Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

 

Stevie Bell is a modern-day girl who loves true crime. She goes to Ellingham Academy, a private school in the mountains of Vermont specifically so she can try to solve a crime that happened there in the 1930s. The founder, a man fond of games and puzzles, founded the school to bring together brilliant students, but his own wife and daughter were kidnapped and the crime was never solved. Stevie arrives at school hoping to investigate the long-ago crime, and becomes friends with some interesting students--an actor, an inventor, a writer, an artist. But when the past comes back to haunt them and tragedy strikes one of her new friends, Stevie has a new murder to solve. If you like solving crimes and if you're willing to read the whole trilogy (spoiler--you don't get all the answers without reading all three books), try this mystery. Recommended for grades 7-12. 

Spin by Lamar Giles

 

Spin is a murder mystery. The victim is Paris Secor, also known as DJ ParSec. She's a high school student on the verge of making it big in the music industry when her body is discovered by two teenagers. Kya is her former best friend and Fuse is her former social media manager. Kya and Fuse can't stand each other, but when they are both kidnapped and threatened, they decide to team up to try to solve the mystery before one of them is the next murder victim. There are passionate fans willing to kill for DJ ParSec, as well as a former manager, a new manager, and an ex boyfriend. The police are getting nowhere and don't even seem to care anymore, so Kya and Fuse are on their own in a dangerous world. It took me a while to fully immerse myself in the characters and their relationships, but once I was in I was hooked. Lamar Giles is a talented writer and I recommend this mystery to 8th-12th graders with an interest in music and/or mysteries. 

Into the Clouds: The Race to Climb the World's Most Dangerous Mountain by Tod Olson

 

I don't know why, but I am a sucker for a mountain climbing saga. This is the absolutely riveting true story of three separate expeditions taken by Americans in an attempt to be the first to reach the summit of K2. I learned that the mountains of the Himalaya are the highest on earth by far. In fact, the tallest mountain anywhere else on earth (found in South America) would not even be in the top 200 mountains in the Himalayan Range. And K2 is the second highest of them all--but it is actually much more remote and difficult to climb than the more famous Mount Everest. The first journey takes place in 1938. Charlie Houston, a medical student from the United States, and a team of men journey to K2 to scout out a base camp and to work their way up the mountain. They don't reach the summit. The next year Fritz Wiessner leads a team of less experienced climbers to follow in Charlie Houston's footsteps. It's a dramatic mission, but Wiessner is not much of a team player and things go badly. Finally, in 1953, after World War II ends, Charlie Houston tries again. His philosophy is to work as a team and leave no man behind. The conditions on the mountain are brutal and at a high altitude decision-making is impaired. All three expeditions challenge the climbers to the depths of their beings. The questions always seems to be whether it is better to reach the summit at all costs or to bring home all the climbers alive. If you like real life drama, survival, and a well-told story, pick this book up and give it a try. It's unforgettable. I recommend this book for all readers grades 7-adult. 

Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino

 

Sam and TJ are nonbinary kids with positive role models and strong friendships to help them navigate the world. When their history teacher announces a contest to propose the subject of the next statue in their home of Staten Island, New York, Sam and TJ discover a little-known photographer who lived for years with a female partner in Staten Island. Sam and TJ do research with the help of friends and neighbors, and discover that Alice Austen was successful, joyful, and fully lived her life with a partner and many friends. Their presentation is flawless, but will their history teacher choose their entry to be nominated for the top prize? This is a story about role models and found family and how love and support can make kids blossom. This book will teach kids about pronouns and gender issues, and will also make nonbinary kids feel seen and supported. And it's also a fun story about a historical figure that most people have never studied.