Top Heavy by Rhonda DeChambeau

 

Esme is a 15-year-old dancer who has worked her whole life to make the elite dance team. When she and her best friend get the coveted spots they earned, it seems like the beginning of a great school year. But Esme has a lot of things weighing her down, one being her father's health problems that make him unable to work and therefore unable to afford expensive dance lessons. Another issue in her life is the size of her breasts--they make dancing uncomfortable and they cause unwanted attention from both men and boys. In fact, Esme is so unhappy with her body that she is looking into having breast reduction surgery. Along the way, Esme develops a romantic relationship, and is cut out of her best friend's life, and learns how to cope with all the things life is throwing at her. It's a novel in verse that is a quick read, and the topics of body image and harassment are of high interest, so this is a much-needed book in middle and high school collections. Recommended for grades 8-10. #youngteenlit

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

 

Maddie's Dad is a secret service agent, and when a plot to kill the First Lady of the United States goes wrong, he quits the secret service and takes his daughter with him to live off the grid in Alaska. Maddie is crushed to leave her best friend Logan behind, and receives not a single reply to her many snail mail letters. Six years later, when Logan shows up in Alaska, Maddie is mad. But there's no time to make Logan pay for ignoring her. Logan is the son of the President of the United States and terrorists know his location. Maddie has to use all of her hard-earned survival skills to save his life. It's a wild survival/adventure/action story that is perfect for young teen readers. Maddie and Logan are both smart, funny, bold, and more than a little bit sweet on each other. Highly recommended for 6th-8th graders.   

I Witnessed: The Lizzie Borden Story: A Graphic Novel by Jeramey Kraatz (Author)and Crystal Jayme (Illustrator)

 

Middle school kids are very interested in murder mysteries, so this graphic novel caught my attention. It features a 14-year-old boy who is the next door neighbor of Lizzie Borden. The year is 1892 and soon Lizzie's father and stepmother will be killed with an ax and Lizzie, the spinster daughter, will be accused of murder. Charlie is the next door neighbor (and there was actually a 14-year-old Charlie who lived next door). He knows the family, sees Lizzie try to purchase poison at a store in town, and even sees the shadow of someone lifting an ax. After news of the horrific crime becomes public, Charlie does a little sneaking around to try to find some answers. His mother is called to testify at the trial, and Charlie is at her side viewing the drama that unfolds in the tiny Massachusetts town. Much of the book is based on the well-known facts of the historical Lizzie Borden murder case, but Charlie's story is fictional. Nothing gory here, and kids might need some context to understand fact from fiction, but I think middle school readers will like this. 

The Beat I Drum by Dusti Bowling

 

Dusti Bowling's latest novel is solidly #youngteenlit with a 14-year-old protagonist and strong disability representation. Connor has Tourette's Syndrome and is starting 9th grade in a new high school. He holds a lot of resentment for the way his father treated him regarding his Tourette's-related tics. Connor, whose main tic is barking uncontrollably, is understandably nervous about starting in a new high school, but he is pleasantly surprised to find a new friend group and a music teacher who encourages him to choose an instrument that speaks to him. It's a story about the power of music (drumming!), the difficulties of forgiveness, the importance of friendship, dealing with bullying, and experiencing a first romance. And yes, Connor's old friend Aven Green from Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus makes an appearance. Realistic fiction at its best and can be read as a stand-alone novel. Recommended for all middle school libraries. 

Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Roentgen

 

Lunar Jones was born on Mars. But life outside of planet Earth is no picnic. Mars, which was cursed by its own dying dragon, is running out of resources, and Martian-born children scavenge for anything they can sell for food or sustenance. In one harrowing scavenging expedition, Lunar discovers a life-changing secret. An underground bunker hides an unbelievable treasure--a dragon that could be the key to reviving the dead planet. And that dragon seems to have chosen Lunar to be its rider. If the thought of young teens on a life-or-death mission riding dragons through space sounds exciting, it is. Scott Reintgen knows how to write compelling action books with great characters (if you haven't read the Nyxia series, read it now!). The Last Dragon on Mars belongs in every middle school library and is a great example of #youngteenlit

The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming

Most kids probably don't know how important secret codes were during World War II. Germans, Japanese, and Allied forces had to send radio messages around the world, and it was vitally important to each side that their messages were not intercepted, and thus each country went to great lengths to disguise their messages and to decode the communications coming from their enemies. This gem of a nonfiction book explains how British citizens spent years of their lives working to break the codes that Germans created using the Enigma machine. The Enigma was a kind of typewriter, but with lots of wheels and almost unlimited combinations of letters that changed daily. The British military took over a large house in the countryside near London called Bletchley Park and they recruited the most brilliant mathematicians and code breakers they could find. They also assigned thousands of young women, many of them still teenagers, to Bletchley Park to help in the work of code breaking. As you will see from this book, those girls did repetitive, very specific jobs day in and day out, never knowing exactly what contributions their work was making to the larger effort of saving lives, stopping the Nazis, and ending the war. 

Candace Fleming has taken this huge topic involving thousands of people, and focused in on 10 teenage girls who left their homes and families to help break the Enigma's codes. The result is this brilliant book, full of flesh and blood young girls away from home, doing important work, while at the same time growing up during wartime. These amazing women went on to live ordinary lives, unable to talk about the work they did for many years (they signed wartime secrecy papers and they all kept their silence). When their stories got out, the world was shocked to discover the brilliant work they did and the lives they saved thanks to their incredible sacrifices. As is frequently the case with Candace Fleming's work, there is much here for teenagers as well as adults. I highly recommend this award-winning book for readers ages 13-up with an interest in World War II, math, secret codes, and women's history. 

The Scott Fenwick Diaries by Kristin Nilsen

 Anyone who has ever had a crush on a real live person will see themselves in Millie, a 13-year-old girl who has only experienced love through her celebrity crush, Rory Calhoun (see Worldwide Crush by Kristin Nilsen). This book picks up exactly where the first book left off, with a note passed in social studies class. Could Scott Fenwick with the swoopy hair and beautiful lashes actually have a crush on Millie? She starts a new diary to record all of her fears and feelings and insecurities, as well as her most heartfelt acrostic poems spelling out SCOTT FENWICK. You have to trust me that this book is absolutely hilarious, yet perfectly true to the feelings of a 7th grade girl who thinks everyone else knows all about French kissing. Millie's bulldog Pringle is a big part of this book, as are Millie's friends Shauna, a Filipina girl who feels left behind by Millie's new obsession, and Tibbs, who strategizes to get Millie invited to Hebrew school just to ride in a car with Scott Fenwick. Millie's Sound of Music loving parents and her forthright, funny grandma also play key roles. There is humor on every page, including in Millie's numerous attempts to swear without actually using swear words, but there is also a lot of awkwardness, sweetness, and one tearful moment. Gen X readers, you should absolutely pick up this book. You will find references to Pa Ingalls, Barry Gibb, and Magic 8 Balls, and it will bring you back to a time of life you may have chosen to forget. I cannot recommend this book more for 5th-7th grade readers (and their moms). Don't miss this one! 

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson

This collection of poetry by the multitalented Renée Watson is exquisite. It weaves together stories of Black girls growing up in a neighborhood of supportive mothers, aunts and neighbors. It's a celebration of resilience and a call for young girls to claim their strength and celebrate who they are. The collage art by Ekua Holmes is gorgeous and the poems are resonant and thoughtful and joyous. Recommended for all middle and high school library collections, and for adult readers as well. 
 

Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste

Coal is a 13-year-old boy who has no idea that he has superpowers. Life isn't easy for him--he's a foster child and artist who has a traumatic experience when a strange man shoots at him as he draws with chalk on a street. Coal runs, knowing that the police will only suspect him, a Black teenager, of wrongdoing. In the chase that follows, Coal finds himself turning invisible and that begins his quest to figure out the origin of his power. On a field trip to a genetics lab he realizes that this lab holds some answers, and those answers involve his lost mother, his past foster families, and the lab itself. This #youngteenlit is perfect for middle school collections, and a definite follow up for readers who enjoyed Shuri by Nic Stone and Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds. Recommended for grades 6-8.  

