ZM Summer Reading for NCCS Middle School Students 2022: Realistic Fiction

A beautifully illustrated novel in verse about a young Indian girl who tackles the taboos around sanitation in her village. Grade 4-7 (Lexile:620)

Tyler's brain is different. He has a hard time paying attention. He acts out in goofy, unpredictable, immature, and sometimes dangerous ways. Nobody, including Tyler himself, understands why he does these things until his doctor diagnoses him with ADHD. But the label is only the start of Tyler's journey. Between managing his medications, controlling his impulses, and dealing with his parents' fighting, Tyler's preteen years are full of challenges. The biggest of all? Understanding how his race car brain is part of who he is. Biography Grade 5-8

William Wyatt Orser's life is turned upside down after his mother has a stroke, but the socially awkward, word-loving twelve-year-old finds glimmers of hope when he discovers friends who share his love of wordplay and books. Grade 4-7

An eighth grader starts a podcast to protest the unfair dress code enforcement at her middle school and sparks a rebellion. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 760)

For centuries, the Chieftain of Wakanda (the Black Panther) has gained his powers through the juices of the Heart-Shaped Herb. Much like Vibranium, the Heart-Shaped Herb is essential to the survival and prosperity of Wakanda. But something is wrong. The plants are dying. No matter what the people of Wakanda do, they can't save them. And their supply is running short. It's up to Shuri to travel from Wakanda in order to discover what is killing the Herb, and how she can save it, in the first volume of this all-new, original adventure. Grades 5 - 10 (Lexile: 780)

Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent. In her case, that means she can't stand to be touched, loud noises bother her, she's easily distracted, she hates changes in her routine, and she has to go see a therapist while other kids get to hang out at the beach. It also means Frankie has trouble making friends. She did have one--Colette--but they're not friends anymore. It's complicated. Then, just weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette unexpectedly shows up at Frankie's door. The next morning, Colette vanishes. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie's convinced that her former best friend left clues behind that only she can decipher, so she persuades her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette's disappearance before it's too late. A powerful story of friendship, sisters, and forgiveness, Tornado Brain is an achingly honest portrait of a young girl trying to find space to be herself. Grade 6-9

n Chennai, india, after spending his whole life in jail with his mother, who is serving time for a crime she did not commit, nine-year-old Kabir is suddenly released and has to figure out how to survive on his own in the outside world. Grade 4-7

When eleven-year-old Georgie and her sister Peaches relocate to Bogalusa, Louisiana, with their mother to help their Great Aunt Vie, Georgie becomes involved in the search for the truth about her new friend Markie's mother. Grade 4-7

Twelve-year-old Malian lives with her grandparents on a Wabanaki reservation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grade 3-6

With his father absent and his mother working, eleven-year-old Henry "June" Ball must spend the summer on the road with his cousins, "Ford men" who repair old cars. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 740)

A young graffiti artist learns to fight smart against the gentrification threatening her neighborhood. Grade 5-8

A Indian American boy endures a family move from Hawaii to frigid Minnesota and, with the help of three life-changing books he reads in school, he learns to like reading, and ultimately, himself. Grade 5-8

Middle school student Sam is comfortable with their nonbinary identity, and their family has accepted it too (as long as they do their homework and chores), so when their history teacher assigns as a project coming up with a proposal for the new statue honoring a historical Staten Islander (there is a contest involved) they and their friend TJ decide to focus on Alice Austen, a lesbian photographer, whose house on Staten Island is a museum--but they have to overcome the presumption on the part of their teacher that only straight males are eligible. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 830)

Would-be amusement park aficionado Dalia only has two items on her summer bucket list: (1) finally ride a roller coaster and (2) figure out how to make a new best friend. But when her dad suddenly announces that he's engaged, Dalia's schemes come to a screeching halt. With Dalia's future stepsister Alexa heading back to college soon, the grown-ups want the girls to spend the last weeks of summer bonding--meaning Alexa has to cancel the amusement park road trip she's been planning for months. Luckily Dalia comes up with a new plan: If she joins Alexa on her trip and brings Rani, the new girl from her swim team, along maybe she can have the perfect summer after all. But what starts out as a week of funnel cakes and Lazy River rides goes off the rails when Dalia discovers that Alexa's girlfriend is joining the trip. And keeping Alexa's secret makes Dalia realize one of her own: She might have more-than-friend feelings for Rani. Grade 5-8

When Maisie reconnects with her estranged 22-year-old brother abroad while trying to save her family's portrait studio, she uncovers a truth about her parents that changes everything. Grade 6-8

While searching the woods that used to be their personal sanctuary, twelve-year-old Aubrey recalls the events and incidents preceding their best friend's disappearance and quietly questions their own gender identity. Grade 4-7

Twelve-year-old Alice Jones and her family visit Aviles Island, where her mother disappeared long ago, and forms an unlikely friendship with Leo Mercury, who also wants to use the island's special power to contact a lost loved one. Grade 4-6

On Dead Wednesday, every eighth grader in Amber Springs is assigned the name and identity of a teenager who died a preventable death in the past year. The kids don black shirts and for the whole day everyone in town pretends they're invisible—as if they weren't even there. The adults think it will make them contemplate their mortality. The kids know it's a free pass to get away with anything. Worm Tarnauer feels invisible every day. He's perfectly happy being the unnoticed sidekick of his friend Eddie. So he's not expecting Dead Wednesday to feel that different. But he didn't count on being assigned Becca Finch (17, car crash). And he certainly didn't count on Becca showing up to boss him around! Letting this girl into his head is about to change everything. This is the story of the unexpected, heartbreaking, hilarious, truly epic day when Worm Tarnauer discovers his own life. Grade 6-9 (Lexile: 550)

A modern take on Harriet the Spy , twelve-year-old Drew uses her true crime expertise to catch the cyberbully in her school--only to discover that family, friendship, and identity are the hardest mysteries to solve. Grade 5-8

