Refugee: The Graphic Novel by Alan Gratz, art by Syd Fini

 

This graphic novel re-telling of Alan Gratz's very successful novel, Refugee, is bringing the stories of Isabel, Josef, and Mahmoud to a new cohort of young readers. Each character is fleeing from their home country due to war and political violence, and each has an action-packed historical story. Refugee has been beloved by students and teachers since its publication in 2027 and this graphic novel perfectly captures the story. This is a must-purchase book for elementary and middle schools and will serve as an excellent springboard to discussions about immigration, human rights, and courage. 

Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer by Paige Classey

 

Anna-Jane is excited to return to summer camp where she will see her best friend and enjoy being one of the older campers. The summer starts off as usual, but takes a dystopian turn when the camp is cut off from outside communication and no one shows up to pick up their kids. The campers and counselors are on their own, first to survive, and finally to figure out if it is safe to venture outside of the camp to discover what has happened to humanity. Middle school kids love survival stories, and Alone by Megan Freeman has been a big favorite in the last few years. Like Alone, this book is a novel in verse that has a fast-moving plot that will keep readers in suspense right up to the end. The book balances issues of friendship and crushes with the larger issues of how groups of people act in a crisis. This is going to be a big hit in middle school libraries and is highly recommended.    

Wilderness Hacks by Joslin Brorsen

 

Sadie doesn't really want to win a survivalist contest, she's just entering to help our her little brother, Silas, who is a big fan of a 13-year-old YouTuber named Radley Shaw. Radley posts content of himself surviving in the wild, eating live bugs, and reviews of outdoorsy equipment. When Sadie wins and the prize to go rafting with Radley, she tries to bring Silas along but it's against the rules. Sadie actually does know something about survival, and she senses that Radley isn't as great at survival as his influencer status might suggest. The two kids set off on their rafting trip with a wilderness guide. It doesn't take long for a catastrophic disaster to flood the entire valley, leaving Sadie and Radley alone and stranded and lucky to be alive. Wilderness Hacks is their story of trying to overcome all of their bickering and annoyances in order to save their lives and get back to their (imperfect) families. This survival story will probably appeal to outdoorsy kids, but it lacks the edginess to feel like a middle school book to me. I think the sweet spot for this book will be 3rd-5th graders looking for survival and action stories.   

The Lions' Run by Sara Pennypacker

 

Lucas lives in an orphanage in a French village. The Nazis have invaded, making life hard for everyone. Lucas is soft-hearted, making him a target of bullies. The story begins with him rescuing newborn kittens and hiding them in a stable where he meets a girl who is rescuing a racehorse. In addition, Lucas makes a little money making deliveries, and on his route is a German-run home for pregnant teenagers. He discovers that the Germans are taking these babies, fathered by German soldiers, back to Germany to be raised to be the next generation of Nazis. These storylines intersect and Lucas finds ways to be courageous that involve much more than saving kittens. It sounds complicated and like more than a 4th-6th grader might want to handle, but Sara Pennypacker makes this story accessible, compelling, and inspiring for young readers. As a middle school librarian I was hoping that it would lean toward older readers, but it is solidly in the young middle grade sphere and I'm sure it will find many readers who will learn a lot from this story, both about history and about how ordinary young people can be heroes. 

When the Rain Came by Matt Eicheldinger

 

Survival stories are popular with middle school kids and this fast-paced and riveting "Cli-Fi" novel (climate fiction) is going to be a big hit with young teen readers. Aurora is 17 years old and living with foster parents when the rain starts and never stops, flooding cities and leaving people stranded in their homes, desperate for food and safety. Society quickly dissolves into survival of the most prepared, and Aurora's foster parents happen to be peppers who have supplies and a plan of escape. However, when Aurora finds herself abandoned and alone (maybe accidentally but maybe planned) she takes to the water, trying to find a place called "The Hill" where there may be a community forming. Along the way she meets a younger boy and they band together in their search for refuge. The book has several features that make it especially appealing to middle school readers--one is the engaging cover (not a cartoony middle grade cover) and the other is the pace of action (non-stop). It's not that there is no character development, but the plot is primary and the story starts moving on page one. Although Aurora is 17 years old, she seems more like a 15-year-old, which is also makes the book relatable to the 13-14 year olds who need books written for them. Highly recommended for middle school collections! 

The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival by Estelle Nadel (Author), Sammy Savos (Author), and Bethany Strout (Author)

 

Estelle Nadel was seven years old when Nazis invaded Poland and her life was upended. She spent the next years in hiding, facing devastating losses and relying on the mercy of neighbors and strangers. She miraculously survives the war along with two of her brothers. It's a miraculous story, made even better by the fact that it doesn't end with the defeat of Hitler. This book follows Estelle's journey through refugee camps and eventually to America, where three young people without parents struggle to make lives for themselves. Sammy Savos, the illustrator and co-author, masterfully illustrates and tells Estelle's story in a way that draws readers in, never hiding the sadness, fear and desperation of the Jews in hiding. The Girl Who Sang is a gem, and should be read by adults as well as young people 6th grade-up. 