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron

 

Jess Choudhary is a scholarship student at an elite British boarding school. She's one of very few Indian students, and she only has one friend. She and a classmate write a short story about a murder for a class assignment, and within days, a popular, wealthy student named Hugh is murdered on school grounds exactly how they wrote it in their story. Shortly after the murder, Jess receives a message saying, "Thank you for the inspiration." Jess fears that if she doesn't solve the mystery that she will either be expelled or the next to be killed. The police, a private investigator, and the school staff are failing badly at protecting the students (there are more murders and threats!), so Jess gets to work analyzing all her classmates, sneaking around, and generally doing things that the reader knows she shouldn't do. There are lots of characters and possible motivations and a powerful secret society made up of students who come from old money. Good readers will love following all the threads and trying to predict the surprise ending. This twisty boarding school mystery is ideal for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus. Young teens are clamoring for murder mysteries and finding quality stories that are appropriate for middle school libraries is tough. This one fits the bill, and I can't wait to recommend it to my 7th and 8th graders. 

We Are Big Time by Hana Khan

 

This graphic novel opens with a family moving from Florida to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Moving is always hard on kids, and Aliya is not happy to be leaving behind the basketball team she loves and starting high school in a new city. She attends Peace Academy, a Muslim high school with a historically terrible basketball team. We Are Big Time follows Aliya's basketball team through their losing season, which is full of disappointments, improvements, and surprises. This book checks a lot of boxes in the world of what middle schoolers want to read. It's a graphic novel, it deals with sports, and has ninth grade characters, and it has great cultural representation, which is essential for Muslim and non-Muslim students alike. Recommended for all middle school libraries.

Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang

 Imagine going on a vacation across the world, and then finding out you are never going home again. That's what happens to Feng-Li and her two older siblings. Their dream trip to America turns into a permanent situation, and the siblings are expected to learn English, attend school, and learn to navigate a new culture. But there's more--Feng-Li and her siblings are "parachute kids" who are dropped in the United States without their parents (mom and dad return to Taiwan, leaving their kids on their own in a rental house). Lots of hard things happen in this graphic novel, but also good things as the siblings navigate a new culture and try to escape the notice of the authorities. Middle schoolers are loving this book--there's lots to talk about and learn about and the highly engaging story keeps their attention. This is a must-buy for middle school libraries, and great news--the sequel, Outsider Kids, came out in April of 2025. 

Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi

 

Parvin is going into ninth grade and a boyfriend situation has developed over the summer. She is looking forward to entering high school with an improved social status, but everything changes when she is dumped before school even starts. Parvin decides she needs to find a new homecoming date, mostly to prove her worth to her ex. She sets her sights on Matty Fumero, who is probably out of her league, but she has a plan. She will act like a rom com heroine, not like her usual loud, frizzy-haired, band-nerd self. This coming of age story follows Parvin through her freshman year, including Farsi classes with other Iranian Americans and conversations with her relatives in Iran who are affected by the U.S. muslim ban. This gem is genuinely funny and a great #youngteenlit romance. Recommended for grades 7-10.  

The Right Call by Tommy Greenwood

 

Cal is a 15-year-old pitcher who already has college scouts looking at him play. He's a great ball player, but the tension and stress put on him at such a young age is making baseball a lot less fun than it used to be. In addition to coaches and scouts putting pressure on him, Cal's dad has gotten invested in the game to the point of arguing and even yelling at the umpires. It all comes to a head in a heated game when an older umpire makes a call that Cal's dad doesn't like. There is an argument in the parking lot and the umpire is badly injured. Cal's dad is accused of a crime, leaving Cal to wrestle with his feelings about the game, his dad's behavior, and his future plans. The format of this book is unique--it is entirely told in transcripts of conversations, news articles, text messages, and even poems that Cal writes. It's part of the Game Changer series, and all of these books are great picks for middle schoolers who love sports. Thank you to author Tommy Greenwald for writing books for and about young teens! #youngteenlit

Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald

 

Teddy is in the hospital in a coma with a brain injury after a football training incident. While Teddy fights for his life, we get to read the texts and messages sent by his classmates, hear the conversations happening in the hospital, and read the newspaper articles about the incident. All these elements (and more!) start to paint a picture of a not-so-typical football injury. Teddy's friends and classmates suspect that something nefarious was happening on the football field, but members of the high school football team and even the coaches are desperately trying to cover up the truth about his injury. This is a perfect book for middle school sports fans--and there are 3 more "companion books" in the Game Changers world (Dinged, Rivals, and Right Call). While this book is 304 pages long, the entire text is made up of conversations, messages, newspaper articles, and dialogue, so it's a quick read and one that will lead to a lot of conversation about sports and how we treat athletes. Highly recommended for middle school libraries. 

Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of Best of All Worlds in January, 2025. I am always in search of books for young teens (ages 12-15) and this sounded promising. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this books for middle school readers due to sexual content, and below is the letter that I wrote to the publisher expressing my frustration with what is currently being written and marketed for young adults. This is not to say that it isn't a good story and a well-written book, it just missed its chance to be a huge hit with 7th and 8th grade readers.  Learn more about Young Teen Lit here. 

Dear Scholastic Editors,

One of the popular areas of my middle school library right now is adventure and survival, and kids are always drawn to sci fi/dystopia, so I was over the moon to hear Kenneth Oppel talk about his new book, Best of All Worlds. I could see that it checked many of the boxes for Young Teen Lit–it deals with complex topics, it’s a survival story, the main character goes from 13-16 years old, it has diverse characters, the cover is dynamite, and it’s got a great page count (not too long!). I was ready to declare this the new poster child for Young Teen Lit, but after reading it and mulling it over, I feel compelled to write to you about this book and how, regretfully, I am not going to be able to purchase or recommend it to the 7th and 8th graders for whom I think should be it’s target audience.  To be completely blunt, the very small plot issue of the main characters’ sexual encounter (described by the main character as a “hand job”) makes this a book a non-starter in middle school libraries and book fairs. If I thought this were an upper YA book I would not give it another thought–I would just accept that it’s not for my students. However, this book has all the hallmarks of a great book for young teens, and I don’t think it is quite right for older YA readers, so I’m afraid this book isn’t going to find its audience due to a couple of paragraphs. 

Although I’m a Georgia librarian, I work in a progressive school district that has not been targeted by recent book bans. I purchase books that reflect all my students, including LGBTQ+ books and books about race and identity. My collection includes Heartstopper, Dear Martin, They Both Die at the End and many other books that can be controversial in middle schools.  All that to say that I think I am more courageous in my purchasing than many middle school librarians so my feedback isn’t rooted in fear of censorship. 

I know it’s probably too late to give this book the small edit it would need to be considered Young Teen Lit, but I was hoping you could pass this feedback onto others at Scholastic who might be interested in publishing more Young Teen Lit books in the future. Middle librarians and students are clamoring for books like Best of All Worlds–just dialed down one notch.
 

XOXO by Axie Oh

 

This sweet romance features Jenny, a Korean American cellist, and Jaewoo, a South Korean K-pop star. Jenny meets Jaewoo at her uncle's karaoke bar, not knowing that he is a celebrity in his home country. When family issues cause Jenny to move to South Korea for a semester of music school (she is an intensely serious cello player), she is shocked to find Jaewoo going to her new school, and also to learn that he is part of the band XOXO and that as a K-pop star he is not allowed to have a girlfriend.  Readers get a taste of life in Seoul, the world of K-pop music, and a swoony romance all in one. Recommended for romance readers grades 8-up. The audiobook was excellent. 

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 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. 

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.)