Ages 12-15
In the Hall With the Knife by Dana Peterfreund
By Janie Cheaney |
In the Hall With the Knife kicks off a mystery series for teens based on the venerable board game, Clue. In the Hall with the ...
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Fever Year by Don Brown
By Betsy Farquhar |
Don Brown tells the story of Spanish Influenza in three acts in this graphic novel format nonfiction book for young teens. Fever Year: The Killer ...
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Trees: a Rooted History by Socha and Grazhowski
By Janie Cheaney |
Trees: a Rooted History explores the wonderful variety of tree life in a lavishly illustrated compendium. Trees: a Rooted History by Wojciech Grazkowski and Piotr ...
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Giant Presidents' Day Book List
By Betsy Farquhar |
POTUS POTUS: President of the United States: one of the most powerful people in the world. Presidents' Day honors George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in ...
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Girl Under a Red Moon by Da Chen
By Janie Cheaney |
Girl under a Red Moon depicts life under the worst totalitarian government in modern history. Girl under a Red Moon: Growing up During China’s Cultural ...
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It Rained Warm Bread by Moishe Moskowitz
By Janie Cheaney |
The recollections of a 13-year-old Holocaust survivor find poetic expression in It Rained Warm Bread. It rained Warm Bread: Moishe Moskowitz’s Story of Hope by ...
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All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey
By Janie Cheaney |
A foster child with a troubled past dares to hope for "Impossible Things" to change her course. All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey. Roaring ...
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5 Lent Devotionals (for Protestants)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Do you observe Lent? Did you know that there are Lent devotionals written with Protestants in mind? The early church officially began marking Lent liturgically ...
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Allies by Alan Gratz
By Janie Cheaney |
Allies is a fast, riveting read that communicates the urgency, complexity, and drama of D-Day, the turning point of World War II. Allies by Alan ...
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Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
By Janie Cheaney |
Genesis, a black girl, struggles with self-image, much of which is fostered by her own family. Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams. Caitlyn Dlough ...
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Someplace to Call Home by Sandra Dallas
By Janie Cheaney |
Three motherless siblings seek "someplace to call home" in Depression-era Kansas. Someplace to Call Home by Sandra Dallas. Sleeping Bear Press, 2019, 222 pages Reading ...
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2020 Newbery Buzz #5: Look Both Ways
By Janie Cheaney |
Since his first novel was published in 2014, Jason Reynolds has been on an upward trajectory—deservedly so, for the most part. He was just named ...
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2020 Newbery Buzz #4: My Jasper June and Pay Attention, Carter Jones
By Janie Cheaney |
The American Library Association Youth Media awards will be announced in two weeks, and you can be sure the conversation is hot and heavy among ...
Read More Newbery Roundup #2: All the Greys, This Was Our Pact, A Good Kind of Trouble, To Night Owl from Dogfish
By Janie Cheaney |
Continuing our roundup of possible contender for the 2020 Newbery Medal All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tucker. Viking, 320 pages. Olympia’s artist ...
Read More 2020 Newbery Buzz #1: Beverly, Right Here and Coyote Sunrise
By Janie Cheaney |
Every year at this time, children's book websites brim with speculation about what books will win or place in the American Library Association's Youth Media ...
Read More Major Impossible by Nathan Hale
By Betsy Farquhar |
The true story of John Wesley Powell, "Major Impossible" who mapped the Grand Canyon, told in graphic novel format. Major Impossible (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales ...
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Newbery Roundup #1: The Line Tender, Tristan Strong, and 1919
By Janie Cheaney |
Newbery season is upon us, culminating in the American Library Association Youth Media Awards on January 27. We've been keeping an eye on books that ...
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Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
By Janie Cheaney |
Song for a Whale takes us into the world of a Deaf girl on a life-defining mission. Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly. Delacorte, ...