Ellen, an autistic thirteen-year-old, navigates a new city, shifting friendships, a growing crush, and her queer and Jewish identities while on a class trip to Barcelona, Spain. Grade 4-7

Isaac and Marco already know sixth grade is going to change their lives. But it won't change things at home--not without each other's help. This year, star basketball player Isaac plans on finally keeping up with his schoolwork. Better grades will surely stop Isaac's parents from arguing all the time. Meanwhile, straight-A Marco vows on finally winning his father's approval by earning a spot on the school's basketball team. But will their friendship and support for each other be enough to keep the two boys from falling short? Grade 4-7

Junie Kim just wants to fit in. So she keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. But when racist graffiti appears at her middle school, Junie must decide between staying silent or speaking out. Then Junie's history teacher assigns a project and Junie decides to interview her grandparents, learning about their unbelievable experiences as kids during the Korean War. Junie comes to admire her grandma's fierce determination to overcome impossible odds, and her grandpa's unwavering compassion during wartime. And as racism becomes more pervasive at school, Junie taps into the strength of her ancestors and finds the courage to do what is right. Grade 5-8

When eleven-year-old Georgie and her sister Peaches relocate to Bogalusa, Louisiana, with their mother to help their Great Aunt Vie, Georgie becomes involved in the search for the truth about her new friend Markie's mother. Grade 4-7

After Kitty's mother dies on an inappropriately sunny Tuesday, all Kitty wants is for her life to go back to "normal"--whatever that will mean without her mum. Instead, her dad announces that he, Kitty, and her sister are moving from their home in London to New York City, and Kitty will need to say goodbye to the places and people that help keep her mother's memory alive. New York is every bit as big and bustling as Kitty's heard, and as she adjusts to life there and befriends a blue-haired boy, she starts to wonder if her memories of her mum don't need to stay in one place--if there's a way for them to be with Kitty every day, everywhere. Graded 5-8

Struggling with ADHD, loneliness, and connecting with his divorced father who would rather see him embrace sports instead of cooking, sixth-grader Elliott finds an unlikely friend in popular, perfect Maribel when the two are paired in a school-wide contest. Grade 4-6

After an entire summer trying to figure out how to go back to being the person she was before her depression and anxiety diagnosis, Pluto finds out - with the help of a hotline (the Hayden Planetarium Hotline, that is), a new tutor, and a new friend -- that there is no old or new Pluto, there's just Pluto, growing up. Grade 4-7

Three unlikely friends meet in a middle school pottery class and learn how to piece their lives back together again, all the while discovering that that some things can never be unbroken-and that's okay too. Grade 5-8

While twelve-year-old Andi has suffered from anxiety attacks ever since her mother died ten months ago, Zora starting hurting herself whenever she feels out of control; they are both at Camp Harmony, an elite summer music camp, trying to deal with their problems and also the stress of competition--but as the summer passes they find themselves increasingly drawn to each other, and maybe not just as friends. Grade 4-8

Two girls form an unlikely friendship during their shared time in the school nurse’s office. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 720)

mmett and his older brother Luke have always been Batman and Robin, though they're quick to bicker about who's who. Spending the summer at a historic Black summer camp seems like a wonderful adventure for the two to share, but since Luke is there as a junior counselor, he seems to spend all of his time being everyone else's big brother, and ignoring Emmett. As Luke seems to be moving on to new adventures, Emmett struggles in unexpected ways, especially in swim class and the It Takes A Village entrepreneurship class. Without his brother to turn to for support, Emmett works to build a new crew of superfriends, who'll help him plan something spectacular for the end-of-camp awards night and celebration. Along the way, Emmett learns that no matter what, there can be many ways to define family. Grade 4-7

Maggie Diaz of Miami is excited to start seventh-grade with her best friends, Zoey and Julian, and finally getting a cellphone of her own; but after school her friends are wrapped up in their various clubs, her mother is attending college, and her older sister Caro has her sports and tutoring, so Maggie decides that she will find a club to join as well--but trying out ALL the different clubs while still juggling school work is exhausting and confusing--and soon it seems like everybody is mad at her, and the cellphone of her dreams is getting further and further away. Grade 5-8

Etan has stopped speaking since his mother left. His father and grandfather don’t know how to help him. His friends have given up on him.

When Etan is asked to deliver a grocery order to the outskirts of town, he realizes he’s at the home of Malia Agbayani, also known as the Creature. Malia stopped going to school when her acute eczema spread to her face, and the bullying became too much.

As the two become friends, other kids tease Etan for knowing the Creature. But he believes he might have a cure for Malia’s condition, if only he can convince his family and hers to believe it too. Even if it works, will these two outcasts find where they fit in? Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 710)

n Meg Medina's follow-up to her Newbery Medal-winning novel, Merci takes on seventh grade, with all its travails of friendship, family, love--and finding your rhythm. Grade 5-8

Unlike her adventurous orinthologist mother, shy eleven-year-old Loah prefers a quiet life at home with no surprises until her mother's expedition to the Arctic tundra to study birds turns dangerous and Loah, alone at home, discovers her own courage. Grade 4-7

Knox works to keep his family together as they move from Hong Kong back to northern California during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus. Grade 4-7

Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a game changer, providing him—the son of a servant—with an opportunity to improve his station in life. He can't wait to experience all the school has to offer, especially science club and hopefully the soccer team; but when he arrives, his hopes are dashed. First-year scholarship students aren't allowed to join clubs or teams—and not only that, they have to earn their keep doing menial chores. At first Omar is dejected—but then he gets angry when he learns something even worse—the school deliberately "weeds out" kids like him by requiring them to get significantly higher grades than kids who can pay tuition, making it nearly impossible for scholarship students to graduate. It's a good thing that in his favorite class, he’s learned the importance of being stubbornly optimistic. So with the help of his tightknit new group of friends—and with the threat of expulsion looming over him—he sets out to do what seems impossible: change a rigged system. Grade 5-8

