Realistic Fiction
Skyjacked by Paul Griffin
By Janie Cheaney |
Five high school students and one air-traffic intern will be severely tested as their private plane is Skyjacked. Skyjacked by Paul Griffin. Scholastic, 2019, 227 ...
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The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
By Janie Cheaney |
The Downstairs Girl explores the social mores and prejudices of late-19th-century Atlanta through the eyes of a resourceful and gifted Chinese teen. The Downstairs Girl ...
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*Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
By Janie Cheaney |
The “insignificant events” befalling a girl without arms throw the rough transitions of middle school into sharp, yet humorous, relief. *Insignificant Events in the Life ...
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Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
By Janie Cheaney |
The “momentous event" of transitioning to high school presents Aven Green, the armless girl-wonder, with new challenges. Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus ...
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White Bird by R. J. Palacio
By Janie Cheaney |
In White Bird, a graphic novel, the best-selling author of Wonder traces the holocaust history of a Wonder character's grandmother. White Bird (a Wonder Story) ...
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Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen
By Janie Cheaney |
Words on Fire explores a little-known chapter of European history to make a case for the necessity of words, literature, and language to a culture. ...
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Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo
By Janie Cheaney |
Beverly Tapinski, the sharp-edged friend of Raymie Nightingale, overcomes a rough upbringing in the final volume of DiCamillo's series. Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo. ...
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Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
By Janie Cheaney |
A displaced Muslim girl adjusts to America as a second, "Other Home" in this well-written verse novel. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga. Balzer ...
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Fenway and Hattie by Victoria Coe
By Janie Cheaney |
The Fenway and Hattie series pits an excitable Jack Russell terrier against delivery men and treacherous flooring. Fenway and Hattie by Victoria J. Coe. Putnam, ...
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A Wolf Called Wander by Roseanne Parry
By Janie Cheaney |
A Wolf Called Wander sensitively traces the journey of a young wolf in his quest for a new home and pack. A Wolf Called Wander ...
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Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai
By Janie Cheaney |
An unlikely romance tinged by tragedy makes Butterfly Yellow a winning read for mature teens. Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai. Harper, 2019, 284 pages. Reading ...
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Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson
By Janie Cheaney |
In Some Places More than Others, a pre-teen girl tries to fill the gaps in her sense of place and family. Some Places More than ...
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For Black Girls Like Me
By Janie Cheaney |
A black girl adopted into a white family struggles with her own disability and her mother's instability. For Black Girls like Me by Mariama J. ...
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The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA by Brenda Woods
By Janie Cheaney |
This engaging historical novel reflects on the plight of Unsung Heroes—black service men in the years immediately following World War II. The Unsung Hero of ...
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The Friendship War by Andrew Clements
By Janie Cheaney |
The Friendship War puts a unique spin on a timeless theme for middle-grade fiction. The Friendship War by Andrew Clements. Random House, 2019, 208 pages ...
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Stay by Bobbie Pyron
By Janie Cheaney |
Stay, a heart-tugging dog story. also introduces young readers (in a limited way) to the plight of the homeless. Stay by Bobbie Pyron, Katherine Tegan/Harper ...
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Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre
By Janie Cheaney |
In this light-hearted middle-grade novel, a southern "Rebel" digs into her heritage with surprising and enlightening results. Last in a Long Line of Rebels by ...
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When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall
By Janie Cheaney |
This tense survival tale illustrates contrasting forms of leadership as teens struggle to find their way out of the Brazilian jungle. When We Were Lost ...
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The Mysterious Benedict Society Series by Trenton Lee Stewart
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Mysterious Benedict Society is a clever middle grades mystery series perfect for puzzle-loving tween and young teen readers. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton ...
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*Super Jake and the King of Chaos by Naomi Milliner
By Janie Cheaney |
An aspiring magician discovers the real magic in "Super Jake," his special-needs little brother. *Super Jake and the King of Chaos by Naomi Milliner. Running ...
