The Moon without Stars by Chanel Miller

 

Luna begins this book as a solidly bookish seventh grader who spends most of her time with her best friend Scott. When circumstances lead Luna to recommending books and making personalized zines for her classmates, she becomes swept in to a popular group of kids. She stops spending time with Scott and participates in some "mean girl" activities until her new friends inevitably turn out not to be her friends. The strength of this book is in the details. The author perfectly captures the observations of middle schoolers and the way very small things can seem so big. Readers will appreciate the straightforward talk about periods and the lengths they go to to hide their menstrual supplies, but that's not the focus of the story. It's really about how even the best kids can grow and change and do things they wish they had never done. Because it is set in 7th grade and it contains a few edgy references, this might seem like a middle school book, but I think it will have the most appeal for 5th-6th graders (or even younger kids).    

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

 

Six older teenagers in an RV on a long road trip get stranded in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere. There's no internet, their tires are flat. It feels like a big adventure until a rifle shot alerts them that they are prisoners of someone who wants something. They learn that someone in the RV has a secret and the shooter won't stop until he gets the information he needs. This truly terrifying story takes place in just 8 hours. Red, the 18-year-old protagonist, tells the story and secrets, cruelty, and scares abound. The book has a lot of foul language and is truly frightening. Five Survive is reviewed for grades 9-up. I can promise you that middle schoolers (who are huge fans of Holly Jackson and only want to read murder mysteries) are eating this one up. 

Gaslit by Megan Davidhizar

Ella volunteers to babysit for her nephew on New Year's Eve. When she arrives at her aunt's house she finds the door open and bodies on the floor. She pulls two people to safety but can't save the life of one of the people in the house. But why were people in the house and who disconnected the hose that created the gas leak? Was this murder or a terrible accident? Is her older cousin telling the truth? Can the good looking neighbor boy be trusted? Is Ella's medical condition making her see things that aren't really there? This is a twisty mystery with a YA vibe that's appropriate for middle schoolers. 

King of Nothing by Nathanael Lesser

 

Anton is a tough kid at his school, part of a group of boys that intimidates both students and teachers. His father being in prison has earned him the fear and admiration of many of the boys in his 9th grade class, and he doesn't think too much about the future. However, at home things are different. Anton lives with a strong mother and grandmother who don't like his friends or the way he is acting. His mother gets angry enough with him to turn off his internet and to sign him up for Happy Campers, an after school program made up of do-gooder kids who literally sing songs and go camping and do community service. Anton is not a happy camper, but he is roped into a service project at the women's shelter his mom is creating. Little by little Anton, along with a painfully awkward and nerdy classmate named Matthew, starts to change his ways. This book manages to be truly funny while addressing misogyny, masculinity, grief and incarceration. This is a perfect book for young teens, especially 7th-9th graders. Highly recommended for middle school libraries! #youngteenlit