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf (Author) and Jose Pimienta (Illustrator)

This gripping nonfiction graphic novel tells a little-known story about science, survival, and environmentalism, all from the first-person point of view of Lake Peigneur, which literally did vanish one day in 1980. Lake Peigneur, located in Louisiana, had an oil well and a salt mine on its shores, both of which contributed to the bizarre disaster that occurred on November 20, 1980. The lake had numerous people on its waters and shores, including fishermen, oilmen, and miners, all going about their normal work on an ordinary day. The author tells the tale of the 51 men deep in a salt mine, the father and son fishing on the lake, and the passengers on a boat rescuing some of the oil rig workers. It's a compelling survival story, with science and history thrown in. Curious middle schoolers will definitely be caught up in this story, and the back matter gives context and documentation to the remarkable tale. Highly recommended for middle school libraries. 

Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer

 

Ezra Cloud is a Native kid living in the city. He hates it there but his dad is a professor of Ojibwe language with a job in Minneapolis. Ezra would rather be in Canada with his grandparents learning their skills in nature. When Ezra has a run-in with Matt Shroeder, a notoriously troubled bully, Ezra becomes a suspect in a fire that destroys Matt's house and kills his family members. Ezra's family sends him north to work a trapline with his grandfather while the investigation plays out, knowing that an Indian teenager may not get fair treatment from the law. This book grabs your attention from the first page, makes you fall in love with Ezra and his grandparents, then catapults you into an outdoor survival story, then brings you back to the original murder mystery. It's a great story with so much to learn along the way. The audiobook read by the author is excellent, and it will help readers to hear the Ojibwe words spoken. It's a true coming of age story about a young teen finding his culture, learning about his mother, seeing his grandparents as full people, finding first love, facing mortal danger, and reconciling with his father. Beautifully written and insightful and a really great story. Highly recommended for 7th graders on up and also for adults.  

Away by Megan Freeman

 

I am a big fan of Alone by Megan Freeman, the story of a 12-year-old girl who lives on her own for 3 years after being left behind in a mass evacuation of the state of Colorado. Alone has been a big hit with middle schoolers, especially 6th graders who like the novel in verse format and the survival aspect of the story. Away is the companion book--it tells the story of what happens to four other young teenagers who are caught up in the evacuation. Alone leaves readers with a lot of big questions about the evacuation, including how and why it happened. I had high hopes that Away would both answer the questions and be a compelling story in its own right. Unfortunately, the explanation for the evacuation did not ring true, from the logistics of transporting and housing people to the fact that no one comes to the aid of the presumably thousands of people held for years in government custody. Attempts were made to explain how people are banned from using technology and why the federal government isn't involved, but it's all so unbelievable. Putting the logistics of a mass evacuation based on a nefarious disinformation campaign aside, the story of the four young teens in the camp didn't engage me nearly as much as Maddie's original survival story in Alone. Our four protagonists are unnecessarily precocious (a screenwriter, a poet, a journalist, and a lover of mythology), and the story takes a long time to get going. Kids are absolutely reading this book and wanting the answers it provides, but it is not going to be as well-received as the original book in the series. 

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.   

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.
 

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

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. 

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

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. 

Alone by Megan E. Freeman

 

This novel in verse about a girl who is left alone in an inexplicably abandoned Colorado town is a huge hit with 6th and 7th graders. Maddie starts out as a 12-year-old who is planning a secret sleepover at her grandparents vacant house. She wakes up completely alone, and as days, weeks, and months go by, she faces all kinds of survival obstacles. (Slight spoiler--this goes on for YEARS.) Kids love survival books and real danger, and this book delivers. I've had numerous book clubs select this book and readers of a wide range of abilities have enjoyed talking about it and thinking about what they would do in similar situations. I enjoyed the book as well, but I was wishing it was a little more forthcoming about the evacuation and a little more edgy about what she faced. Publishers are aiming at 12-year-olds in their books these days, and this book would have been even better if it had been more solidly positioned as a middle school book. Highly recommended!

Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino

I first read The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman, which got me interested in the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. I wanted to read more, so I picked up this action-packed book about various teenagers escaping, returning, surviving, and not surviving the famous nuclear reactor meltdown of 1986. Chernobyl was a large nuclear reactor located in what is now Ukraine, but at the time was part of the Soviet Union. The Soviet government did not want word to get out that their nuclear reactor had exploded, so rather than evacuate and try to save the lives of innocent people, they waited while pretending that there was not dangerous radiation in the air. This story follows a teen who works in the nuclear reactor as well as some others who live in the nearby city. I didn't feel a strong connection to the characters, but this was worth reading to learn about the Chernobyl disaster and how it affected young people. 
 

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. 

96 Miles by J.L. Esplin

 

If you like suspense and survival and a scary glimpse of the future, this is the book for you. John and Stew are brothers whose dad has left town for a few days. When the power goes out and doesn't come back on, they are forced to make a 96 mile journey to a place where they hope they can find help. The boys have a little bit of food and water, but not enough to survive long in the desert sun. The journey along with another pair of siblings that is on the road and desperate for food and water. After being robbed twice the children know that strange adults are not going to help them--they are the enemy. This is a gripping survival story with some twists and turns to surprise you at the end. Recommended for middle schoolers who like adventure/survival books. Fans of Dry by Neal Shusterman and Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer should pick this book up next.