When his father moves them halfway across Colorado, eleven-year-old Hugo O'Donnell is surprised that his remarkable talent for garbology makes him popular for the first time in his life. Grade 4-6 (Lexile: 700)

Twelve-year-old Gabriela is trying to find their place in the world. In their body, which feels less and less right with each passing day. As an adoptee, in their all-white family. With their mom, whom they love fiercely and do anything they can to help with her depression. And at school, where they search for friends.
A new year will bring a school project, trans and queer friends, and a YouTube channel that help Gabriela find purpose in their journey. From debut author medina comes a beautifully told story of finding oneself and one's community, at last. Grade 5-8

In desperate need of clear skies as she starts a new school, Madalyn has days filled with clouds that lead to serious storms until she learns the power of community and family after disaster strikes. Grade 3-6

Ten-year-old Anthony Joplin has made it to double digits! Which means he's finally old enough to play in the spades tournament every Joplin Man before him seems to have won. So while Ant's friends are stressing about fifth grade homework and girls, Ant only has one thing on his mind: how he'll measure up to his father's expectations at the card table. Then Ant's best friend gets grounded, and he's forced to find another spades partner. And Shirley, the new girl in his class, isn't exactly who he has in mind. She talks a whole lot of trash- way more than his old partner. Plus, he's not sure that his father wants him playing with a girl. But she's smart and tough and pretty, and knows every card trick in the book. So Ant decides to join forces with Shirley--and keep his plans a secret. Only it turns out secrets are another Joplin Man tradition. And his father is hiding one so big it may tear their family apart . Grade 4-7

Twelve-year-old Malian lives with her grandparents on a Wabanaki reservation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grade 3-6

Twelve-year-old Jake McQuade--the smartest kid in the universe--goes to a camp for geniuses, where he goes up against the Virtuoso quantum computer, the smartest machine in the universe. Grade 5-7 (Lexile: 650)

Receiving a mysterious guitar the night before she leaves the city to live with her mom and new stepdad, Lou believes that if she learns how to play it, she can bring a piece of her old life home. Grade 4-7

In 1984 Los Angeles, Alex is a tomboy who would rather wear her hair short and her older brother’s hand-me-downs, and Wolf is a troubled kid who’s been wearing the same soldier’s uniform ever since his mom died. They temporarily set their worries aside when their street is torn up by digging machines and transformed into a muddy wonderland with endless possibilities. To pass the hot summer days, the two best friends seize the opportunity to turn Muscatel Avenue into a battleground and launch a gleeful street war against the rival neighborhood kids.

But when Alex and Wolf make their headquarters inside a deep trench, Alex’s grandmother warns them that some buried things want to be found and some want to stay hidden and forgotten. Although she has the wisdom of someone who has survived the Mexican Revolution, the Spanish Flu, and immigration to a new country, the kids ignore her warning, unearthing more than they bargained for. Grade 4-6

Twelve-year-old Xavier Moon gets the courage to step out of the shadows when his great-uncle gives him some outlandish socks and some even stranger requests. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 760)

From wind-breathing dragons to first crushes, This Is Our Rainbow features story after story of joyful, proud LGBTQA+ representation. You will fall in love with this insightful, poignant anthology of queer fantasy, historical, and contemporary stories from authors. Grades 5-7 (Lexile: 770)

The twelve kids in the seventh grade at Fawn Creek K-12 have been together all their lives so when graceful Orchid Mason arrives, with exotic clothes and glorious hair, the other seventh graders don't know what to think. Grade 4-7

He's known as the class troublemaker. She's known as the bookworm. But when every note they send is anonymous, identity is suddenly what they make it. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 620)

A young graffiti artist learns to fight smart against the gentrification threatening her neighborhood. Grade 5-8

Twelve-year-old Wren, who is learning special effects makeup, is thrilled to be makeup artist for her new school's production of Wicked, but her parents' divorce is seriously affecting her mother. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 630)

When Jayden and his teammates find out there's not going to be a Hoop Group this year--and maybe ever again--they have to learn to lean on each other if they want to save their basketball season. Grade 3-6

Twelve-year-old Yasmeen Khoury is unhappy that her family has moved from Detroit to San Antonio, Texas, leaving her friends and Arab Christian community behind; from the very first day at school Yasmeen feels completely isolated and out of place, but she slowly makes friends with a Mexican boy, Carlos, and her Jewish neighbor, Ayelet Cohen, although she feels like she has to hide these friendships, especially from her Palestinian father, a native of Jerusalem--more than anything Yasmeen just wants to be American but it seems like she can not escape the ethnic tensions that swirl around her. Grade 5-8

William Wyatt Orser's life is turned upside down after his mother has a stroke, but the socially awkward, word-loving twelve-year-old finds glimmers of hope when he discovers friends who share his love of wordplay and books. Grade 4-7

A Indian American boy endures a family move from Hawaii to frigid Minnesota and, with the help of three life-changing books he reads in school, he learns to like reading, and ultimately, himself. Grade 5-8

Twelve-year-old Alice Jones and her family visit Aviles Island, where her mother disappeared long ago, and forms an unlikely friendship with Leo Mercury, who also wants to use the island's special power to contact a lost loved one. Grade 4-6

n Chennai, india, after spending his whole life in jail with his mother, who is serving time for a crime she did not commit, nine-year-old Kabir is suddenly released and has to figure out how to survive on his own in the outside world. Grade 4-7

When Annabelle learns that her father shares something big--and surprising--in common with her new nonbinary friend, she begins to see herself, and her family, in a whole new light. Grade 4-7

A chronically frustrated eleven-year-old girl named Gwendolyn Rogers comes to realize she has an undiagnosed mental health issue and tries every way possible to get control of her emotions. Grade 4-7