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Finding Orion by John David Anderson
By Janie Cheaney |
Beneath its crazy premise, Finding Orion is a touching look at family reconciliation. Finding Orion by John David Anderson. HarperCollins (Walden Pond), 2019, 352 pages. ...
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Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai
By Janie Cheaney |
With humor and heart, Pie in the Sky explores the experience of a young Asian immigrant with much more than assimilation on his mind. Pie ...
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Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen
By Betsy Farquhar |
Wren Clemmons learns much about herself, the desert, and true friendship during wilderness therapy camp in this engaging teen read about drug use. Wild Bird ...
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Swing and Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess
By Betsy Farquhar |
Swing and Solo: two novels-in-verse for teens that grapple with music (jazz and rock and roll), baseball, young love, and what's really important in life. ...
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Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse by Susan Vaught
By Janie Cheaney |
An autistic girl and socially-awkward boy team up to solve a crime and absolve an innocent man. Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse by Susan ...
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Last of the Name by Rosanne Parry
By Janie Cheaney |
The New York City draft riots of 1863 form a dramatic background to this engaging tale of two young Irish immigrants. Last of the Name ...
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Quiet Family Dramas: Four Recent Middle-grade novels
By Janie Cheaney |
A roundup of recent middle-grade novels about family formation and dissolution. Stories, like people, begin at home, and no matter how fanciful or adventurous middle-grade ...
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Caterpillar Summer by Gullian McDunn
By Janie Cheaney |
Biracial siblings connect with their estranged grandparents in Caterpillar Summer. Caterpillar Summer by Gullian McDunn. Bloomsbury, 2019, 291 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 ...
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Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord
By Janie Cheaney |
Home-schooled Emma learns a lot about classrooms and friendship "Because of the Rabbit." Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord. Scholastic, 2019, 183 pages. Reading ...
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Beast Rider by Tony Johnson
By Janie Cheaney |
Beast Rider offers a sympathetic take on the immigration issue through the experience of one Mexican boy. Beast Rider by Tony Johnson and Maria de ...
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Eventown by Corey Ann Haydn
By Janie Cheaney |
Eventown is a place of forgetting, but how much forgetting does that take before you forget yourself? Eventown by Corey Ann Haydn. HarperCollins, 2019, 326 ...
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*Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins
By Janie Cheaney |
Mitali Perkins' latest novel takes two conflicted teens to India to confront human trafficking and challenges to their Christian faith. *Forward Me Back to You ...
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Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins
By Betsy Farquhar |
Naima loves to draw, but how can she use that gift to help her poor Bangladeshi family earn some much needed income? Rickshaw Girl by ...
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*Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
By Betsy Farquhar |
Chiko and Tu Reh learn to face challenges and love their enemies in modern day, war-torn Burma in this realistic fiction novel for teens. Starred ...
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*Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary Schmidt
By Janie Cheaney |
To "pay attention" to the world around you is rule #1 of a life well lived, as this winning middle-grade novel shows. *Pay Attention, Carter ...
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Roundup: Three Novels That Address Mental Illness
By Janie Cheaney |
Three recent novels for middle-grade through YA feature characters with schizophrenia or depression. Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin. HarperCollins, 2018, 245 pages. Reading ...
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Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
By Janie Cheaney |
A teenage Syrian refugee is the “Nowhere Boy” whose fate falls into the hands of an American 13-year-old. Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh. Roaring Brook, ...
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*Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr
By Betsy Farquhar |
Astrid, the thunderbolt of Glimmerdal, charms readers as easily as she charms those around her in this delightful middle grades novel. *Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr. Candlewick, 2018 (English language version). 320 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10Recommended For: Family read aloud, ages 6 and up "Blistering badgers!" She's managed to sled —with speed and self ...
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Jason Reynolds’s Track Series: A Winner for Middle Grades
By Betsy Farquhar |
Jason Reynolds is an author we've kept an eye on ever since his debut in 2015 with When I Was the Greatest. That novel, and ...
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2019 Newbery Buzz #6: Cardboard Kingdom
By Janie Cheaney |
Cardboard Kingdom (Knopf, 2018) bounced to the top of the book-review radar the moment it was released, and soon after tallied an impressive 5 starred ...
