Middle School Reads!

 by Ellen Hagen Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Beatrice Miller is getting ready to be a 7th grader and she has lots of questions.  Who is she?  Who will she become?  Will her two best friends stay her best friends? Will they be popular?  All of these questions prove to have tricky answers and Beatrice will have to struggle to find the right answers for herself.  One thing is certain..being a 7th grader is not easy.

 by Kwame Alexander Genre:  Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse Kofi is growing up with his family along the banks of the river Offin in Ghana.  He loves his family, swimming, and lately, a girl named Ama.  His cousin also loves Ama so Kofi challenges him to a swimming race.  He has been warned never to go to the river after dark, but no one will tell him why.  He wants people to see him as the young man that he is becoming, not as a little kid who needs to be protected from reality.  The one night that be and his brother stay at the rice later than they should is all it takes to change all of their lives forever.

by Juleah Del Rosario Lexile:  700 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Rowena and Ariana are devastated after the loss of their mother.  They still have each other, but they are finding it hard to move on.  They are happy that their dad has found someone and they like Maribel and are excited about the new baby sister that will soon join their family.  But when Maribel loses the baby, the family is plunged into grief all over again and Row feels like everything is falling a part.  One day, Ariana gets on a bus and leaves everyone behind and won't respond to any of Row's texts.  It is up to Row and her friend to figure out where Ariana has gone so that they can find her and get both of their lives back on track.

by Aida Salazar Lexile:  960 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Celi Rivera's life is changing as she grows into a young woman.  Her mom wants to celebrate it, but Celi would rather ignore the changes that are happening to her body.  Her best friend Magda is experiencing feelings of change too and is questioning who she wants to be in the future.  Both Celi and Magda will have to rely on their friendship to get them through some challenging situations.  They may not have all the answers, but they are determined to move ahead into the future and find out what lies ahead.

by Kwame Alexander Lexile:  780 Genre: Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Charlie's world shattered apart on March 9th when his dad died.  Now he and his mother have been forced to figure out how to move forward with their lives. Charlie knows they are on the same "team", but everything just feels like such a struggle.  He wants to be better at basketball, but he isn't sure if he wants to put in the hard work.  Charlie is looking forward to spending the summer hanging out with his friends, Skinny and CJ, but then his mom surprises him by telling him that he will be spending the summer with his grandparents.  Charlie feels like he is being sent away.  Is the summer going to turn out as badly as he thinks it will?

by Skila Brown Lexile:  860 Genre:  Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse Mary Ann Graves and her family are traveling from Illinois to California.  They have sold off all of their belongings and loaded up three wagons and are eager to start a new life.  It is a tough journey and along the way, accidents happen, people get sick, food and water become scare and life or death decisions have to be made.  When the family decides to split off from the group and take a short cut through the mountains, it is a decision that will prove deadly for some.  Will Mary Ann and her family ever make it to California?

by Kwame Alexander Lexile:  660 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Nick Hall is unstoppable on the soccer field so don't even bother to try.  He and his friend Coby have big plans to get to the World Cup and show the world what awesome soccer players they are.  But then Nick's world is shattered when his parents announce that they are separating.  His mom moves to Kentucky to continue a career she had put on hold, and now nothing is the same.  Can he figure out how to successfully navigate this change in his life?

by Ann Clare LeZotte Lexile:  ??? Genre:  Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse This is a haunting story told in verse that takes place during World War II.  Paula Becker is growing up in Germany with her loving family.  They are patient with her as she learns how to communicate with them as she is deaf.  Her family does everything they can to make her life easier.  But then Hitler comes to power and life in Germany changes. Suddenly, Paula’s deafness could mean the end of her life because of the Nazi regime’s strict orders to kill anyone with a mental or physical disability.  Paula’s family realizes that in order to protect her, they must send her away with a trusted family priest.  Paula’s fight for survival is an amazing story of courage and perseverance in the face of many obstacles.

by Kwame Alexander Lexile:  750 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Josh and Jordan Bell are twin brothers and the sons of the famous Chuck "Da Man" Bell, former basketball star.  Josh and Jordan are well on their way to becoming basketball stars as well and their dad is a huge part of their success.  But their dad has a secret.  He doesn't like doctors or hospitals and refuses to go for a check up.  His father died of heart disease at age 45 so he is at an increased risk. Josh and Jordan are best of friends until Josh gets a girlfriend and suddenly he doesn't seem to need Jordan like he used to.  Jordan feels left out without Josh and is worried about his father's health.  It's a good thing he has basketball to keep him going, but then he makes a stupid decision that costs him his spot on the team and his brother's friendship.

