Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

 

In this story, Mila is a seventh grader who is receiving unwanted attention from a group of boys. The boys' behavior confuses her, because it feels wrong to her but never crosses into something that rises to the level of something she would define as harassment. She experiences rubbing against her, unwanted hugs, knowing that she is the target of a "game" in which her reactions score points for the boys. Teachers and a school counselor don't understand the severity, and to be fair, neither does Mila. The author keeps the harassment at a low enough level to cause confusion and disagreement among Mila's friends about what is going on. Mila is a relatable character and all of the secondary characters are handled with nuance. While the book is somewhat predictable and comes to a neatly-wrapped up conclusion, I know that many middle schoolers will want to read this and talk about the issues. It will very likely open up conversations and help students speak up and advocate for themselves. Recommended for 5th-7th graders. I predict that girls will want to read this book, but it's boys who might benefit most from walking in Mila's shoes. 

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

 

After nearly drowning (or maybe actually drowning), Cass has a new best friend (Jacob, who is a ghost) and she has the ability to pull aside the Veil and step into the world of the dead. Although she knows it's dangerous, she just can't stop going between worlds. She doesn't tell her parents, who are experts in the supernatural, and when they take her to Edinburgh, Scotland, she is overwhelmed with ghosts who make even greater demands on her. Cass must figure out what her purpose is and how her best friend Jacob is involved. It's a vivid introduction to Edinburgh and some of its gruesome history. This creepy story is a solid choice for 6th and 7th graders. It's the first in a series, with the next two books taking place in Paris and New Orleans. 

Out of My Heart by Sharon Draper

 

This follow-up to Sharon Draper's beloved Out of My Mind follows Melody, a brilliant young girl with cerebral palsy. In the first book, Melody gets technology that allows her to speak, and everyone around her realizes her potential and life changes for her in many ways. One year later, Melody is feeling frustrated by her constrained life and she researches summer camps that cater to kids like her. This sweet story is her week at a camp where she uses a zipline, rides a horse, and learns to swim. On top of it all, she makes new friends and develops her first crush. This book is exactly what it should be and is going to be loved by all the students who already are invested in Melody's story. This is a fine example of how books can build empathy. Recommended for readers in grades 4-8. 

Black Brother Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Trey and Donte are twin brothers, but to the world Trey looks white and Donte looks Black. They attend the same high-end private school but routinely get treated differently based on their skin color.  When Donte's run-in with a bully gets him unjustly in trouble with the law, his mom the lawyer vows to fight back. But Donte finds a way to take on the bully at his own sport--competitive fencing--by training with a former olympic contender. This story centers around fencing, but it's also a story of brothers, friendship, and family. Middle school readers are enjoying both the story and the chance to talk about racism and unfairness. This book will build empathy and understanding and better readers. Don't miss Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes--also a solid middle school favorite. 

Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

This award-winning nonfiction book covers the frantic efforts to build the atom bomb as well as the spying and treason that occurred as Soviet spies tried to get the bomb for themselves. This is history I never learned in school, and I was absolutely engrossed in multiple aspects of the story. Of course, we learn about Robert Oppenheimer and how he and other American scientists were recruited and send to Los Alamos, New Mexico. But we also learn about Norwegian resistance fighters trained in Britain to sabotage a facility in Norway that Germany had taken over.  The Norwegian fighters parachuted into frozen Norway, used cross country skis to travel hundreds of miles, snuck down into a gorge and back up the other side to break in and sabotage a "hard water" production facility that ultimately kept Germans from developing the bomb first.  We also hear how various Russian sympathizers ultimately became spies and turned over exact instructions on how to build an atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. Sheinkin does not shy away from the moral issues related to the bomb. Readers sense the desperation to keep the bomb out of German hands. But we also feel the horror of what was created and how it continues to have the potential to destroy the earth and humanity. I recommend this book wholeheartedly to adults and anyone who is a history buff. I suspect that it will be appreciated by smart teenagers with a strong interest in history, but it may be too much for the average kid as it's a complicated story. Nevertheless, it's an outstanding work of nonfiction by a masterful writer. 
 

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (Graphic Novel)

 

This new graphic novel brings a heartbreaking, gutwrenching novel to a new audience. Lina, a Lithuanian teenager, is abruptly taken by Soviet soldiers from her home along with her mother and brother. The year is 1941 and Stalin's troops are systematically moving people to villages in Siberia where they are forced to do hard labor and given minimal shelter and food. This chronicle of Lina's family's struggles is fictional, but based on real stories from survivors of these atrocities. Lina is an artist and finds ways to use her art to send messages to her father who she believes is imprisoned by the Russians. The captives react in a range of ways--some are generous, some are cruel, some give up, some collude with the enemy. I was deeply affected by the original novel, and this new graphic novel reminded me of how important this story is. Both are highly recommended for grades 7-up. This is definitely a young adult book that adults can and should read. 

Slay by Brittney Morris

 

Kiera is an honor student by day and a game developer by night. No one knows that she developed the multiplayer card-based online gaming world called Slay--not even her sister or her parents or her boyfriend Malcolm. Slay is a safe space for Black gamers from around the world, and is based on Black culture, cameraderie, and excellence. Kiera is proud of the world she has developed along with a virtual partner in Paris, and is devastated to hear that a Black teen is murdered over a dispute relating to the game. Now Slay is in the news and it's only a matter of time untli the game's developers are publically outed and potentially even sued. All the while, Kiera deals with a white best friend who doesn't always understand her difficulties, a Black boyfriend who becomes controlling and insular, and a sister who she has never been close with. Slay spoke to me on multiple levels--the story is riveting and enjoyable on its own. But what makes it really special is the honest discussion of race and privilege, and the many ways that Black young people express their culture. This book will build empathy among non-Black readers, and will also be enjoyed as a good story. Recommended to 8th graders-up due to some mature content. 