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2019 Newbery Buzz #5: The Parker Inheritance
By Janie Cheaney |
The Parker Inheritance, the latest by Varian Johnson, is a different sort of book from his light-hearted, fun middle grades heist novels (see The Great ...
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Newbery Roundup – The Books We Didn’t Love (Part Two)
By Janie Cheaney |
Continuing our series from last Friday about children's books seen as contenders for the ALA's coveted Newbery medal. The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle ...
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Newbery Roundup – The Books We Didn’t Love (Part One)
By Janie Cheaney |
Then end of the year is the beginning of buildup to the annual American Library Association (ALA) “Youth Media Awards,” culminating in the announcement of ...
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2019 Newbery Buzz #1: The Season of Styx Malone
By Janie Cheaney |
It’s that time again! Children’s book titles are pouring into every librarians’ website as the kidlit community speculates on who will win Newbery gold this ...
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The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matt Landis
By Betsy Farquhar |
Oliver realizes he doesn't yet know everything about the Civil War in this engaging middle grades novel. The Not-so-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matt ...
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The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
By Janie Cheaney |
An instant friendship leads to potential trouble in this engaging, character-driven story for middle grades and early teens. The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla ...
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Tangerine: Love Your Neighbor Book Club Edition
By Betsy Farquhar |
To date this school year, our Love Your Neighbor Book Club has read Save Me a Seat and A Long Walk to Water, both of ...
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Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
By Janie Cheaney |
In this sequel to an earlier book, Louisiana Elephante, all of ten years old, finds herself abandoned in a small Georgia town. Lousiana’s Way Home ...
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The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller
By Betsy Farquhar |
Natalie is desperate to win an egg drop contest so she can use the prize money to help cure her mom's depression in this sweet middle ...
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By Janie Cheaney |
Amal, a Pakistani girl with dreams of an education, finds her dreams derailed in this engaging story for middle graders. Amal Unbound by Alisha Saeed. ...
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Buried beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
By Janie Cheaney |
Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree is a tough but vital read for thoughtful Christian teens. Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani. HarperCollins, ...
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Black Rock Brothers by S. J. Dahlstrom
By Janie Cheaney |
Wilder Good, now thirteen, continues his outdoor adventures with his biggest challenge yet. Black Rock Brothers (Wilder Good #5) by S. J. Dahlstrom. Paul Dry ...
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The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
By Janie Cheaney |
How a sensitive boy handles death and guilt is the subject of The Dollar Kids: one of our “discussion starter” titles. Ages 10-15 The Dollar ...
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The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie
By Janie Cheaney |
A girl struggles to reconcile her needs with her mother's severe mental illness, in this winsome story with some unforgettable characters. Ages 10-15 The Unforgettable ...
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A Stitch in Time by Dalphne Kalmer
By Janie Cheaney |
A Stitch in time, a quiet story about death, grieving, and change, takes place in the Vermont countryside of 1920. Ages 10-15 A Stitch in ...
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Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
By Janie Cheaney |
Illegal, a graphic novel, puts readers into the perils of a refugee from Africa while stimulating important questions about refugees worldwide. Ages 12-15 Illegal by ...
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*The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina van Glaser
By Janie Cheaney |
The five Vanderbeeker children are back, with irrepressible high spirits, good intentions and miscalculations intact. *The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina van Glaser. ...
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Multicultural Graphic Novels: Akissi and the Dragon Slayer
By Janie Cheaney |
Two graphic novels give readers a glimpse of life and culture in Africa and South America. Ages 7-12 Akissi: Tales of Mischief by Marguerite Abouet ...
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Back to School with Babymouse and Og the Frog
By Janie Cheaney |
Two back-to-school series for different ages tickle the funny bone, satirize social conventions, and even stimulate sympathy for others. Ages 6-12 Life According to Og ...
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Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko
By Janie Cheaney |
The latest installment in the "Tales from Alcatraz" series deals with mature themes in a sympathetic, engaging way. Ages 12-15 Al Capone Throws Me a ...