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Torpedoed by Deborah Heligman
By Janie Cheaney |
Torpedoed is a gripping saga of disaster, heartbreak, and heroism on the open sea. Torpedoed: the True Story of the World War II Sinking of ...
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Follow Your Stuff by Kevin Sylvester and Michael Hinka
By Janie Cheaney |
Young consumers will find Follow Your Stuff a fascinating trek through the global production market. Follow Your Stuff: Who Makes It, Where Does It Come ...
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The Enduring Appeal of Little Women
By Janie Cheaney |
With the eighth major film adaptation opening on Christmas Day, I thought I’d share a few thoughts on this classic. I read it at the ...
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More to the Story by Hena Khan
By Janie Cheaney |
More to the Story closely follows Little Women, but with contemporary Muslim-American girls. More to the Story by Hena Khan. Simon and Shuster (Salaam Reads), ...
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The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer
By Janie Cheaney |
While Artemis Fowl speeds toward Mars, the Fowl Twins step to starring roles in their own adventures in this page-turning series opener. The Fowl Twins ...
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*Finding Narnia by Caroline McAlister
By Janie Cheaney |
Finding Narnia takes us into the lives of two brothers whose childhood inspired one of the world’s greatest fantasy series. *Finding Narnia: the Story of ...
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Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes
By Janie Cheaney |
This oversize, intricately-illustrated picture book relates the story of Manhattan in a series of maps. Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes. ...
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*Long Ago, on a Silent Night by Julie Berry
By Janie Cheaney |
What happened "Long Ago on a Silent Night" resonates down the ages, in this lovely, evocative picture book. *Long Ago, on a Silent Night by ...
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New (or New to Us) Books for Holiday Reading and Gift-Giving
By Janie Cheaney |
It's a fact: readers love to give books as gifts, and we're here to help! When in doubt we tend to turn to the classics, ...
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*Love Came Down At Christmas by Sinclair Ferguson
By Betsy Farquhar |
Love Came Down at Christmas is an excellent devotional for Advent for teens and up: meditations on 1 Corinthians 13 by Sinclair Ferguson. *Love Came ...
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Briar and Rose and Jack by Katherine Coville
By Janie Cheaney |
Briar and Rose and Jack mixes fairy-tale motifs with clear themes of good and evil in a magical and satisfying adventure. Briar and Rose and ...
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*Unwrapping the Names of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu
By Betsy Farquhar |
Mediate on the names of Jesus during Advent with this helpful, inspiring family devotional. *Unwrapping the Names of Jesus: An Advent Devotional by Asheritah Ciuciu. ...
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*Her Own Two Feet by Meredith Davis
By Janie Cheaney |
Her Own Two Feet is the true story of a severely disabled Rwandan girl who finds hope and healing through a Christian aid organization. *Her ...
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Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick
By Janie Cheaney |
Wildfire is a fast read that will take even reluctant readers into the heart of a fast-moving catastrophe. Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick. Blue Sky (Scholastic), ...
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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 Light Princess by George MacDonald {Rabbit Room edition}
By Betsy Farquhar |
A beautiful new edition of The Light Princess complete with foreword by Jennifer Trafton, afterword by Andrew Peterson, and illustrated by Ned Bustard. The Light ...
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5 Questions for a Book Giver’s Interview
By Megan Saben |
If you like giving books for birthdays, Christmas, hygge, or any other reason, you may often be wondering: what would this child enjoy? We love ...
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Games of Deception by Andrew Maraniss
By Betsy Farquhar |
Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U. S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler's Germany by Andrew Maraniss. Philomel, ...
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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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The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundel
By Janie Cheaney |
The Good Thieves combines compelling action and an irresistible “heist” tale with striking prose. The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundel. Simon & Schuster, 2019, 272 ...
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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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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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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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The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation) by Daniel James Brown
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Boys in the Boat is a gripping nonfiction story for middle grades about teamwork, perseverance, and triumph at the Olympics. The Boys in the ...
