Hypergifted by Gordon Norman

 

In this third book in the Ungifted series, Noah (boy genius) and Donovan (his ungifted friend) go off to college. Noah is graduating from 8th grade and is offered a full scholarship to a prestigious university to study AI, but his parents won't let him go for the summer term without a friend. Donovan was hoping for a summer of video games on the couch, but ends up moving into the dorm and working (hard!) as a summer camp counselor on campus. Donovan is a good kid with slacker tendencies and a lot more common sense than his brilliant friend, Noah. This classic Gordon Korman story includes a secret society, a kidnapped pig mascot hidden in a bathtub, and a chronically missing camper. It's fun and funny and a little surprising at times. You don't have to read Ungifted and Supergifted, but they have the same vibe and they are all fun books for 4th-6th graders (and 7th-8th graders too). This was not a standout for me among Korman's books, but is still solidly recommended for elementary and middle school libraries. (My absolute favorite Korman books include Restart, Linked, and Masterminds.)

One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

 

One homophobic slur is what it takes to change the lives of two ninth grade boys. One of the boys is Dayton who takes a dare and shouts a slur in his school auditorium during an author visit. He does not understand why his friends and classmates distance themselves from him and the hateful word. After all, he doesn't hate anyone, it was just one word and one ill-advised dare. Farshid is the other boy in this story, and ever since that word was shouted, he feels it hanging over him in the hallways of his school as he grapples with his own identity and what it might mean to reveal the truth to his classmates and to his Iranian family. The school year unfolds in alternating viewpoints. This outstanding book is compelling and thought-provoking and perfect for 8th-9th graders who are ready to grapple with serious issues. It deserves to be read and talked about and will be great for empathy building. Highly recommended for middle and high school collections. 

A Scar Like a River by Lisa Graff

 

Fallon has a long scar on her face and a deep secret that she has kept since she was very young. She's now 13 years old and enjoying her first lead role in a school musical, but nothing is going smoothly for Fallon in 7th grade. The death of her uncle sets her off on a journey of facing the trauma that she has lived with since she was five years old. As she gathers the courage to speaks up about the negative messages in the school musical, she also gathers the courage to go to therapy and to speak up about a much bigger issue involving family secrets, her uncle, and sexual abuse. This carefully crafted book has a gentle tone, but deals with sensitive topics. Students should know going in that they will encounter difficult issues and a story about resilience and healing in a solidly middle grade package. Recommended for middle school students, especially those who like reading realistic books about tough topics. 

Thanks A Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

 

Brian has a lot of family problems, including his father abandoning him and his younger brother at the same time his mother attempts suicide. Brian also is an awkward 7th grade boy without a lot of friendships to help sustain him. Life is clearly going to be rough for Brian and there are going to be no easy answers. Enter Ezra, a classmate with friends and sporting ability and a slowly emerging crush on Brian. This is the story of what these boys do in the face of many hurdles and awkward moves toward friendship. It's a slow and gentle book with a very middle grade vibe, and I'm sure there are readers who will love to find this book as it might help them through tough times of their own. Recommend this book to young readers who like to read about family dynamics, mental health, and kids exploring their identities. I think this book's sweet spot is 5th-7th grade readers. 

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).    

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

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. 

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

Rhino's Run by Robert Lipsyte

 

Rhino is the nickname for the main character of this book who is a high school football player with dreams of playing in college and beyond. Rhino is under a lot of pressure when he punches another kid in the face and gets sent to "Group" with the school counselor. There are bullies on the football team and pressure from his dad and a toxic school environment that is mostly covered up. Rhino lays it all out in the journal that he must keep for his counselor, including how things take a big turn for the worse in a near-fatal school shooting. Ultimately, Rhino is figuring out whether to keep his head down and keep playing football or to take a stand along with his new friends in Group. There are way too many issues covered in this one short book, but I think readers (football fans especially) will not mind. Rhino is a relatable character and it's a relatively short, intense book that holds your attention. Trigger warnings galore (gun violence, physical violence, fat shaming, head injuries, and more) but nothing that makes this book inappropriate for thoughtful readers. Recommended for grades 8-up. 

Break to You by Neal Shusterman, Debra Young and Michelle Knowlden

 

Adriana and Jon are both incarcerated at a juvenile detention center that keeps boys and girls strictly separate. Adriana has just come for a seven-month sentence and her most precious possession is her diary. When she accidentally leaves it in the facility's library, Jon finds it, reads it, and writes back to her. Thus begins a correspondence and romance between the two teenagers who connect deeply through their writing. Jon has been incarcerated since he was 13 years old, and when he turns 18 he will likely be transferred to the adult justice system. Jon and Adriana hatch a plan to meet and enlist their friends and acquaintances to pull off a heist-like operation to bring them together. However, no one knows who can be trusted and there are no fairy tales in the justice system. The adults running the center are pretty much terrible, and the other teens range from helpful to downright evil. It's a compelling and gritty glimpse into the justice system that will really speak to teens. Recommended for grades 8-up. 

