All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson

 

This is a book about grief. On the day Sage turns 13 years old her best friend is killed in a car accident and Sage has a long road to walk to come to terms with her loss. This beautifully written novel in verse takes the reader through the year after this tragedy, a year in which Sage attends a grief counseling group, has her first fledgling romance, and learns some new things about her best friend. It's a short book (This is a rare find--kids do not want to read long books), it's in verse, and it's satisfying on many levels. Adults will appreciate the poetry and the nuance of language. Middle schoolers will lean into the sadness and the hope of overcoming trauma. This is a must-buy book for middle school libraries and is recommended for 6th-7th graders. 

Two Degrees by Alan Gratz

This action-packed story features young teens facing climate disasters in California, Canada, and Florida. Akira is trapped in a California wildfire while horseback riding in California. George and Owen are stalked by a polar bear while traveling by snow mobile near their hometown in Canada. And Natalie is thrown into raging water during a hurricane that is destroying her hometown of Miami. I was surprised at how much I liked this book--each story is compelling and, as always, Alan Gratz brings the stories together in the end. Highly recommended for 6th and 7th graders looking for action-packed books. 
 

A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff

Books build empathy, and this genre-bender goes deep into the experiences of transgender teens as they face off against actual demons bent on destroying them. The main character, who goes by the name A, is 14 years old and is forced to go to go to a therapy group called SOSAD (Saving Our Sons and Daughters) by parents who have no desire to understand or learn about A's identity. Students from SOSAD occasionally disappear, and A ends up running away from home with the help of a monster made of trash to try to save one of those friends. A is helped by a Rabbi and her husband, who explain elements of Jewish mythology, including how golems have intervened to help people throughout history. It's an action-dystopian-horror-fantasy that's steeped in Jewish mythology, so there is a lot of plot to keep readers going, but at it's heart it's about acceptance of trans kids in a world bent on destroying them. This book, written about and for kids who are 14-16 years old, is a fine example of #youngteenlit

Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by Candace Fleming

 

This is an intense, disturbing, well-researched and well-told nonfiction book about a topic about which young people likely know almost nothing. Candace Fleming traces Jim Jones' People's Temple movement from its earliest days to its tragic end when 910 people were killed on one day in 1978. This thorough and thoroughly engaging book expertly engages readers in understanding why people followed Jim Jones initially, how he maintained control, and how the narrative that this was a mass suicide may not be accurate at all. It's a complex and difficult story, and Fleming expertly weaves the stories of participants and survivors together. It's challenging and not for every reader, but curious students will likely find this to be a very compelling read. I know I was hanging onto every word and have been talking about it ever since I read it. Recommended for readers grades 8 all the way up through adults. 

Stay Dead by April Henry

 

Sixteen-year-old Milan has been though a lot. Her father, a U.S. senator, was killed in a car accident (with Milan in the car). Her mother then took over his senate seat and sent Milan to boarding schools, where she has been acting up and getting into trouble. After starting a fire she is expelled from her third boarding school and her mom flies a private plane to pick her up and take her home to Portland, Oregon.  Somewhere over the Pacific Northwest, a bomb detonates in the wing of the plane, causing it to crash in the snowy mountains. Milan survives, but her mother isn't so lucky. Her mom's last words to her are to "stay dead" and she hands her a key chain with instructions to acquire information that will prove that both Milan's parents were actually murdered. Milan sets off on a dangerous mission, fighting to survive the mountain and to make the world believe that she died in the plane crash. But powerful people want her dead and she has no idea who she can trust...and turning on your cell phone is a sure way to let people know you are alive. This action-packed story, like so many other April Henry books, is a great suspense novel for middle schoolers. 

After Life by Gayle Forman

 

The premise of this book is amazing—Amber rides her bike home from school just like any other day, but it is not any other day. Amber has been dead for seven years but she doesn't know it. Her family is in shock; they try to hide her existence from the world. But Amber wants to confront her boyfriend and her former best friend, and she wants her life back. Her baby sister, now seven years older, is her rock. Together they try to figure out what is going on and what it means that Amber is back. This is a compelling YA book solidly in the high school category. (Not recommended for middle school)

Rhino's Run by Robert Lipsyte

 

Rhino is the nickname for the main character of this book who is a high school football player with dreams of playing in college and beyond. Rhino is under a lot of pressure when he punches another kid in the face and gets sent to "Group" with the school counselor. There are bullies on the football team and pressure from his dad and a toxic school environment that is mostly covered up. Rhino lays it all out in the journal that he must keep for his counselor, including how things take a big turn for the worse in a near-fatal school shooting. Ultimately, Rhino is figuring out whether to keep his head down and keep playing football or to take a stand along with his new friends in Group. There are way too many issues covered in this one short book, but I think readers (football fans especially) will not mind. Rhino is a relatable character and it's a relatively short, intense book that holds your attention. Trigger warnings galore (gun violence, physical violence, fat shaming, head injuries, and more) but nothing that makes this book inappropriate for thoughtful readers. Recommended for grades 8-up. 

Kat's Greek Summer by Mima Tipper

 

It's the summer before ninth grade and Kat's dream is to excel on the high school cross country team. However, her mom surprises her with a trip to Greece for the whole summer—a place where Kat has never been where she doesn't speak the language. Kat is half Greek, but it is hard to find that side of herself in a strange, hot place where expectations of girls are different and running is not something teenage girls do. On her first day in the remote village where her Grandma lives, Kat notices a handsome Greek boy who lives on a fishing boat. This is the story of how Kat meets Theophilus and starts a relationship with him, all while sneaking out at night and putting herself in some danger, especially from some aggressive local teenage boys. This young teen romance captures the newness, excitement, and even the danger of first love. Young romance readers will love this one. #youngteenlit

Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang

 

Ash is fifteen and frustrated by lots of things in life--they come up with a plan to leave it all behind and spend time in the wilderness at a cabin. Ash sneaks away with only their dog, surviving mostly alone for many weeks. This is Ash's survival story and also the story of how people do need people, even when they disappoint and disrespect them. This is a thoughtful, beautifully illustrated graphic novel that is perfect for middle school libraries. #youngteenlit

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.