Shattered Realms #1 Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima

Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima This is a good read for YA adventure. Heros facing impossible odds. This has all the elements for a great story telling tale. Perfect for high school libraries. Enjoy.

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr. , Jess Wibowo (illustrator) , Cin Wibowo (illustrator)

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr. is a good read. A heads up there is mentioned of suicide. It's contemplative and off page. He sees a psychologist and goes to a school that he makes real friend. A good book to add to any middle school.

How to Find What You're Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani

How to Find What You're Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani Set in the 60's the Beatles are the popular band for young teens and laws against mixed marriages. A Jewish older sister falls in love with a young man from India. They elope and both sets of parents are not happy about it. The younger sister misses her sister very much. School is also challenging for her, writing and shaping letters is really difficult for her. A good read.

What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski

What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski This is an important book that address sexual harassment at middle school and can be applied to older students also. There is a "game" that the boys "play" on girls that is inappropriate and disrespectful to girls. How the girls react as victims is part of the story line. A good book to add to middle school and high school to have on the shelves.

James by Percival Everett

James is a smart story that represents Jim from Huckleberry Finn. Jim is a smart man who is running away from slavery. Huck teams up with Jim by chance and together travel meeting dangerous people and dangerous situations. Percival Everett knows how to write a story. This is a good one. The audio book also very good.

The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak

The Banned Book Club is a good story. There is family dysfunction, healing and rebuilding of lives. a compelling story. A good read.

Rez Ball by Byron Graves

Rez Ball is a boy book. I did like the story but there is fbombs and drinking but it is a big part of the story. It ran authentic and true. It also shows how people can be prejudice against Indigenous people. Fine for high school.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Ninteen Minutes is an excellent book, well written. It takes you on a journey with flashes back and forth of two women raising their children. They were originally friends. Told in multiple viewpoints, Picoult is a gifted writer that brings authentic perspective for each character. An important read about a school shooting.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

The Lost Story is a magical story set contemporary times. I was able to listen to the audiobook. Two worlds that merge and that is lost is then found. Two boys come back changed after spending much time in the forest and one is not able to remember their time there. A mystery and then there is the girl who was lost in the same forest before them. A sister is know old enough to look for her. A good read.

All In The Family by Fred Trump Jf.

All In The Family is a well done sharing of the story of Fred Trump Jr. That starts at the history of his great grand father, grand father, father and then his own family. His candid sharing brings insight in to his family dynamics. A good book to read or listen to.

Orphans of the Storm by Celia Imrie

Orphans of the Storm involves the build up of the sinking of the Titanic, two little French boys are kidnapped by their dangerous father, right after a divorce. He's dangerous. The mother is barely 21, she's a seamstress who built up the buisness with her husband, now ex. He's a master manipulator. Go on a journey from the begining of a young woman filled with dreams to a mother believing her children and died on a ship until fate brings her new hope. The audiobook also very good.

Home is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo

I think currently immigrants are being used as pawns by political candidtates for president during this election year. Sadly there is a group that bullies immigrants and using this as a political point. I don't think we fully understand life for immigrants. Home is Not A Country brings us into a teen's world and how changes can be difficult and family relationships can be challenging. I listened to the audiobook and thought it was a solid story.

The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenje

The Library Thief is definitely adult. There is a rape scene just for a heads up. It's a good book but not for high school. A young woman is taken advantage of by an entitled man, brother of the man who hired her. Her father had kicked her out because she was with a man she thought she loved and it turns out he didn't love her. The girl also finds out she has a black mother. She didn't realize until later, since her mother died in childbirth. It's not an easy read. It's between Downton Abbey and Northanger Abbey. I listened to the audiobook. It's fine. A bit dark.

This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed

This Book Won't Burn By Samira Ahmed is brilliant. It reflects some very sad realities that are going on in America. Book banning, Bullying, attacks on cultures. This should be in every school and public library. The audiobook is also good. You care about the characters from the start as a Muslim family moves for a fresh start after their husband/father abandons them. The school principal is under the control of a wealthy man running for office. What's scary is that this book reflects some harsh realitites of life. When the library books are being question by a marginal community and books are pulled, this becomes the catalyst of revealing the true architects of discrimination. A good read. Highly recommend it. So says a teacher librarian.

The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

 

This is a book that will be on the list for California Young Reader Medal.  It's a great story that uses two time lines at the same time.  The nuclear reactor accident of the 1980s and World War II escaping the Germans.  Its about friendship, surviving dangerous and what really is family.  I liked this book a lot and even though it is middle school level, it's great to teach about history as well.  Add this to your school library.  It's a good read.  The audio book is also well done.  Good voice actor.

Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt

 This story will stay with you for a while.  Two stories collide once the two main characters end up meeting.  A good read.  What's nice is that some of the adults are super good people.  

Smoke and Mirrors by K. D. Halbrook

 This magical story is filled with all sorts of emotions.  It's a very good book/story.  Add this one to your children's book shelves.  A touching story.

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt

Do you do what is right or do you do what everyone wants you to do?  Turner keeps getting into trouble even though he really hasn't done anything.  His father is working on trying to fit in the community but learns later on a lot of from his son. 

This story is partially factual but mashed in with fiction.  Gary D. Schmidt is a true story teller and assembles the words in a powerful way.  An excellent read.  Add this one to your school library.
 

Starfish by Lisa Fipps

 Add this one to your middle school library.  Everyone I know who has read this book, besides me, love this book.  It's a good read.  An important read.  Fat shaming is a form of bully behavior.  We have students who face this.  Maybe this book might help them.  Good Read.

Not Hungry by Kate Karyus Quinn

 A difficult read and an important read.  Body Shaming and bully behavior as part of the story.  Overweight girls dealing with their weight in high school.  Written in verse, the story really nails it.