grade reader who devoured this book and loved it, and that is worth a lot. 

Twelfth by Janet Key

 

If ea ever dreamed of going to theatre camp this may be the book for you. Maren is a 12-year-old who is reluctantly sent to a summer camp in the woods that her sister attended for many years. Maren isn't as outgoing or theatrical as her sister, but she becomes involved in a mystery at the camp that has her delving into Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the history of the camp, and a long-ago story of a woman who longed for a career as a Hollywood director. It's a mystery with a chain of clues that should lead to a valuable ring that might save the camp from bankruptcy. Maren and a couple of new friends are decoding clues from the Shakespeare play they are producing that send them all over the camp (and force them to avoid camp counselors at all costs). As you would expect at theatre camp, there are kids with a variety of gender identities and precocious teenagers who recite Shakespeare. This book's target audience is definitely theatre kids and readers who enjoy intricate puzzle mysteries. The clues and connections to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night sometimes went over my head, but smart theatre kids will likely devour this mystery.  

The Windeby Puzzle by Lois Lowry

If you've ever heard of bog people, you might find this book interesting. The Windeby Child is a 2,000 year old human body that was uncovered in 1952 in a peat bog in Germany. Due to the chemical conditions in a peat bog, ancient bodies are occasionally preserved, including their hair and clothing and skin. When modern people find them, the bodies are studied by scientists and preserved in museums. Some bog people appear to have died violent deaths, or have clearly been murdered, but not the Windeby Child. This particular body at first appeared to be a young woman with half of her head shaved and a blindfold around her eyes. Scientists later determined that the body was a young boy, and his hair had not been shaved. Lois Lowry took the interesting story of the Windeby Child and imagines the life of this child and what could have led to their death at a young age. We know very little about the people who lived in northern Germany at that time, but Lowry found out what she could and in this book she tells two possible stories to explain the puzzle of the Windeby Child. The first story assumes that she was a 13-year-old girl who meets a violent end due to her aspirations of being a warrior. The second story is one of an unloved orphan teenager who shows the curiosity of a scientist before succumbing to disease. Both stories show young teenagers living a harsh life in a society that does not treat children kindly. As a middle school librarian, I appreciate that Lowry is writing for and about young teens--there is mention of human sacrifice and adultery that makes this book more fitting for 6th-8th graders. It is not a long book and with some encouragement, it should appeal to young teens who like history, solving puzzles, and learning new things.