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*The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi
By Janie Cheaney |
The Sky at Our Feet treats the immigration issue fairly and compassionately, through the perspective of an Afghan-American boy on the run. Ages 10-15 *The ...
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*Hope in the Holler by Lisa Lewis Tyre
By Janie Cheaney |
In this lively novel, a recently-orphaned girl finds "hope and a future" in the midst of poverty and bereavement. Ages 10-14. *Hope in the Holler ...
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Power Forward by Hena Khan
By Janie Cheaney |
Zayd's dream of playing basketball on his school's A-team clashes with his Muslim family's goals for him. Ages 6-10 Power Forward (Zayd Saleem, Chasing the ...
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The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
By Janie Cheaney |
A lightning strike turns a 13-year-old girl into a math genius, but she has a lot to learn about human relationships and living in the ...
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*Sunny by Jason Reynolds
By Janie Cheaney |
Sunny takes us into the interior life of a track runner who doesn't want to run--so how can he stay on the team? Ages 10-14 ...
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*Tangerine by Edward Bloor
By Betsy Farquhar |
A realistic sports story that is so much more than a sports story, Tangerine blends soccer, environmentalism, bullying, racism, and physical disability into a well-written, ...
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The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall
By Betsy Farquhar |
Longtime readers will enjoy Birdsall's Penderwicks at Last, a charming finale to this beloved middle grades series. The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall. Knopf, 2018. ...
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SuperGifted by Gordon Korman
By Janie Cheaney |
A “super-gifted” boy genius bites off more than he can chew in this middle school story told from multiple perspectives. Ages 10-15 SuperGifted by Gordon ...
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The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson
By Betsy Farquhar |
Matthew, housebound because of his OCD, uses his detailed observations of his neighbors to help solve the disappearance of a toddler in this middle grades ...
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Rebound by Kwame Alexander
By Betsy Farquhar |
Charlie is struggling to rebound after his dad's death in this well crafted, middle grades verse novel full of comics, basketball, and a strong family ...
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*Sled Dog School by Terry Lynn Johnson
By Janie Cheaney |
An academically-challenged boy gains confidence and learns responsibility when he opens a sled dog school. *Sled Dog School by Terry Lynn Johnson. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ...
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Learning to Lead: Another RedeemedReader Booklist!
By Janie Cheaney |
In his Confessions, Augustine wrote this on the subject of "time": “I understand well enough what time is, so long as no one asks me.” ...
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Classic Reads: The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit
By Janie Cheaney |
This often-overlooked classic by the beloved fantasy writer introduces six children with lively imaginations and not much prudence. Ages 10-14 The Story of the Treasure ...
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The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
By Janie Cheaney |
The Hate U Give, one of this year’s most acclaimed YA novels, offers a well-rounded, realistic picture of challenges faced by the black community (see ...
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Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
By Janie Cheaney |
In Piecing Me Together, a Newbery honor book, a black teen in a low-income neighborhood carves out a place in the world through art and ...
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Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
By Betsy Farquhar |
Four sixth graders come together in a serendipitous turn of events in this year's Newbery award winner, Hello, Universe. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. Greenwillow, ...
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2018 Newbery Buzz #5: Real Friends and All’s Faire in Middle School
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's our final Newbery Buzz of the 2018 season. Betsy and Alysha discuss two graphic novels for this last round. Graphic Novels as Newbery Winners? ...
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Family Game Night by Mary E. Lambert
By Janie Cheaney |
A trio of siblings and their detached father come to the breaking point with their mother’s hoarding habit. Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes by ...
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Littler Women by Laura Schaeffer
By Janie Cheaney |
Littler Women pictures the four March girls as 9-to-13-year-olds growing up in a tight-knit family in modern-day Massachusetts. Littler Women: a Modern Retelling by Laura ...
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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
By Janie Cheaney |
In Long Way Down, a grief-stricken and confused 15-year-old in "the projects" has a desperate choice to make after the death of his brother. Long ...
