Middle School Reads!

 by Hannah Reynolds Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Romance Shira wants a boyfriend more than anything and she has found the perfect candidate - Isaac.  He is interning at her family's company and is going to spend Hanukkah with her family in Nantucket.  Shira has all kinds of ideas about how she might get Isaac's attention, but she is terrible at flirting and doesn't want to mess up this opportunity.  She turns to her next door neighbor, Tyler, whom she had a crush on for many years when she was younger.  Tyler seems to have no problem attracting the interests of lots of girls so Shira convinces him to help her.  He agrees to give her flirting lessons in exchange for an introduction to Shira's great uncle who could get Tyler an internship.  Will Shira's grand scheme work?

 by Marcia Argueta Mickelson Genre: Realistic Fiction Millie Vargas knows that after she graduates from high school, her life is going to change.  She has a full ride scholarship to Stanford University, but hasn't worked up the courage to tell her mother yet because her mom depends on her to help the family stay together.  Her mom works long hours as a housekeeper for the wealthy Wheeler family who is in the midst of a senate race.  When Mr. Wheeler turns his campaign focus on immigration, he unknowingly places Millie's family in a tough situation.  Millie's family came across the border illegally and worked hard to earn their citizenship.  Millie wants to stay out of the conversation, but her mom and others, feel that she should get involved and do whatever she can to support others who have not been as fortunate as her family.  

 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 Jose Pimienta Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Graphic Novel Fernando and Teresa are brother and sister.  And they are twins.  Now that they have finished 6th grade, they have decided to attend different middle schools.  Fernando is going to stay in Mexico and Teresa is going to cross the border each day and attend school in California.  As they begin to separate, their time together at home seems different too and they always seem to be getting on each other's nerves.  They wanted separate lives, but maybe they didn't fully realize what it would be like without each other?

 by Tae Keller Genre:  Realistic Fiction Middle school can be tough, especially when you are figuring out who your true friends are.  Mallory is caught in the middle...she kind of wants to get to know the new girl, Jennifer, but her friends Reagan and Tess think Jennifer acts like she is too good for everyone.  One day Jennifer runs away and everyone is trying to figure out where she went and why.  Mallory has an idea...because she knows what happened on the last day Jennifer was seen...but Mallory isn't sure if she can speak up?  Speaking up will cause her to lose her friends, but it feels like it is the right thing to do.  Mallory will have to make a decision.  What kind of friend does she want to be?

 by Cindy Baldwin Genre:  Realistic Fiction Annie Lee's daddy died at the beginning of the summer and nothing has been the same ever since.  Her mom is sad all the time and to make matters worse, her dad's ghost seems to be hanging around the apartment they had to move to after they sold their house.  Annie Lee is supposed to go directly home after school, but she can only stay in the tiny apartment for so long.  When she ventures out, she meets a new friend Ray who plays the piano at the mall and agrees to give her lessons.  At school, Annie Lee tries to be invisible, but that only works until a new girl, Mitch, discovers her and decides they should be friends. Can Annie Lee open herself up to the possibility that there is still room for happiness in her life?