Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater

 

One teenage boy starts an Instagram account and posts shocking racist images and statements about his classmates including Black girls who consider him a friend. A handful of boys follow the account, some of them liking the posts and commenting on them. Not one of the boys stands up to stop the posts or to tell anyone about the account's existence. When screenshots of the racist posts go public, the victims of the account are devastated and the students in the small California town are outraged. The boys who participated are expelled, suspended, and/or left unable to attend school. Restorative circles turn violent, leaving the school open to lawsuits and lingering mistrust. All the while the victims of the hatred are shattered and living with pain and betrayal. Sasha Slater spent years following this story and interviewing the participants on all sides. This book is an absolute tour-de-force of nonfiction writing. It is compelling and engaging and written in short bursts that draw the reader in to the many perspectives she lays bare. This is absolutely one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read and it should be required reading for teenagers as well as for school administrators and teachers and people who care about what social media is doing to our society and our children. Recommended for 8th grade-up. 

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. 
 

What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski

 

Anna Hunt is the new girl at East Middle School and she notices that there is something strange about her classmates and how they treat Rachel Riley. Not one person claps for Rachel's birthday when it is announced in the cafeteria--which makes Anna want to find out why Rachel, a formerly popular girl, has become the class outcast. Anna, who is an aspiring podcaster, finds herself in the midst of a mystery that includes a fire, anonymous notes, and a game that no one will talk about. The changing format--including some texts and podcast interviews, keeps the story moving along. Ultimately, this is a book about standing up against harassment and how individuals can make things better. Much like Maybe He Just Likes You, I recommend this book for 5th-7th graders, and I predict that girls will want to read it even though it is boys who might benefit the most from the story. 

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

 

This missing person/murder mystery kept me reading and guessing up to the end. A small, cliff-side town in California is the setting--and when a wealthy girl goes missing, her former best friend and a classmate investigate to try and clear the name of her boyfriend, who is jailed for the crime. One of the detectives is Alice, a rich girl with neglectful parents and a history of running away. The other is Iris, who needs the reward money and has an abusive past that she doesn't want to share with anyone. Together the two girls follow in the footsteps of Agatha Christie, tracking down leads, sneaking around, acquiring questionable evidence, and generally being sneaky and brilliant. I will definitely recommend this to my 8th grade mystery lovers and have it in my middle school library, but there are elements that make it less appropriate for younger middle schoolers. Highly recommended for fans of The Inheritance Games, Truly Devious, and the Karen McManus mysteries.  

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McNaulty

 

Lucy Callahan is a math genius and she is only 12 years old. She was struck by lightning as a child, and it left her with incredible math ability. She lives with her grandmother and she's so far advanced academically that she has never been to middle school. Lucy wants to go straight to college, but her grandma says she has to spend one year in 7th grade and learn some social skills. Lucy reluctantly goes off the middle school. Her number one goal is to not let other students or her math teacher know she is a math genius. Lucy also has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which causes her to count every word in books she reads, tap her feet 3 times when entering a room, and sanitize her hands religiously. Lucy is fortunate to meet a friend named Windy, and they team up for a community service project at an animal shelter. They are joined by a boy named Levi, and with Lucy's influence, they use data and math to get more dogs adopted. It's a year in the life of a quirky, unique girl who has normal obstacles to overcome in spite of her unusual abilities. Lucy is joined by memorable adults characters in her grandma, her uncle Paul, and the math teacher. This book includes math of all kinds--it would make a great read-aloud for a math teacher. A thoroughly enjoyable book recommended for younger middle schoolers. 

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

 

An awkward kid goes on a 3-week school trip to Europe in 1989 in this "embarassingly true" memoir. Dan Santat is an illustrator, so it was natural for him to write up his teenage memories into a graphic novel. In this book, Dan is off on a trip to Paris, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and England. He doesn't have any friends signed up for the trip, and doesn't even want to go, but his parents want him to see the world and he is eager to shed his middle school humiliations and missteps. As he travels from country to country, his friendship with Amy turns into his first romantic relationship, and it is helped and hindered by the other kids on the trip. He also experiences an amount of freedom that kids today would never enjoy--and along with it he has some harrowing adventures. It is rare to find a romance story for middle schoolers that is about kids who are 13 years old. The illustrations beautifully capture the sights of Europe, and the writing is full of humor and compassion for the kid that Dan once was. A wonderful story about first love and so much more that is perfect for middle schoolers (and anyone who ever was that age). 

The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

Valentina's father works at a nuclear power plant called Chernobyl, and when the infamous 1986 disaster happens, she must evacuate her city and start a new life with her grandmother and a classmate who was never nice to her back home in Pripyat. The nuclear disaster and its aftermath makes for a fascinating start to the story, but this is also a story of reuniting with family, finding friendship, oppressive governments, anti-semitism, and overcoming great obstacles. I recommend this book to readers from middle school on up--as an adult who was a child in 1986 I thought there was a lot to learn about this incident and about what life was like in the Soviet Union at the time. 

