Slugfest by Gordon Norman

 

Yash is a JV football star looking forward to a summer of football practices before his freshman year of high school begins. When he gets the bad news that he needs one more PE credit in order to graduate from 8th grade, it means his whole summer is going to be spent with the "slugs" in summer school. An older home economics teacher shows up as the PE teacher, and not a lot of physical edcation is happening. This upsets Yash, but not the other slugs, who aren't very physically fit. In the meantime, a new kid joins the JV football team, and it looks like he's better than Yash. In classic Gordon Korman style, he takes an unlikely group of kids, brings them together with a cause (in this case, it involves competing in a flag football tournament), and we have a humorous, heartwarming, fun book that will be enjoyed by middle schoolers, especially football fans. Thanks, Gordon Korman!

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Kids are clamoring for this series from the author of The Inheritance Games series. The Naturals was first published in 2014 but has had a social media resurgence in 2025. It's the story of 17-year-old Cassie, recruited by the FBI because of her natural ability to read people. She's brought together with a small group of teens who are also "naturals" at some aspect of crime solving. The teens aren't supposed to get directly involved with murder cases, but Cassie is motivated by her mother's murder many years ago, and one of the other teens has a criminal father. So the crime solving is personal, and the naturals get access to some evidence they can't put down. As in many YA books, there's also a love triangle. It's a gritty murder mystery, one that I would say is most appropriate for 8th-up (but younger kids are asking for it). It's smart and feels like watching a crime TV show. CW: mention of sexual abuse, mutilation, and use of the word "whore"

Dropping Beats by Nathanael Lessore

 

Dropping Beats is the rare book for teens that had me laughing out loud multiple times. Growls, a highly confident 13-year-old rapper from South London, is unintentionally hilarious even as things crumble around him. The story opens with a humiliating social media post that leaves him a laughingstock and causes his best friend to disappear from school. Growls feels very much alone until he develops a great friendship with a mysterious neighbor named Siobhan. The story may sound trite (yes, it culminates in a rap battle that has the potential to save the family home), but it's so sweet and clever and funny that I was hanging on every word. Trust me, this is a real gem and I can't wait to get some student feedback on it. Recommended for all middle school libraries. 

Outsider Kids by Betty C. Tang

 

I wasn't expecting to love this book even more than Parachute Kids, but the continuing story of the Lin siblings is even more compelling in Outsider Kids. A snooty cousin moves in with the siblings and upends their lives in ways they couldn't anticipate. Big sister is trying to get into college, older brother is grappling with his identity, and Feng-Li discovers that one impulsive act could upend their whole lives. I was totally engaged in the story and shocked at more than one plot twist. I cannot help but put myself in these kids' shoes, and I know that my middle schoolers do the same. We relate to these characters and we sympathize with the precarious situation they are in as parachute kids in the United States. Recommended for all middle school collections. 

Wish I Was a Baller by Amar Shah

 

In 1995 when author Amar Shah was a ninth grade sports journalist, he had the opportunity to meet and report on some of the greatest players of all time. This graphic novel chronicles his encounters with Shaq, Michael Jordan, and the coaches and players that he rather miraculously got to know. At the same time, Amar deals with jealous friends, awkward situations with girls, and he learns some lessons in how to behave in the grown-up world of sports reporting. Adults will likely be even more amazed than kids by Amar's high school experiences, but kids who love basketball will be thrilled to have a graphic novel for them. 

The Dysfunctional Family's Guide to Murder by Kate Emery

 

The Dysfunctional Family's Guide to Murder by Kate Emery is thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery with a quirky, funny 14-year-old Australian narrator. Ruth's extended family is visiting the rural home of GG, their wealthy step grandmother, when GG is murdered by a blow to the head with a typewriter. Ruth and her cousin Dylan go into full detective mode against the wishes of their parents and they discover that multiple family members had either a reason or an opportunity to kill GG, or at least to want her dead. Our snarky, smart narrator, Ruth, breaks the fourth wall by talking right to the reader, telling us that a second body is going to turn up dead, admitting that she is crushing on her handsome cousin, and letting us know when she's about to do something dangerous that her father wouldn't approve of. There's no blood and gore, but it's a legit mystery with references to Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, and Murder She Wrote. Ruth is an outstanding storyteller. A top choice for middle school mystery fans. 

The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez

 Yulieta Lopez should have gotten the lead in the school play. But the role goes to a white girl whose looks fit the character in the traditional play that the theatre teacher chose. Yuli longs to leave her Texas town and have a career in theatre, and she knows that brown skinned Latina girls like her don't get a lot of chances, so she hesitates to speak up about the racism she is experiencing. But she finds that she has to speak up when all of the books are removed from her favorite teacher's classroom, and this is the one classroom in the whole school where books by Black, brown, and LGBTQ authors are represented. Yuli takes her love of acting and her anger over book banning and realizes that she has the power to create her own kind of theatre to raise awareness about the racism she sees in her school. This novel in verse shows a teen's awakening to her own power, and her stumbling toward finding ways to make her point without hurting other people in the process. The protagonist is a junior in high school, and the story feels right for 8th-10th graders, but younger students could also get inspiration from this empowering story. It does not have the complexity and poetic brilliance of Elizabeth Acevedo's novels, but could definitely be recommended for readers who love her work.  

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. 

Confessions from the Group Chat by Jodi Meadows

 

Virginia is a popular girl with an enviable friend group, but she hides her love of the library and her crush on social-outcast Greyson from her influential clique. When an argument threatens her friendships, the Queen Bee gets revenge on Virginia by posting their group chats for the whole school to see. Nothing that is posted is untrue, but  Virginia never wanted other people to see her mean comments. Virginia is now a total outcast, with one anonymous texting buddy. How will she manage her crush on Greyson, her unknown online friend, and the hatred of the entire eighth grade? This relatable story, full of text messages, will be an easy sell to middle school readers.   

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.