Junie Kim just wants to fit in. So she keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. But when racist graffiti appears at her middle school, Junie must decide between staying silent or speaking out. Then Junie's history teacher assigns a project and Junie decides to interview her grandparents, learning about their unbelievable experiences as kids during the Korean War. Junie comes to admire her grandma's fierce determination to overcome impossible odds, and her grandpa's unwavering compassion during wartime. And as racism becomes more pervasive at school, Junie taps into the strength of her ancestors and finds the courage to do what is right. Grade 5-8

After Kitty's mother dies on an inappropriately sunny Tuesday, all Kitty wants is for her life to go back to "normal"--whatever that will mean without her mum. Instead, her dad announces that he, Kitty, and her sister are moving from their home in London to New York City, and Kitty will need to say goodbye to the places and people that help keep her mother's memory alive. New York is every bit as big and bustling as Kitty's heard, and as she adjusts to life there and befriends a blue-haired boy, she starts to wonder if her memories of her mum don't need to stay in one place--if there's a way for them to be with Kitty every day, everywhere. Graded 5-8

For two years, twelve-year-old Hazel has coped with her Mum's accidental death by overprotecting her sister and Mama, but when Mama reconnects with her first love, roles begin to shift. Grade 4-7

When his brother Theo returns home from World War II cold and distant, Charlie soon discovers that Theo's heart has been consumed by a war wolf, which lives off of grief, and must get Theo's heart back before it's too late. Grade 5-8

While twelve-year-old Andi has suffered from anxiety attacks ever since her mother died ten months ago, Zora starting hurting herself whenever she feels out of control; they are both at Camp Harmony, an elite summer music camp, trying to deal with their problems and also the stress of competition--but as the summer passes they find themselves increasingly drawn to each other, and maybe not just as friends. Grade 4-8

Two girls form an unlikely friendship during their shared time in the school nurse’s office. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 720)

Knox works to keep his family together as they move from Hong Kong back to northern California during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus. Grade 4-7

Ten-year-old Anthony Joplin has made it to double digits! Which means he's finally old enough to play in the spades tournament every Joplin Man before him seems to have won. So while Ant's friends are stressing about fifth grade homework and girls, Ant only has one thing on his mind: how he'll measure up to his father's expectations at the card table. Then Ant's best friend gets grounded, and he's forced to find another spades partner. And Shirley, the new girl in his class, isn't exactly who he has in mind. She talks a whole lot of trash- way more than his old partner. Plus, he's not sure that his father wants him playing with a girl. But she's smart and tough and pretty, and knows every card trick in the book. So Ant decides to join forces with Shirley--and keep his plans a secret. Only it turns out secrets are another Joplin Man tradition. And his father is hiding one so big it may tear their family apart . Grade 4-7

Twelve-year-old Xavier Moon gets the courage to step out of the shadows when his great-uncle gives him some outlandish socks and some even stranger requests. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 760)

Twelve-year-old Golden Maroni starts eighth grade determined to be master of his universe, but learns he cannot control everything on the soccer field, in his friendships, and especially in facing his father's incurable disease. Gr. 4-8 (Lexile: 590)

In the summer before middle school, eleven-year-old Bug must contend with best friend Moira suddenly caring about clothes, makeup, and boys; a ghost haunting; and the truth about Bug's gender identity. Grade 4-7

When a powerful desert spirit kidnaps her sister, Cece Rios must learn forbidden magic to get her back. Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits roam the desert and threaten humankind. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas, much to her family's disapproval. After all, only brujas--humans who capture and control criaturas--consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime. When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, Cece is determined to bring Juana back. To get into Devil's Alley, though, she'll have to become a bruja herself--while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans and agrees to help her on her journey. With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family--and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way. Grade 4-8

n Meg Medina's follow-up to her Newbery Medal-winning novel, Merci takes on seventh grade, with all its travails of friendship, family, love--and finding your rhythm. Grade 5-8

In 1910 New York City, four years after her Irish immigrant father dies of tuberculosis, ten-year-old Essie's fear and anxiety continue to grow uncontrollably, so much that when her mother, a brave nurse, remarries and the family moves to North Brother Island, where Essie's new stepfather runs a quarantine hospital for the incurably sick, Essie imagines all manner of horrors, including the ghost of a little girl--which might not be imaginary after all. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 720)

A chronically frustrated eleven-year-old girl named Gwendolyn Rogers comes to realize she has an undiagnosed mental health issue and tries every way possible to get control of her emotions. Grade 4-7

Receiving a mysterious guitar the night before she leaves the city to live with her mom and new stepdad, Lou believes that if she learns how to play it, she can bring a piece of her old life home. Grade 4-7

William Wyatt Orser's life is turned upside down after his mother has a stroke, but the socially awkward, word-loving twelve-year-old finds glimmers of hope when he discovers friends who share his love of wordplay and books. Grade 4-7

In the summer before middle school, eleven-year-old Bug must contend with best friend Moira suddenly caring about clothes, makeup, and boys; a ghost haunting; and the truth about Bug's gender identity. Grade 4-7

Knox works to keep his family together as they move from Hong Kong back to northern California during the initial outbreak of the coronavirus. Grade 4-7

When Annabelle learns that her father shares something big--and surprising--in common with her new nonbinary friend, she begins to see herself, and her family, in a whole new light. Grade 4-7

Would-be amusement park aficionado Dalia only has two items on her summer bucket list: (1) finally ride a roller coaster and (2) figure out how to make a new best friend. But when her dad suddenly announces that he's engaged, Dalia's schemes come to a screeching halt. With Dalia's future stepsister Alexa heading back to college soon, the grown-ups want the girls to spend the last weeks of summer bonding--meaning Alexa has to cancel the amusement park road trip she's been planning for months. Luckily Dalia comes up with a new plan: If she joins Alexa on her trip and brings Rani, the new girl from her swim team, along maybe she can have the perfect summer after all. But what starts out as a week of funnel cakes and Lazy River rides goes off the rails when Dalia discovers that Alexa's girlfriend is joining the trip. And keeping Alexa's secret makes Dalia realize one of her own: She might have more-than-friend feelings for Rani. Grade 5-8