The Golden Girl by Reem Faruqui

 

This novel in verse features Aafiyah, a Pakistani American girl, who plays tennis, loves "weird but true" facts, and has a best friend named Zaina. Aafiyah has a secret, though, and it's one that threatens to end her friendship and get her into some serious trouble. When Aafiyah's father is detained in Dubai and accused of a crime, her formerly easy life becomes more difficult and she gives into the urge to take something that doesn't belong to her. The writing is vivid and the verse style makes for quick reading. However, the ending wraps up a little too neatly and the deeper issue of Aafiyah's need to steal is not explored in a meaningful way. Recommended for elementary readers, but middle school readers could use more depth in its portrayal of a serious mental health issue.   

The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett

Wow...this was a book like no other. The premise is attention-grabbing--an asteroid is heading toward earth and there are only 4 days before impact. The main character is a girl who loves probability and in her 4 days she decides to make a time capsule to remember all of the things that were loved by her friends and family. Kids would love this book if that's all it was but... SPOILER ALERT... it's not really what this book is about. I'm not going to say what's really going on, but I will say that it has to do with racism and gun violence and grief and family and friendship and love...and math. There is a LOT to talk about here and I think the ending is going to be controversial for the kids who read this book expecting something else. All this to say, this book is going to have people talking and kids reading, and that's a great thing. 
 

Anne of West Philly: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Anne of Green Gables by Ivy Noelle Weir, Myisha Haynes (Illustrator)

 

As a fan of Anne of Green Gables, I was excited to read this new graphic novel set in modern Philadelphia. Anne is a foster child taken in by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. She has a big personality and big dreams, and she makes new friends and finds a family to love her. Readers wouldn't have to know the story of Anne of Green Gables to enjoy this book, but those who do know the story will especially enjoy the way the author both follows and doesn't follow the original plot. Highly recommended for middle school libraries. 

American Murderer: The Parasite that Haunted the South by Gail Jarrow

 

The picture on the cover of this book is a close up of a hookworm that latches onto the intestinal wall of human hosts, sucking away their nutrition like a vampire. This nonfiction book tells the story of how hookworms infected people in the United States in the 1800s and early 1900s and of the scientists who discovered why people were sick, exhausted and unable to work or study. It took years to convince government officials of the problem and years to find ways to get treatment to the people who needed it most--mainly rural southerners. Gail Jarrow has researched this topic and presents it with many photos and a fascinating narrative. Anyone (or any age) interested in public health or history will want to read this book. Highly recommended for middle schoolers on up to adults. 

Dreamer: A Graphic Memoir by by Akim Aliu, Greg Anderson Elysée, Karen De la Vega (Illustrator), Marcus Williams (Illustrator)

 

This graphic memoir is perfect for middle schoolers. It tells the true story of Akim Aliu, a Ukrainian-Nigerian boy who moves to Canada and discovers the sport of hockey. Unfortunately, as a dark skinned child he faces overt discrimination and many obstacles on his path to becoming a professional hockey player. It's a story of family and friendship and overcoming great challenges. Akim Aliu and Greg Anderson Elysee spoke to the 6th graders at my school and kids were riveted and loved their book. This is essential for middle school classrooms and libraries. 

Underground Fire: Hope, Sacrifice, and Courage in the Cherry Mine Disaster by Sally Walker

 

The year is 1909 and almost 500 men are working underground in a coal mine in Cherry, Illinois. Many of the men are immigrants to the United States, some are just teenagers, and all of the men have families counting on their income for food and shelter. An underground fire breaks out that has disastrous consequences for many of the miners. This detailed nonfiction book was absolutely fascinating to me as an adult reader. Sally Walker is a master researcher and writer and I would read any book she writes. There are stories here of the women and children left behind, and the desperate attempts by miners trapped underground to keep themselves alive until help comes. Highly recommended for nonfiction readers--but truth be told, this is probably a book that will have more appeal to adults than to children because it's so detailed and nuanced. 

Why We Fly by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal

This is the story of two high school cheerleaders who are chasing a national championship. Chanel and Eleanor have been best friends for years, but the events of senior year are going to test their friendship and bring them adult challenges. Eleanor, who is white, is recovering from a serious concussion and starting a relationship with a star football player. Chanel, who is Black, is driven to achieve and makes some poor decisions when dealing with pressure. The pressure mounts when the entire cheer team takes a knee during the national anthem to protest racism. At first the cheer team has support and others join in the protest, but as time goes on, the school cracks down on the students and it becomes harder to see how to turn a single protest into meaningful action for racial justice. It's a realistic look at how complicated it can be to stand up for social change. Recommended for 8th grade-up. 

Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab by Priya Huq

 

Nisrin, an 8th grader who does not usually wear traditional dress from Bangladesh, is the victim of a hate crime while wearing a head scarf. After a summer of therapy, she is ready to start high school, and makes the decision to wear the hijab every day. It is not a decision that is welcomed by her family, but she perseveres and faces discrimination at school and questions at home about her decision. The year is 2002 and she is living in Oregon, and she has a lot to learn about her own family and culture, as well as how to navigate high school as a person who charts her own course. It's an engaging story with a lot to think about and learn about. This graphic novel is highly recommended for middle school libraries.