by Jacqueline Woodson Lexile:  990 Genre:  Memoir/Novel in Verse Jacqueline Woodson shares her story of growing up in the '60s and '70s in both the North and the South.  The story of her childhood emerges through a collection of poems that details the struggles her family faced.  Jacqueline knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer, but school was difficult for her and not everyone believed she could achieve.  But with the strong support of her family, she can to believe that anything is possible.

by Thalia Chaltas Lexile:  990 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse Anke is invisible.  Part of the background.  And that's how she needs it to be, if she is to survive life with family.  Her father is abusive towards Anke's older brother and sister and her mother isn't doing anything about it.  Anke wonders why they don't speak up and tell someone what's going on.  Anke wonders why she doesn't either.  Is it because having this family is better than having none at all?  If Anke wants to stop being invisible, she is going to have find the courage to confront her father and move on with her life.

by Jen Bryant Lexile:  ??? Genre:  Historical Fiction/Novel in Verse This novel in verse reports the story of the Scopes trial from 9 different perspectives, all from the small town of Dayton, Tennessee.  The trial pits high school teacher Mr. Scopes against the State of Tennessee.  At issue is his teaching of Darwin's theory of Evolution which is in conflict with the Butler Act passed by the State of Tennessee.  The controversy brings a crowd to this small town and with it comes the promise of fame and new revenue.  But the excitement is short lived as townspeople take sides and turn on one another. What will the final outcome be?

by Ann E. Burg Lexile:  680 Genre:  Historical Fiction/Novel in Verse Matt is trying to adjust to his new life in America.  He was one of the Vietnamese children airlifted to the United States during the Vietnam War.  While he loves his new family, he is also constantly thinking about the mother and brother he left behind.  Matt's new baseball teammates are not always very accepting of him, and now that their coach is sick, will the team be able to come together and win?

by Ann E. Burg Lexile:  590 Genre:  Historical Fiction/Novel in Verse Serafina has a secret:  she wants to become a doctor.  She knows that education is the only way that she will be able to make her dream come true.  However, school is very expensive and her family doesn't have much money and her mother needs her to help at home.  But dreams are important and Serafina isn't willing to give up on hers, even despite the obstacles that continue to challenge her and her family.

by Caroline Starr Rose Lexile:  680 Genre:  Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse May B. can't read.  Her teacher has told her she will never be able to read.  She advises that May she should stop going to school.  May's parents decide she should go and work for a neighbor.  May's father drops her off and says he'll be back for her by Christmas.  May's life is filled with hard work and very little companionship.  One day, the people she is staying with disappear.  May is alone on the Kansas prairie and winter is coming.

by Helen Frost Lexile:  670 Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Novel in Verse Wren and Darra meet at camp when they are 14, but it is not the first time they've met and neither one of them wants to talk about it.  Wren was 8 years old when Darra's father stole the car she was in and unknowingly kidnapped her.  Wren hid in Darra's garage without food and water for several days before she escaped.  As a result, Darra's dad was sent to jail.  Wren has worked hard to put this incident behind her and Darra has worked hard at building a life without her father.  Then suddenly, the two are face to face, having to share a cabin, friends, and 4 weeks of their lives.

by Helen Frost Lexile:  670 Genre:  Poetic Novel Twelve year old Willow is trying to figure out who she is.  She desperately wants her family to see her as a grown up young lady.  She wishes she could make more friends at school.  Willow spends most of her time with her family's sled dogs, in particular with one named Roxy.  When Willow convinces her parents to let her make the journey to her grandparent's home with her dogs across the Alaskan wilderness, she feels ready to take on the challenge.  But a surprising accident, leads to consequences that Willow isn't ready for.

by Sarah Tregay Lexile:  ??? Genre:  Novel in Verse Marcie's life is a mess.  Her mother has taken her all the way from Idaho to New Hampshire for the summer.  Only now it turns out, it's going to be for more than the summer.  Marice wants to get back to Idaho to see her dad, her best friend, and her boyfriend.  Do her mother's problems have to become her own or is Marcie entitled to her own life?

by Guadalupe Garcia McCall Lexile: 990 Genre: Novel in Verse Lupita is the oldest of 8 and when her beloved, Mami, gets sick, she is left in charge of caring for her younger siblings. Lupita also has a gift with words and is hoping to be able to graduate from high school and go on to college. But as Mami gets sicker, she is forced to put her family first and her dreams on hold. Can she find the strength to follow her dreams?

by Nikki Grimes Lexile: 680 Genre: Novel in Verse Joylin's first love is basketball, until she starts middle school and gets interested in something else: boys. She tries to change herself - makeup, clothes, high heel shoes, to catch the interest of the new boy, Santiago. But he doesn't seem to even notice her! Can Joy figure out who she really is?