A long ago accident. An isolated girl named Aviva. A community that wants to help, but doesn't know how. And a ghostly dybbuk, that no one but Aviva can see, causing mayhem and mischief that everyone blames on her. That is the setting for this suspenseful novel of a girl who seems to have lost everything, including her best friend Kayla, and a mother who was once vibrant and popular, but who now can't always get out of bed in the morning. As tensions escalate in the Jewish community of Beacon with incidents of vandalism and a swastika carved into new concrete poured near the synagogue, so does the tension grow between Aviva and Kayla and the girls at their school, and so do the actions of the dybbuk grow worse, Grade 4-6

Eleven-year-old Sadie Mitchell-Rosen is having trouble fitting in at school and at home, so when she meets a dog named Dewey things seem to get better for her. Grade 4-7

Ato has always seen his father as a real-life Superman, maybe even with a bit of Iron Man and the Hulk mixed in. When he dies, Ato and his mother are devastated, and struggle to put the pieces of their lives back together. So when Ato’s mother decides he should spend the summer with his grandmother, he isn’t sure what to expect. It certainly isn’t arriving to find her preparing to bury the family sofa. As the summer goes by, Nana tells stories about the couch that span generations and that are by turns hilarious and heartbreaking. In listening, Ato discovers his father’s vibrant, complicated life, and learns to honor his past with hope for his future.

Whimsical and wise, Crossing the Stream is a big-hearted story of loss and love set in contemporary Accra, from one of Ghana’s most lauded children’s book authors. Grade 4-6

When Annabelle learns that her father shares something big--and surprising--in common with her new nonbinary friend, she begins to see herself, and her family, in a whole new light. Grade 4-7

Ellen, an autistic thirteen-year-old, navigates a new city, shifting friendships, a growing crush, and her queer and Jewish identities while on a class trip to Barcelona, Spain. Grade 4-7

A chronically frustrated eleven-year-old girl named Gwendolyn Rogers comes to realize she has an undiagnosed mental health issue and tries every way possible to get control of her emotions. Grade 4-7

n the summer of 1987 in Venice, California, ten-year-old Bug and her new friend Frankie learn important lessons about life, family, being your true self, and how to navigate in a world that is not always just or fair. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 700)

Struggling with ADHD, loneliness, and connecting with his divorced father who would rather see him embrace sports instead of cooking, sixth-grader Elliott finds an unlikely friend in popular, perfect Maribel when the two are paired in a school-wide contest. Grade 4-6

After an entire summer trying to figure out how to go back to being the person she was before her depression and anxiety diagnosis, Pluto finds out - with the help of a hotline (the Hayden Planetarium Hotline, that is), a new tutor, and a new friend -- that there is no old or new Pluto, there's just Pluto, growing up. Grade 4-7

Twelve-year-old Hâector Muänoz, fleeing from bullies, discovers a magical closet that not only provides him sanctuary, but also unites him with two other kids facing similar problems at their own schools, helping them find friendship and strength in each other. Grade 4-7

While twelve-year-old Andi has suffered from anxiety attacks ever since her mother died ten months ago, Zora starting hurting herself whenever she feels out of control; they are both at Camp Harmony, an elite summer music camp, trying to deal with their problems and also the stress of competition--but as the summer passes they find themselves increasingly drawn to each other, and maybe not just as friends. Grade 4-8

Fourteen-year-old Marigold's family owns Flexx Unlimited, a hip-hop lifestyle company, and she attends the elite school Flowered Arms Academy, but she has never felt entirely comfortable in the mostly White school, and she prefers to hang out with Justice, relatively new to the school, but a star basketball player; so enrolling in Style High with him, a trainee program funded by Mari's family, seems like a good way to spend the summer--until she meets Kara, who obviously hates Mari and seems determined to turn Justice against her. Grade 4-8

t's 1970's Chicago. Eleven-year-old Matasha Wax is in the sixth grade and just starting to feel the pressures of growing up. Her best friend Jean has been blowing her off, while her parents are in a standoff over her mother's desire to adopt a refugee from Vietnam. And while the bullies in school have started to grow breasts and inches, Matasha remains a puny four-foot-four--which means she will need growth hormone shots, and she is terrified of needles. Apart from her daily reading of the advice columns in the newspaper, keeping up with the Patty Hearst and Watergate scandals, and tracking her parents' deteriorating marriage, Matasha is fixated by the story of Martin Kimmel, a nine-year-old boy who disappeared a few months ago, and whose body has yet to be found. But none of these ongoing problems could have prepared Matasha for her mother's sudden disappearance. When the letters start coming from Switzerland, she knows something is very, very wrong--but no one will tell her what's going on, so Matasha has to figure it all out for herself. Grade 5-8

A coming-of-age story about transgender tween Obie, who didn't think being himself would cause such a splash. Obie knew his transition would have ripple effects. He has to leave his swim coach, his pool, and his best friends. But it’s time for Obie to find where he truly belongs.

As Obie dives into a new team, though, things are strange. Obie always felt at home in the water, but now he can’t get his old coach out of his head. Even worse are the bullies that wait in the locker room and on the pool deck. Luckily, Obie has family behind him. And maybe some new friends too, including Charlie, his first crush. Obie is ready to prove he can be one of the fastest boys in the water—to his coach, his critics, and his biggest competition: himself. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 570)

With his father absent and his mother working, eleven-year-old Henry "June" Ball must spend the summer on the road with his cousins, "Ford men" who repair old cars. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 740)

Benjamin Waterfalls comes from a broken home, and the quickest fix he’s found for his life is to fill that emptiness with stuff he steals and then sells. But he’s been caught one too many times, and when he appears before a tough judge, his mother proposes sending him to “boot camp” at the Ojibwe reservation where they used to live.