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Worthy YA: the Best Teen Reads of 2017
By Janie Cheaney |
The world of Young-Adult publishing can be dicey territory for Christian readers. Nowhere are the latest cultural trends more vigorously promoted than in books marketed ...
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*Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork
By Janie Cheaney |
Disappeared offers teens a complex look at making moral choices amid drug crime and kidnapping along the Mexican border. *Disappeared by Francis X. Stork. Scholastic, ...
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Roll by Darcy Miller
By Hayley Morell |
In rural Minnesota, friendship and rolling pigeons combine in an enjoyable middle grade debut novel. Roll by Darcy Miller. HarperCollins, 2017, 224 pages Reading ...
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*The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
By Janie Cheaney |
The Vanderbeekers, a loving family with normal unloving moments, face a Christmas-eve challenge with humor and heart. *The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan ...
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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson: the Kids Discuss….
By Betsy Farquhar |
Four middle grades kids discuss The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: what stands out in this funny, modern Christmas classic? The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara ...
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Auma’s Long Run by Eucabeth Odhiambo
By Janie Cheaney |
Auma, a bright girl living in a remote Kenyan village, seeks to escape a cycle of poverty made desperate by the AIDS epidemic. Auma’s Long ...
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Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel
By Janie Cheaney |
Caleb and Kit brings together a boy struggling with Cystic Fibrosis and a girl over-compensating for a neglectful parent. Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel. ...
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The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill
By Megan Saben |
Bottom line: When the big trucks take over the streets of New York, the pushcarts push back. Support your local vendor. The Pushcart War by ...
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The Trail by Meika Hashimoto
By Janie Cheaney |
A boy takes to the Appalachian Trail to ease a guilty conscience, in this adventure novel for middle grades The Trail by Meika Hashimoto. Scholastic, ...
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Patina by Jason Reynolds
By Betsy Farquhar |
Patina gets passed the baton in more ways than one in this middle grades novel revolving around an elite track team. Patina (Track) by Jason ...
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Slider by Pete Hautman
By Janie Cheaney |
Slider uses the world of competitive eating as a context for exploring the agony and ecstasy of family relationships. Slider, by Pete Hautman. Candlewick, 2017, ...
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*You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins
By Janie Cheaney |
In this appealing multicultural novel, three generations of a Bengali family find life and love in America. *You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins. ...
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All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
By Janie Cheaney |
An unusual setting makes this graphic novel a worthwhile perspective on navigating the treacherous waters of those middle years. All’s Faire in Middle School by ...
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Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes
By Janie Cheaney |
Garvey's Choice, a gentle verse novel, charts the course of an overweight African American preteen toward self-respect. Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimes. Wordsong, 2016, 105 ...
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The School Ship Tobermory series by Alexander McCall Smith
By Janie Cheaney |
The School Ship Tobermory series takes a crew of likable middle-graders to exotic ports in pursuit of adventure. School Ship Tobermory and The Sands of ...
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Refugee by Alan Gratz
By Janie Cheaney |
Refugee weaves the stories of three children fleeing intolerable situations in their home countries, from 1939 to the present. Refugee by Alan Gratz. Scholastic, 2017, ...
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*Almost Paradise by Corabel Shofner
By Janie Cheaney |
This funny but thoughtful novel takes Christian faith seriously as a factor in the lives of real people. *Almost Paradise by Corabel Shofner. Farrar Strauss ...
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Labor Day Repost: Heart of a Shepherd
By Janie Cheaney |
(Originally published on Labor Day 2012) Labor Day, according to Wikipedia, was born of the Management/Labor battles of the late 19th century--particularly the Pullman strike ...
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In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O’Brien
By Janie Cheaney |
This excellent character-driven adventure saga sheds light on the darkness of North Korea while exploring family and cultural relationships. In the Shadow of the Sun ...
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No Good Deed by Goldy Moldavsky
By Janie Cheaney |
In spite of language and sexuality issues, this satiric YA novel skewers Political Correctness and provides some welcome perspective on “Social Justice Warriors.” No Good ...
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