realistic fiction

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. ...

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

By Megan Saben | Nov 29, 2017

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 ...

The Trail by Meika Hashimoto

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 7, 2017

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, ...

Patina by Jason Reynolds

By Betsy Farquhar | Nov 3, 2017

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 ...

Slider by Pete Hautman

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 31, 2017

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, ...

*You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 17, 2017

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. ...

All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 12, 2017

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 ...

Restart by Gordon Korman

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 12, 2017

A middle-school bully gets a chance to start from scratch—if only he can escape who he was before. Restart by Gordon Korman. Scholastic, 2017, 256 ...

Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 5, 2017

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 ...

The School Ship Tobermory series by Alexander McCall Smith

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 26, 2017

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 ...

Refugee by Alan Gratz

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 21, 2017

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, ...

*Almost Paradise by Corabel Shofner

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 12, 2017

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 ...

Labor Day Repost: Heart of a Shepherd

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 4, 2017

(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 ...

In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O’Brien

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 29, 2017

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 ...

No Good Deed by Goldy Moldavsky

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 24, 2017

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 ...

Posted by John David Anderson

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 24, 2017

A class of seventh graders deal with verbal bullying in this thought-provoking novel (with cautions). Posted by John David Anderson. Walden Pond (HarperCollins), 2017, 365 ...

Joplin, Wishing by Diane Stanley

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 22, 2017

An 11-year-old girl discovers some truths about herself and her family in this novel with a touch of magic and mystery. Joplin, Wishing by Diane ...

Superstar by Mandy Davis

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 15, 2017

This sympathetic portrait of an autistic youngster explores relationships, coping strategies, and the scientific method. Superstar by Mandy Davis. HarperCollins, 2017, 320 pages Reading Level: ...

*Cody and the Fountain of Happiness by Tricia Springstubb

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 1, 2017

Eight-year-old Cody's enthusiasm for life is contagious in this sunny chapter-book series. Cody and the Fountain of Happiness (Cody series #1) by Tricia Springstubb, illustrated ...

Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 16, 2017

Newbery-honor author Shannon Hale’s graphic memoir charts the ups and downs of elementary- age friendship. Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham. First Second, ...

Way of the Warrior Kid by Jocko Willink

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 16, 2017

Underachieving Marc learns how to shape up and think straight in this fictionalized self-help book by a former Navy SEAL. Way of the Warrior Kid: ...

Storm Horse by Nick Garlick

By Janie Cheaney | May 12, 2017

Storm Horse pits a boy and a horse against a greedy land developer in the modern-day Netherlands. Storm Horse by Nick Garlick. Scholastic, 2017, 242 ...

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

By Betsy Farquhar | May 8, 2017

Winner takes all in a bet between siblings Jessie and Evan Treski as they battle it out lemonade-stand style in this realistic fiction novel for ...

The Sweetest Sound by Sherri Winston

By Janie Cheaney | May 6, 2017

A shy ten-year-old comes to recognize that both talents and personality are gifts of God and not to be disparaged. The Sweetest Sound, by Sherri ...

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel by Kimberly Willis Holt

By Janie Cheaney | May 6, 2017

In this likeable middle-grade novel, a grieving 13-year-old builds a new life in a new place with extended family. Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel ...

Kentucky Derby Book List: A Bakers Dozen

By Betsy Farquhar | May 4, 2017

Calling all horse lovers! The Kentucky Derby runs this Saturday like it does every first Saturday of May. Will there be another Triple Crown winner ...

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 20, 2017

The movie version of Before I Fall has revived interest in this novel of a teen girl’s opportunity to relive her last day six times ...

The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez by Robin Yardi

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 22, 2017

A new best friend, a pushy little sister and two thieving skunks cause no end of trouble for Mateo in this quirky tale. The Midnight ...

American Ace by Marilyn Nelson

By Hayley Morell | Feb 16, 2017

Engaging and short, one teenager's search for answers will leave readers wanting to learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen. American Ace by Marilyn Nelson. Dial ...

Every Single Second by Tricia Springstubb

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 25, 2017

This thoughtful novel about growth, change, and community sensitively explores a girl’s relationship to her Italian-American family and Catholic faith. Every Single Second by Tricia ...

2017 Newbery Buzz: Ghost and Booked

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 11, 2017

Janie: Last Friday, we discussed two middle grade novels that were filled with sadness. Today we turn to a couple of sports-related novels by authors ...

*Anna Hibiscus Series by Atinuke

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 30, 2016

An illustrated chapter book series set in contemporary Africa that celebrates large families, its childlike protagonist, and traditional values. Enjoy this review from the archives! Originally published ...

*Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 29, 2016

Tiger Boy, set in the Sundarban Islands, is a satisfying tale of courage and responsibility for younger middle-graders. a review from our archives! (originally published June ...

A Shiloh Christmas by Phillis Reynolds Naylor

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 20, 2016

The long-running Shiloh series wraps up with appropriate Christmas cheer but not too much theological clarity. A Shiloh Christmas by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Atheneum, 2015, ...

*Sam the Man and the Chicken Plan

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 25, 2016

Likeable characters and a gently-humorous style introduces early-elementary readers to the rewards of hard work and free enterprise. *Sam the Man and the Chicken Plan ...

*Ghost by Jason Reynolds

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 15, 2016

A kid from “the projects” learns to put speed in service of character building and achievement. *Ghost by Jason Reynold. Atheneum, 2016, 180 pages Reading ...

Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 28, 2016

This insightful novel about the awkward years between 11 and 14 could make a useful discussion starter for mothers and daughters. Hundred Percent by Karen ...

Kid Owner by Tim Green

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 14, 2016

A 12-year-old inherits the Dallas Cowboys, leading to a unique set of challenges and opportunities for character growth. Kid Owner, by Tim Green. Harper, 2015, ...

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 12, 2016

Four children simultaneously solve a mystery and learn about teamwork in this sweet, chocolate-y mystery. The Candymakers by Wendy Mass. Little, Brown, 2010. 480 pages. ...