Soon he is on his way to Grand Portage, Minnesota, to live with his father – the man Benny hasn’t seen in years. Not only is “boot camp” not what he expects, but his rehabilitation seems to be in the hands of the tribal leader’s daughter, who wears a mask. Why? Finding the answer to this and so many other questions prove tougher than any military-style boot camp. Will answers be enough for Benny to turn his life around and embrace his second chance? Grade 5-8

Eleven-year-old injured soccer player Luz has a hard enough time reframing her identity as a computer programmer, but when her Guatemalan half-sister moves in, she learns what it truly means to start over. Includes author's note. Grade 4-7

Receiving a mysterious guitar the night before she leaves the city to live with her mom and new stepdad, Lou believes that if she learns how to play it, she can bring a piece of her old life home. Grade 4-7

It's the summer before middle school and eleven-year-old Bug's best friend Moira has decided the two of them need to use the next few months to prepare. For Moira, this means figuring out the right clothes to wear, learning how to put on makeup, and deciding which boys are cuter in their yearbook photos than in real life. But none of this is all that appealing to Bug, who doesn't particularly want to spend more time trying to understand how to be a girl. Besides, there's something more important to worry about: A ghost is haunting Bug's eerie old house in rural Vermont...and maybe haunting Bug in particular. As Bug begins to untangle the mystery of who this ghost is and what they're trying to say, an altogether different truth comes to light--Bug is transgender.

What turns citizens into refugees and then immigrants? In this powerful middle-grade debut, Sami and his family embark on a harrowing journey to save themselves from the Syrian civil war. Grade 6-8

Inheriting First Uncle's home after he dies tragically and unexpectedly, eleven-year-old Meixing and her family immigrate to the New Land, where it will take all of Meixing's resilience and bravery to finally find her place of belonging in this new world. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 870)

Eleven-year-old Maizy Chen visits her estranged grandparents, who own and run a Chinese restaurant in Last Chance, Minnesota; as her visit lengthens, she makes unexpected discoveries about her family's history and herself. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 670)

Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a game changer, providing him—the son of a servant—with an opportunity to improve his station in life. He can't wait to experience all the school has to offer, especially science club and hopefully the soccer team; but when he arrives, his hopes are dashed. First-year scholarship students aren't allowed to join clubs or teams—and not only that, they have to earn their keep doing menial chores. At first Omar is dejected—but then he gets angry when he learns something even worse—the school deliberately "weeds out" kids like him by requiring them to get significantly higher grades than kids who can pay tuition, making it nearly impossible for scholarship students to graduate. It's a good thing that in his favorite class, he’s learned the importance of being stubbornly optimistic. So with the help of his tightknit new group of friends—and with the threat of expulsion looming over him—he sets out to do what seems impossible: change a rigged system. Grade 5-8

A middle grade novel-in-verse about Samira, an eleven-year-old Rohingya refugee living in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, who finds strength and sisterhood in a local surf club for girls. Grade 4-7

Before his grandmother moved from India to the island of Mariposa, Muki Krishnan's life was good. But now? He has to share his bedroom with Paati, his grandmother, who snores like a bulldozer and wakes him up at dawn to do yoga. Paati's arrival coincides with even bigger changes in Mariposa. The president divides citizens into Butterflies--families who have lived in Mariposa for three generations--and Moths, who, like Muki's family, are more recent immigrants. The changes are small at first. But then Muki and his friends find a camp being built to imprison Moths before sending them away. Soon after, his Paati is captured and taken there. While devising Paati's escape, Muki discovers that a secret rebellion is underway, and as he digs deeper, he realizes that rescuing Paati will be the fight of his life. Grade 4-7

Eleven-year-old injured soccer player Luz has a hard enough time reframing her identity as a computer programmer, but when her Guatemalan half-sister moves in, she learns what it truly means to start over. Includes author's note. Grade 4-7

Twelve-year-old Malian lives with her grandparents on a Wabanaki reservation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Grade 3-6

A middle grade novel-in-verse about Samira, an eleven-year-old Rohingya refugee living in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, who finds strength and sisterhood in a local surf club for girls. Grade 4-7

Etan has stopped speaking since his mother left. His father and grandfather don’t know how to help him. His friends have given up on him. When Etan is asked to deliver a grocery order to the outskirts of town, he realizes he’s at the home of Malia Agbayani, also known as the Creature. Malia stopped going to school when her acute eczema spread to her face, and the bullying became too much. As the two become friends, other kids tease Etan for knowing the Creature. But he believes he might have a cure for Malia’s condition, if only he can convince his family and hers to believe it too. Even if it works, will these two outcasts find where they fit in? Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 710)

After Kitty's mother dies on an inappropriately sunny Tuesday, all Kitty wants is for her life to go back to "normal"--whatever that will mean without her mum. Instead, her dad announces that he, Kitty, and her sister are moving from their home in London to New York City, and Kitty will need to say goodbye to the places and people that help keep her mother's memory alive. New York is every bit as big and bustling as Kitty's heard, and as she adjusts to life there and befriends a blue-haired boy, she starts to wonder if her memories of her mum don't need to stay in one place--if there's a way for them to be with Kitty every day, everywhere. Graded 5-8

7th-grader Jack Reynolds loves making people laugh but he needs help to make his wacky MyTube channel take off, and making friends is not exactly his strong suit. Grade 5-7

When 12-year-old Max is sent to live with his eccentric grandfather for the summer, he finds himself on an unlikely quest to uncover an enchanted book that contains the key to defeating an unearthly nemesis. Grade 3-7

When 12-year-old Max is sent to live with his eccentric grandfather for the summer, he finds himself on an unlikely quest to uncover an enchanted book that contains the key to defeating an unearthly nemesis. Grade 3-7

Twelve-year-old Hâector Muänoz, fleeing from bullies, discovers a magical closet that not only provides him sanctuary, but also unites him with two other kids facing similar problems at their own schools, helping them find friendship and strength in each other. Grade 4-7

