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.