The Unteachables by Gordon Korman

 

The Unteachables in room 117 are (supposedly) the worst kids  in their middle school. And this year Mr. Kermit, the worst teacher in the school, is assigned to room 117. The students are separated out for not being smart, for bad behavior, and also for a scheduling error. Mr. Kermit used to care about teaching, but his career was shattered by a cheating scandal and he stopped trying years ago. In his last year before early retirement he plans to do nothing and just make it through, but the superintendent is hoping to fire him before the year is up. The Unteachables can't believe they have a teacher who cares less than they do, but as you might expect, it's a year of redemption for everyone. It sounds trite, but as usual, in Gordon Korman's hands it is funny, a little unexpected, and heartwarming in the end. Gordon Korman is the best, and this book did not disappoint. Recommended for 4th-8th graders who want a fun reading experience. 

Everyone Wants to Know by Kelly Loy Gilbert

 

Honor Lo is a reality TV star who grew up with her every move being filmed for a show called Lo and Behold featuring her and her four siblings. Her parents are influencers who care mainly about their public image as the perfect family--but this book begins with a bombshell. Honor's father is moving out and their perfect marriage is facing an image crisis. Honor has a lot going on. She is betrayed by her best friends and her mother moves the family to a new town. Honor is desperately trying to keep her siblings together and orchestrate a family reunion that will reunite her parents. Nothing is working until the family gets devastating news about her college-aged sister, which may (or may not) bring the Lo family together again. With all the family drama, Honor has a love interest back home who may just force her out of her highly regulated life and into a relationship of her own making. This book got great reviews, but I had mixed feelings. Things I liked: The world of social media influencers was inherently interesting--the parents' narcissism and the publicists swarming was kind of fascinating. Also the sibling relationships and Honor trying to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders were entirely realistic. Things I didn't like--I found the plot surrounding her sister's tragedy to be entirely unbelievable. It just couldn't have happened. The parents were one-dimensional. I didn't feel a connection to Honor's new boyfriend (and I think I was supposed to be rooting for them). Finally, some briefly mentioned sexual encounters seemed way out of character for Honor and made the book less appropriate for middle school readers for no real reason. All this being said, it is still a compelling book about the world of media influencers and I do recommend it to YA readers who like family drama and relationships. 

Hands by Torrey Maldonado

Trev is a 12-year-old kid with adult problems. His stepfather, who is in jail for hitting his mother, is scheduled to be released soon. Trev believes it is his job to protect his mom and sisters, and he decides to go to a gym and learn to fight. As you can see from the cover, Trev has two sides--he is both a fighter and an artist--and the theme of this book is Trev choosing how to use his hands. Trev lives in the projects, and even though he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, there is a village around him that advises him and tries to protect him. I love that his book is short (we need more short books!), and the chapters are only a couple of pages long which makes it very appealing to pick up and read in short bursts. I know that lots of kids are going to see themselves in this book, or they are going to gain some empathy from walking in Trev's shoes. I'm not going to spoil things, but the ending was abrupt for me and I think kids are going to wish they had a few more scenes to wrap it up. This is a great choice for upper elementary readers--I recommend it for 4th-6th graders. 

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

 

I finally read this book at the urging of a well-read eighth grade girl who considers it her favorite book of all time. I was immediately wrapped up in Becky Albertalli’s realistic world of high school friend groups and all the relationships within them. Leah and her friends are seniors in high school and many of them are theatre kids. Leah herself is a drummer in a girl band, but the bonds in that group are being tested. We met her best friend and his boyfriend in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, and they are going strong as a couple and enjoying being out to all of their friends. All the while that Leah supported Simon in his coming out journey, she never had the nerve to tell him that she thinks she may be bisexual. This is her story of figuring that out and dealing with a major crush on a girl who is in a messy breakup with a boy in their social circle. This is a solidly delightful realistic fiction book with scintillating dialogue. I do have it in my middle school collection for the more mature eighth grade readers, but like with most YA books these days, it is geared for older teens and I recommend it to grades 9-up. 