Zia remembers the exact night the Shadoom arrived. One moment she was laughing with her best friends, and the next a dark room of shadows had crept into her chest. Zia has always loved words, but she can't find a real one for the fear growing inside her. How can you defeat something if you don't know its name? Grade 4-7

t's 1970's Chicago. Eleven-year-old Matasha Wax is in the sixth grade and just starting to feel the pressures of growing up. Her best friend Jean has been blowing her off, while her parents are in a standoff over her mother's desire to adopt a refugee from Vietnam. And while the bullies in school have started to grow breasts and inches, Matasha remains a puny four-foot-four--which means she will need growth hormone shots, and she is terrified of needles. Apart from her daily reading of the advice columns in the newspaper, keeping up with the Patty Hearst and Watergate scandals, and tracking her parents' deteriorating marriage, Matasha is fixated by the story of Martin Kimmel, a nine-year-old boy who disappeared a few months ago, and whose body has yet to be found. But none of these ongoing problems could have prepared Matasha for her mother's sudden disappearance. When the letters start coming from Switzerland, she knows something is very, very wrong--but no one will tell her what's going on, so Matasha has to figure it all out for herself. Grade 5-8

Ophelia Harrison used to live in a small house in the Georgia countryside. But that was before the night in November 1922, and the cruel act that took her home and her father from her--which was the same night that Ophie learned she can see ghosts. Now Ophie and her mother are living in Pittsburgh with relatives they barely know. In the hopes of earning enough money to get their own place, Mama has gotten Ophie a job as a maid in the same old manor house where she works. Daffodil Manor, like the wealthy Caruthers family who owns it, is haunted by memories and prejudices of the past--and, as Ophie discovers, ghosts as well. Grade 5-7

Seventh-graders Sloane and Amelia are devastated to be paired for a research project about long-lost jewels, but soon they are finding clues hidden for nearly a century--and realize they are being used. Grade 4-6

Middle schooler Ariel Goldberg must find her own voice and define her own beliefs after her big sister elopes with a young man from India following the Supreme Court decision that strikes down laws banning interracial marriage. Grade 4-7

Middle school student Sam is comfortable with their nonbinary identity, and their family has accepted it too (as long as they do their homework and chores), so when their history teacher assigns as a project coming up with a proposal for the new statue honoring a historical Staten Islander (there is a contest involved) they and their friend TJ decide to focus on Alice Austen, a lesbian photographer, whose house on Staten Island is a museum--but they have to overcome the presumption on the part of their teacher that only straight males are eligible. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 830)

While searching the woods that used to be their personal sanctuary, twelve-year-old Aubrey recalls the events and incidents preceding their best friend's disappearance and quietly questions their own gender identity. Grade 4-7

Ato has always seen his father as a real-life Superman, maybe even with a bit of Iron Man and the Hulk mixed in. When he dies, Ato and his mother are devastated, and struggle to put the pieces of their lives back together. So when Ato’s mother decides he should spend the summer with his grandmother, he isn’t sure what to expect. It certainly isn’t arriving to find her preparing to bury the family sofa. As the summer goes by, Nana tells stories about the couch that span generations and that are by turns hilarious and heartbreaking. In listening, Ato discovers his father’s vibrant, complicated life, and learns to honor his past with hope for his future.

Whimsical and wise, Crossing the Stream is a big-hearted story of loss and love set in contemporary Accra, from one of Ghana’s most lauded children’s book authors. Grade 4-6

On Dead Wednesday, every eighth grader in Amber Springs is assigned the name and identity of a teenager who died a preventable death in the past year. The kids don black shirts and for the whole day everyone in town pretends they're invisible—as if they weren't even there. The adults think it will make them contemplate their mortality. The kids know it's a free pass to get away with anything.

Worm Tarnauer feels invisible every day. He's perfectly happy being the unnoticed sidekick of his friend Eddie. So he's not expecting Dead Wednesday to feel that different. But he didn't count on being assigned Becca Finch (17, car crash). And he certainly didn't count on Becca showing up to boss him around! Letting this girl into his head is about to change everything.

This is the story of the unexpected, heartbreaking, hilarious, truly epic day when Worm Tarnauer discovers his own life. Grade 6-9 (Lexile: 550)

Twelve-year-old Hâector Muänoz, fleeing from bullies, discovers a magical closet that not only provides him sanctuary, but also unites him with two other kids facing similar problems at their own schools, helping them find friendship and strength in each other. Grade 4-7

Two girls form an unlikely friendship during their shared time in the school nurse’s office. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 720)

mmett and his older brother Luke have always been Batman and Robin, though they're quick to bicker about who's who. Spending the summer at a historic Black summer camp seems like a wonderful adventure for the two to share, but since Luke is there as a junior counselor, he seems to spend all of his time being everyone else's big brother, and ignoring Emmett. As Luke seems to be moving on to new adventures, Emmett struggles in unexpected ways, especially in swim class and the It Takes A Village entrepreneurship class. Without his brother to turn to for support, Emmett works to build a new crew of superfriends, who'll help him plan something spectacular for the end-of-camp awards night and celebration. Along the way, Emmett learns that no matter what, there can be many ways to define family. Grade 4-7

Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a game changer, providing him—the son of a servant—with an opportunity to improve his station in life. He can't wait to experience all the school has to offer, especially science club and hopefully the soccer team; but when he arrives, his hopes are dashed. First-year scholarship students aren't allowed to join clubs or teams—and not only that, they have to earn their keep doing menial chores. At first Omar is dejected—but then he gets angry when he learns something even worse—the school deliberately "weeds out" kids like him by requiring them to get significantly higher grades than kids who can pay tuition, making it nearly impossible for scholarship students to graduate. It's a good thing that in his favorite class, he’s learned the importance of being stubbornly optimistic. So with the help of his tightknit new group of friends—and with the threat of expulsion looming over him—he sets out to do what seems impossible: change a rigged system. Grade 5-8

