Middle School Reads!

 by Gene Luen Yang Genre:  Sports, Graphic Novel Gene Luen Yang is trying to keep his life in balance...teaching high school math, being a super husband and dad, and expanding his work as a comic book artist.  He is searching for the next topic of his book when the high school basketball team is poised to have their best season ever.  Gene has never particularily liked sports so why would he want to write a graphic novel about basketball?  As he begins to explore the team's history, he discovers that perhaps there are many lessons people could learn if he is able to write their story.

by Tom Greenwald Lexile:  750 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Sports Teddy Youngblood is in a coma after collapsing at the end of a week of football camp.  At first, everyone is just focused on helping Teddy recover, but then the rumors start.  Was Teddy's injury a fluke accident or did someone intentionally set out to harm him?  Teddy's parents and friends want the real story, but the football team is staying silent.  What will Teddy remember if he survives?

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?