Just Jaime by Terri Libenson

 

This is part of a series of novels called Emma & Friends. The books are somewhere between a novel and a graphic novel. I shelve them in graphic novels in my library, but they have more text than most graphic novels. Jaime is the main character in this story and it is the last day of seventh grade. She has sensed something "off" about her best friend Maya and their other two friends, but she just can't believe that her long-time BFF would really be ending their friendship. In fact, Jaime comes to school ready to confront Maya and find out why she has been excluding her. And Maya comes to school ready to break off the friendship. The story takes place all in one day--when Jaime finds out that she's not invited to the end-of-year party and she realizes that as a newly friendless person, she's not entirely blameless in treating others poorly. It's cute and sweet and realistic...definitely a series that is enjoyed by elementary students up through sixth or seventh grade. 

Chronically Dolores by Maya Van Wagenen

 

Breaking news--we need middle school books and this is one! 

Dolores has a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. It can be painful, and it can cause bladder leakage. At the end of eighth grade she suffers a humiliating incident in a classroom--she pees on the floor then slips and falls in it, giving herself a concussion. In her mind, and probably in reality, she has become a "contagious loser." It's the summer before high school and her best friend, Shae, has ghosted her. Dolores wants her friend back. And when she meets a homeschooled girl who wants to attend high school in spite of her autism and her mother's objections, she realizes that the two new friends might be able to help each other achieve their goals. 

I love many things about this book, with the number one thing being that it is truly a book for teens ages 13-15, which is a rare thing in the publishing world today. Dolores is going into 9th grade and she thinks about topics such as whether her bladder condition will one day keep her from ever having sex. She connects with (and betrays) her new autistic friend and she wrestles with the end of her friendship with Shae. Her older brother, Mateo, is gay and it's not a problem for anyone. Her parents and aunt are key players in the story as well, and their Latinx family is a big part of the story. Dolores has also got a snarky sense of humor--she rates and reviews every bathroom she ever uses, she secretly goes to Catholic confession and questions everything the priest says, and her inner dialogue is just plain hilarious. She's also not always a perfectly reliable narrator, which makes things interesting. 

Bottom line--it's poignant and real, funny at times, and is solidly written for the largely forgotten 7th-9th grade age range. Highly recommended!

This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed

 

Noor Khan is reeling from her father's desertion of her family and her mother's sudden move from Chicago to a small town in Illinois. Noor has one semester left of high school, and she intends to lay low and focus on graduating and getting into college. She and her sister find themselves in a conservative community that has very few Black and brown people, and only a handful of Muslim students--so the two new students attract attention at their high school. Noor finds refuge in her school library, only to find out that books are being surreptitiously removed from the shelves. Against her better judgment, Noor decides to fight back against the book censorship that is happening. 

Romantic relationships and book banning and racism all come into play in this excellent YA novel. I will definitely be recommending this to students 8th grade-up. 

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen

 

Mia is a middle schooler with two identities--her mother is Jewish and her father is a member of the Muscogee Nation. She lives with her mom and stepfather in California and attends a Jewish school. She doesn't have a lot of contact with her father, who now lives far away in Oklahoma with a new wife and children. Mia begins to have questions about her heritage and realizes that she doesn't know anything about being Muscogee. After some insensitive comments from classmates and the school's rabbi about her background, Mia hatches a plan to visit her father in Oklahoma without her mother knowing (her mom harbors a lot of resentment toward her ex-husband). The plan involves pretending to go on a school trip, but taking a taxi to a bus station and riding a bus across the country to Oklahoma. She gets away with it for a short time and makes valuable connections with her father and her relatives there, including meeting her grandmother and going to a powwow. This could have been a preachy book about a girl learning about her two identities, but in reality it's a compelling story that beautifully shows Jewish traditions and native traditions and makes connections between them. I especially liked that the adults in Mia's life are not perfect--they make mistakes and have regrets and do their best to make things right. Essential reading for middle schoolers--and it's a graphic novel which means kids will be drawn to it. 

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

 

Jake is an 8th grader with a Voice (with a capital V) in his head that tells him he is repulsive, he is worthless, he doesn't deserve to take up space. The Voice has taken over his life--and the Voice tells Jake not to eat. Jake weighs himself over and over and over and the lower the number on the scale the better he feels about himself. Jake exercises constantly, lies about his eating, and deals with almost constant bullying at school. Early on in this novel in verse, Jake is taken to Whispering Pines, a residential treatment center, to help him deal with his eating disorder. This is the story of his recovery, his love for his grandma, and his dream of seeing a Broadway show someday. It gives readers an inside look at group therapy and counseling and the long process of healing. This is a rare book that is written right at the middle school level and I think it will be devoured by 6th-8th graders whether they are curious about eating disorders or dealing with mental health issues of their own or their friends. It deals with hard topics and there is deep sadness, but it is ultimately a story of survival and hope. Readers will empathize with Jake and some lives may even be saved by this honest and direct story. It is a novel, but closely based on author John Schu's life experience, and it rings true. Highly recommended for middle schoolers.