When his father moves them halfway across Colorado, eleven-year-old Hugo O'Donnell is surprised that his remarkable talent for garbology makes him popular for the first time in his life. Grade 4-6 (Lexile: 700)

Twelve-year-old Gabriela is trying to find their place in the world. In their body, which feels less and less right with each passing day. As an adoptee, in their all-white family. With their mom, whom they love fiercely and do anything they can to help with her depression. And at school, where they search for friends.
A new year will bring a school project, trans and queer friends, and a YouTube channel that help Gabriela find purpose in their journey. From debut author medina comes a beautifully told story of finding oneself and one's community, at last. Grade 5-8

In desperate need of clear skies as she starts a new school, Madalyn has days filled with clouds that lead to serious storms until she learns the power of community and family after disaster strikes. Grade 3-6

Benjamin Waterfalls comes from a broken home, and the quickest fix he’s found for his life is to fill that emptiness with stuff he steals and then sells. But he’s been caught one too many times, and when he appears before a tough judge, his mother proposes sending him to “boot camp” at the Ojibwe reservation where they used to live.

Soon he is on his way to Grand Portage, Minnesota, to live with his father – the man Benny hasn’t seen in years. Not only is “boot camp” not what he expects, but his rehabilitation seems to be in the hands of the tribal leader’s daughter, who wears a mask. Why? Finding the answer to this and so many other questions prove tougher than any military-style boot camp. Will answers be enough for Benny to turn his life around and embrace his second chance? Grade 5-8

Eleven-year-old injured soccer player Luz has a hard enough time reframing her identity as a computer programmer, but when her Guatemalan half-sister moves in, she learns what it truly means to start over. Includes author's note. Grade 4-7

A funny and heartwarming account of a shy girl's first summer away from home, where she learns she really can do anything and that silver linings can be found just about anywhere. Grade 3-6 (Lexile: 640)

He's known as the class troublemaker. She's known as the bookworm. But when every note they send is anonymous, identity is suddenly what they make it. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 620)

Unlike her adventurous orinthologist mother, shy eleven-year-old Loah prefers a quiet life at home with no surprises until her mother's expedition to the Arctic tundra to study birds turns dangerous and Loah, alone at home, discovers her own courage. Grade 4-7

A funny and heartwarming account of a shy girl's first summer away from home, where she learns she really can do anything and that silver linings can be found just about anywhere. Grade 3-6 (Lexile: 640)

A triumphant tale of friendship, healing, and the power of believing in ourselves told from the perspective of biracial sixth-graders June and Tyrell, two children living in a homeless shelter. As their friendship grows over a shared love of classical music, June and Tyrell confront a new housing policy that puts homeless families in danger. Grade 4-6

After an entire summer trying to figure out how to go back to being the person she was before her depression and anxiety diagnosis, Pluto finds out - with the help of a hotline (the Hayden Planetarium Hotline, that is), a new tutor, and a new friend -- that there is no old or new Pluto, there's just Pluto, growing up. Grade 4-7

Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika.

Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing?

Because Michael was the first person to see it, he's the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone's looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana's the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone's treating her more like an outsider than ever.

The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past. Grade 5-8

In desperate need of clear skies as she starts a new school, Madalyn has days filled with clouds that lead to serious storms until she learns the power of community and family after disaster strikes. Grade 3-6

An anthology featuring over thirty Black authors and illustrators to honor Black life past, present, and future. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 960)

In the summer before middle school, eleven-year-old Bug must contend with best friend Moira suddenly caring about clothes, makeup, and boys; a ghost haunting; and the truth about Bug's gender identity. Grade 4-7

A young graffiti artist learns to fight smart against the gentrification threatening her neighborhood. Grade 5-8

Twelve-year-old Alice Jones and her family visit Aviles Island, where her mother disappeared long ago, and forms an unlikely friendship with Leo Mercury, who also wants to use the island's special power to contact a lost loved one. Grade 4-6

n Chennai, india, after spending his whole life in jail with his mother, who is serving time for a crime she did not commit, nine-year-old Kabir is suddenly released and has to figure out how to survive on his own in the outside world. Grade 4-7

Ever since Ms. Murphy told us about the witch trials that happened centuries ago right here in Juniper, I can’t stop thinking about them. Those people weren’t magic. They were like me. Different like me.

I’m autistic. I see things that others do not. I hear sounds that they can ignore. And sometimes I feel things all at once. I think about the witches, with no one to speak for them. Not everyone in our small town understands. But if I keep trying, maybe someone will. I won’t let the witches be forgotten. Because there is more to their story. Just like there is more to mine. Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 580)

A funny and heartwarming account of a shy girl's first summer away from home, where she learns she really can do anything and that silver linings can be found just about anywhere. Grade 3-6 (Lexile: 640)

Twelve-year-old Golden Maroni starts eighth grade determined to be master of his universe, but learns he cannot control everything on the soccer field, in his friendships, and especially in facing his father's incurable disease. Gr. 4-8 (Lexile: 590)

Twelve-year-old Arrow was raised by the Guardian Tree in a rainforest protected by a magical veil, but now the veil is deteriorating and humans have entered, changing his life forever. Grade 4-6 (Lexile: 610)

Ato has always seen his father as a real-life Superman, maybe even with a bit of Iron Man and the Hulk mixed in. When he dies, Ato and his mother are devastated, and struggle to put the pieces of their lives back together. So when Ato’s mother decides he should spend the summer with his grandmother, he isn’t sure what to expect. It certainly isn’t arriving to find her preparing to bury the family sofa. As the summer goes by, Nana tells stories about the couch that span generations and that are by turns hilarious and heartbreaking. In listening, Ato discovers his father’s vibrant, complicated life, and learns to honor his past with hope for his future.

Whimsical and wise, Crossing the Stream is a big-hearted story of loss and love set in contemporary Accra, from one of Ghana’s most lauded children’s book authors. Grade 4-6