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Breakthrough! by Jim Murphy
By Betsy Farquhar |
Three unlikely people team up to perform a dangerous new surgery in Depression-era times in this gripping nonfiction story. Breakthrough!: How Three People Saved "Blue ...
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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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Go Build Something! Engineering Books for Boys (and Girls)
By Janie Cheaney |
STEM is big in schools and publishing today, and many educators add an A to make STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Engineering ties ...
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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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Explorer Academy: Code-Breaking Activity Adventure
By Betsy Farquhar |
Learn to break codes like a professional sleuth in Explorer Academy: Code-Breaking Activity Adventure for middle grades. Explorer Academy: Code-Breaking Activity Adventure by Dr. Gareth ...
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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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Cookbooks for Kids and Teens: A Book List
By Betsy Farquhar |
Have you ever wanted to go beyond cookie baking and decorating with your kids? Did you know there are some great cookbooks for kids and ...
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Laid-Back Language Arts
By Betsy Farquhar |
Do you remember your middle and high school English classes? Did you diagram sentences? Fill in endless worksheets with "S" for sentence or "F" for ...
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Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
By Janie Cheaney |
An alternate version of English history drives Queen of the Sea, a lively graphic novel of political intrigue and warm personal relationships. Queen of the ...
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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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The Lady Is a Spy by Don Mitchell
By Janie Cheaney |
This biography of Virginia Hall for young people tells the little-known story of a daring World War II spy. The Lady is a Spy: Virginia ...
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FBI Files: the Unabomber
By Janie Cheaney |
A new nonfiction series features puzzling and deadly cases cracked by the FBI. FBI Files: the Unabomber by Bryan Denson. Roaring Brook, 2019, 140 pages ...
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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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Series Fiction for Tweens and Teens: A Book Series List!
By Betsy Farquhar |
Got a reluctant reader? A voracious reader? A reader with pronounced genre preferences? There's a book series (or four) for that! Book series are extremely ...
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The Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan
By Betsy Farquhar |
A best-selling series for young teens set in a Medieval-esque, pseudo European world that combines adventure, heroism, villains, danger, and a touch of love. The ...
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Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
By Janie Cheaney |
Fast-paced and far-out, this series opener mixes theoretical science with human joys and sorrows. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez. Disney (Rick ...
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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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*Urchin of the Riding Stars (Mistmantle Chronicles, book 1)
By Megan Saben |
A conniving traitor who plots to overthrow the throne by dispatching one family member after another is threatened by a heroic young squirrel who drops ...
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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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Rocket to the Moon! by Don Brown
By Janie Cheaney |
Graphic artist Don Brown give us a comprehensive visual account of the Apollo space program. Rocket to the Moon! (Big Ideas that Changed the World ...
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Our Favorite Mice: A Booklist
By Hayley Morell |
Have you ever stopped to consider how many mice are in children's literature? There is something about these small, unlikely protagonists that captures the imagination. ...
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*O Captain, My Captain by Robert Burleigh
By Janie Cheaney |
O Captain, My Captain encapsulates the Civil War through the eyes of its most famous poet. *O Captain, My Captain: Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln, and ...
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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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The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
By Janie Cheaney |
Four homeless children in India find their own "bridge home" in this engaging novel for middle grades. The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman. Random House ...
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*The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (Retro Reads)
By Betsy Farquhar |
A middle grades novel packed with life in ancient Egypt and an orphan's adventure among the tombs of the dead. *The Golden Goblet by Eloise ...
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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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Family Vacation Book List: Fun for the Whole Family
By Betsy Farquhar |
Going on vacation this summer? What about daily trips to the pool and back? Perhaps you have some summer evenings on the porch planned. Sounds ...
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The Survival Guide to Money Smarts by Eric Braun
By Janie Cheaney |
Practical worksheets and relevant concerns make this “Survival Guide” a useful money primer for middle graders. The Survival Guide to Money Smarts by Eric Braun ...