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

 

In a bit of a reverse Little Mermaid story, Morgan, a 15-year-old girl living on an island, longs to grow up and get off the island and find a place where she can let her true self be known. But when a girl named Keltie appears mysteriously from the sea, she begins her journey of self-discovery without leaving home. Morgan has good friends, but hasn't let them in on her secret world, but worlds are going to collide and Morgan will have to take a chance and show her true self. It's colorful and inviting and will appeal to many graphic novel fans. This sweet romance is a hot item in my middle school library, where LGBTQ+ love stories are in high demand. It's a fantasy and a romance and a gentle graphic novel that will appeal to kids of many ages. Highly recommended for middle school library collections. 

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. 

Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation): An Olympian's Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand

This World War II survival story was on my list to read for a long time. I never did make it through the original adult version, but this young adult adaptation was just what I needed. Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner, became an Air Force bombardier in World War II. His long, harrowing survival story began with being shot down over the Pacific Ocean. He and some companions survived the plane crash, only to be on a raft with no water and aggressive sharks attacking. After surviving this unbelievable struggle, he is captured by Japanese soldiers and endures still more suffering. Zamperini is an incredible person who withstood unbelievable difficulties. His sense of humor, resilience, and attitude save his life and make this an unforgettable read. Recommended for middle schoolers who enjoy action, survival, and learning about World War II. 

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

 

Zoe Washington gets a surprise on her twelfth birthday—a letter from Marcus, the father she has never met who is in prison. She writes back to him (without her mother's knowledge) and finds out he seems like a good guy who may actually be innocent of the crime that put him behind bars. But what can a 12-year-old aspiring chef do to exonerate a criminal? This feel-good novel has some mystery and action, but mostly it's the heartfelt story of a girl learning how to make things right in her world without getting in trouble with her parents. This is the first novel from Janae Marks--can't wait to read her next book, A Soft Place to Land. Recommended for 6th and 7th graders. 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Sophisticated middle school readers have been telling me I should read this book for years and I finally read it for an 8th grade book club. I admit that fantasy books with maps in them are not my top reading preference, but I appreciate outstanding books in all genres, so I knew I would probably like it based on the kids who recommended it. I had to think hard and force myself to get through the first few chapters of the book (who are these people and what in the world is jurda parem?). As with many elaborate fantasies, it has its own vocabulary and geography and you have to get accustomed to the world that is being built. All this to say, once I was engaged with the characters (six young people, all part of an elaborate criminal endeavor), I could not stop thinking about this book. The world-building and the intricacies of the heist are amazing, but what makes me attached to a book is always the characters. Bardugo gives us complex teens dealing with heavy issues in a world of magic and brothels and dark criminals and the suppression and manipulation of whole groups of people. Recommended for 8th grade-up. 

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo

A girl is found sleeping with a goat at a monastery in an ancient medieval kingdom. The girl is Beatryce, and she has lost her memory. She is found by Brother Edik, and when they discover that she is wanted by the king, they must find a way to save this remarkable girl. Fans of Kate DiCamillo will treasure this book in which every word is carefully chosen and the protagonist overcomes some almost overwhelming trauma. Kate DiCamillo has an almost magical way of communicating a central message through her books. I heard a snippet of her on a Minnesota Public Radio show (listen here at 12:00 in) and she put it this way–Bad things will happen to you and you will be okay. That's what a book can do. Recommended for younger middle grade readers, but also for kids and adults of all ages because it's just a beautiful story with beautiful writing. 

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

 

The year is 2061 and Petra Peña boards a spacecraft as part of an effort to save humanity. A comet is about to hit the earth and a small group of humans is going to a distant planet. Petra says a tearful goodbye to her grandmother, a storyteller, and prepares to be put into a suspended state for hundreds of years. Her parents are scientists, but Petra longs to be a cuentista (storyteller), like her grandmother. During the voyage, a cult-like group called The Collective destroys the memories of the voyagers in an attempt to solve the problems of humanity. When Petra wakes up she is the only one who remembers earth and stories and all that has been lost. This is the story of how one young person tries to take on a powerful establishment and bring the power of storytelling to a new generation. Highly recommended for middle school readers. 

What About Will by Ellen Hopkins

 

This novel in verse is told from the point of view of Trace, a 12-year-old whose life is being torn apart by his older brother, Will, who suffered a head injury and has subsequently become addicted to pain killers. Trace and Will's single father works long hours and puts his energy into his new girlfriend, leaving Trace to witness Will's slow descent. Trace doesn't realize what is behind his brother's erratic behavior. What he sees is the big brother who formerly was fun-loving and patient with him is now skipping school, stealing, and ignoring him. Their mother, a touring musician, has left the family, and rarely communicates with either of her sons. The other side of the story is Trace's love of baseball, and the new girl on his Little League team who happens to be the daughter of a Major League Baseball player. Fortunately, Trace has the support of a couple of good friends and an older neighbor. There are middle schoolers who love books in verse, and the poetry of this story flows easily and makes the pages fly by. I found the plot to be predictable, but it is ultimately a hopeful story that will likely have great meaning to many kids who deal with some of the same issues.