realistic fiction

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 6, 2020

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 ...

Someplace to Call Home by Sandra Dallas

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 5, 2020

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 ...

2020 Newbery Buzz #5: Look Both Ways

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 22, 2020

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 ...

2020 Newbery Buzz #4: My Jasper June and Pay Attention, Carter Jones

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 21, 2020

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 ...

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 16, 2020

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 ...

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 9, 2020

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 ...

Newbery Roundup #1: The Line Tender, Tristan Strong, and 1919

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 6, 2020

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 ...

Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 2, 2020

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, ...

More to the Story by Hena Khan

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 20, 2019

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), ...

Between Us and Abuela by Mitali Perkins

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 17, 2019

Mitali Pekins offers a touching tribute to generational attachment across years and borders. Between Us and Abuela: a Family Story from the Border by Mitali ...

*Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time

By Megan Saben | Dec 4, 2019

Nya faces tough choices when her little sister falls ill near the remote water hole. Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time by Linda ...

Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 14, 2019

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), ...

Skyjacked by Paul Griffin

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 14, 2019

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 ...

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 12, 2019

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 ...

*Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 8, 2019

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 ...

Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 8, 2019

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 ...

White Bird by R. J. Palacio

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 30, 2019

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) ...

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 30, 2019

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. ...

Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 22, 2019

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. ...

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 22, 2019

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 ...

Fenway and Hattie by Victoria Coe

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 16, 2019

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, ...

A Wolf Called Wander by Roseanne Parry

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 16, 2019

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 ...

*Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 4, 2019

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 ...

Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 26, 2019

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 ...

For Black Girls Like Me

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 26, 2019

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. ...

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA by Brenda Woods

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 24, 2019

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 ...

The Friendship War by Andrew Clements

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 13, 2019

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 ...

Stay by Bobbie Pyron

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 10, 2019

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 ...

Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 3, 2019

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 ...

When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 20, 2019

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 ...

The Mysterious Benedict Society Series by Trenton Lee Stewart

By Betsy Farquhar | Aug 12, 2019

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 ...

*Super Jake and the King of Chaos by Naomi Milliner

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 9, 2019

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 ...

Finding Orion by John David Anderson

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 26, 2019

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. ...

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 23, 2019

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 ...

Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 22, 2019

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 ...

Swing and Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 22, 2019

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. ...

Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse by Susan Vaught

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 19, 2019

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 ...

Last of the Name by Rosanne Parry

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 5, 2019

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 ...

*The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 28, 2019

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 ...

Quiet Family Dramas: Four Recent Middle-grade novels

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 21, 2019

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 ...

Caterpillar Summer by Gullian McDunn

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 26, 2019

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 ...

Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 25, 2019

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 ...

Beast Rider by Tony Johnson

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 22, 2019

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 ...

Eventown by Corey Ann Haydn

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 12, 2019

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 ...

*Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 8, 2019

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 ...

Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 18, 2019

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 ...

*Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 18, 2019

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 ...

*Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary Schmidt

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 16, 2019

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 ...

Roundup: Three Novels That Address Mental Illness

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 22, 2019

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 ...

Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 5, 2019

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, ...

Jason Reynolds’s Track Series: A Winner for Middle Grades

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 1, 2019

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 ...

2019 Newbery Buzz #6: Cardboard Kingdom

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 22, 2019

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 ...

2019 Newbery Buzz #5: The Parker Inheritance

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 18, 2019

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 ...

Newbery Roundup – The Books We Didn’t Love (Part Two)

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 8, 2019

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 ...

Newbery Roundup – The Books We Didn’t Love (Part One)

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 4, 2019

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 ...

2019 Newbery Buzz #1: The Season of Styx Malone

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 3, 2019

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 ...

The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matt Landis

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 5, 2018

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 ...

The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 15, 2018

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 ...

Tangerine: Love Your Neighbor Book Club Edition

By Betsy Farquhar | Nov 10, 2018

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 ...

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 8, 2018

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 ...

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 22, 2018

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 ...

Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 16, 2018

Nine-year-old Louie volunteers to save Winslow, a newborn mini-donkey, in this gentle story about loss and change. Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech. HarperCollins, 2018, 165 ...

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 3, 2018

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. ...

*Buried beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 3, 2018

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, ...

Black Rock Brothers by S. J. Dahlstrom

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 25, 2018

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 ...

The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 19, 2018

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 ...

The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 7, 2018

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 ...

A Stitch in Time by Dalphne Kalmer

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 7, 2018

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 ...

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 4, 2018

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 ...

*The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina van Glaser

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 28, 2018

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. ...

Multicultural Graphic Novels: Akissi and the Dragon Slayer

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 24, 2018

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 ...

Back to School with Babymouse and Og the Frog

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 16, 2018

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 ...

Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 13, 2018

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 ...

*The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 27, 2018

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 ...

*Hope in the Holler by Lisa Lewis Tyre

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 6, 2018

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 ...

Power Forward by Hena Khan

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 15, 2018

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 ...

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 11, 2018

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 ...

*Sunny by Jason Reynolds

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 5, 2018

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 ...

*Tangerine by Edward Bloor

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 4, 2018

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, ...

The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall

By Betsy Farquhar | May 28, 2018

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. ...

SuperGifted by Gordon Korman

By Janie Cheaney | May 25, 2018

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 ...

The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson

By Betsy Farquhar | Apr 30, 2018

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 ...

Rebound by Kwame Alexander

By Betsy Farquhar | Apr 23, 2018

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 ...

*Sled Dog School by Terry Lynn Johnson

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 13, 2018

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, ...

Learning to Lead: Another RedeemedReader Booklist!

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 22, 2018

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.” ...

Classic Reads: The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 2, 2018

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 ...

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 22, 2018

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 ...

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 22, 2018

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 ...

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 21, 2018

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, ...

2018 Newbery Buzz #5: Real Friends and All’s Faire in Middle School

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 9, 2018

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? ...

Family Game Night by Mary E. Lambert

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 6, 2018

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 ...

Littler Women by Laura Schaeffer

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 6, 2018

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 ...

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 5, 2018

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 ...

Worthy YA: the Best Teen Reads of 2017

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 15, 2017

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 ...

*Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 12, 2017

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, ...

Roll by Darcy Miller

By Hayley Morell | Dec 8, 2017

In rural Minnesota, friendship and rolling pigeons combine in an enjoyable middle grade debut novel. Roll by Darcy Miller. HarperCollins, 2017, 224 pages Reading ...

*The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 7, 2017

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 ...

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson: the Kids Discuss….

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 5, 2017

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 ...

Auma’s Long Run by Eucabeth Odhiambo

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 30, 2017

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 ...

Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 30, 2017

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. ...