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The Money-Smart Family System by Steve Economides
By Janie Cheaney |
"Money smarts" begin at home in this family-oriented guide to teaching wise management. The Money Smart Family System by Steve and Annette Economides. Thomas Nelson, ...
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The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles
By Janie Cheaney |
The "last day of summer" turns into a literal race against time for two intrepid, legendary sleuths. The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles. Versify (HMH), ...
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Simple Summer Reading Challenge for Tweens and Teens
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's time for summer reading! Do your tweens and teens have summer reading assignments for school? Perhaps a classic or two and maybe a contemporary ...
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*Time Sight by Lynne Jonell
By Janie Cheaney |
A disgruntled boy gifted with "time sight" discovers a way back into his own family's history. *Time Sight by Lynne Jonell. Henry Holt, 2019, 389 ...
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Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles by Thomas Lennon
By Janie Cheaney |
Ronan Boyle is the hapless hero of this hilarious new fantasy series that pits special-unit Irish police against nefarious leprechauns. Ronan Boyle and the Bridge ...
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Pilgrim’s Progress Roundup
By Megan Saben |
When you are ready to introduce your family to a classic edition of Pilgrim’s Progress, two simplified versions complement each other beautifully, providing solid familiarity ...
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Bible Review: NASB Children’s Edition
By Janie Cheaney |
This brand-new Children's Edition of the New American Standard Bible is a must-have for NASB users. NASB Holy Bible, Children’s Edition, Three Sixteen Publishing, 2019, ...
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The Iliad: a Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds
By Janie Cheaney |
Gareth Hinds' adaptation of The Iliad is an excellent introduction to Homer's classic for middle graders and teens. *The Iliad: a Graphic Novel Adaptation by ...
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Crossing on Time by David Macaulay
By Janie Cheaney |
David Macaulay again turns his drafting ability and clear prose on a massive engineering project, and this time it's personal. Crossing in Time: Steam Engines, ...
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Voices: the Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Eliot
By Janie Cheaney |
Anachronistic values mar this otherwise compelling account of the short career of Joan of Arc. Voices: the Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David ...
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Lovely War by Julie Berry
By Janie Cheaney |
Lovely War is a satisfying romance that will leave readers with much to think about. Lovely War by Julie Berry. Viking, 2019, 451 pages. Reading ...
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The Collectors by Jacqueline West
By Janie Cheaney |
The Collectors is the first volume of a duology that explores the limits of human responsibility for the destiny of others. The Collectors by Jacqueline ...
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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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Bible Review: CSB Defend Your Faith
By Janie Cheaney |
The Defend Your Faith Bible equips middle graders for apologetics with arguments for the reasonableness and accuracy of the scriptures. CSB Defend Your Faith Bible: ...
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Bible Reviews: NIV God’s Treasure, Polar Adventure, and Incredible Creatures
By Janie Cheaney |
Three recent editions of the NIV from Zondervan target adventurous kids and fantasy lovers. NIV God’s Treasure Holy Bible. Zonderkidz, 2018, 1216 pages (font size ...
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Bible Review: the Stampede of “Creative” Bibles
By Janie Cheaney |
A coloring Bible may make a lovely gift for the right recipient, but is it the best choice for reading and studying? The appearance of ...
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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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The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu
By Janie Cheaney |
Identical twins struggle to re-define themselves in The Lost Girl, a fantasy for middle-grade readers. The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu. HarperCollins (Walden Pond), 2019, ...
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Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin
By Janie Cheaney |
Someday We Will Fly explores a little-known chapter of the Holocaust: the Jewish refuge of Shanghai. Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin. Viking, 2019, ...
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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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Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret by Trudi Truett
By Janie Cheaney |
With Explorer Academy, National Geographic launches an action sci-fi series taking readers to the world's natural wonders. The Nebula Secret (Explorer Academy #1) by Trudi ...
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