List of Blog Posts

 Summer 2025- More Summer Reading Lists

High Rock's list for rising 6th graders

Pollard's list for rising 7th graders

American School Library Association list for grades 6-8

Publishers' Weekly

Horn Book Summer Reading 2025 - Middle School

Best of 2024 by Bank Street Education - Just released, an 81 page list of the books published last year, an annotated guide to more than 600 books, board books through YA. 

Barnes and Noble: Best sellers and classics that still sell well - Ages 9-12 and YA (some of which are for older teens)

Reading Middle Grade - a broad range of lists written by Afoma Umesi, a writer who also includes paid content on her website. 

Summer themes in realistic fiction include A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation and A Day at the Beach written by favorite authors. In Mid-Air, a novel in verse, Isaiah is facing a summer he did not want after the death of his close friend. Not Nothing was my personal favorite of the spring. A summer spent in forced volunteering to in a senior living facility leads to important connections. Candle Island by Lauren Wolk takes place on a remote Maine island, population 986 in the summer, 315 in the winter, and the tensions between winter and summer inhabitants provide one of the many story lines.  One Crazy Summer is an excellent graphic novel rendition of the novel in which three sisters visit their mother in Oakland, California in 1968.

Beyond realistic fiction recommendations include Blood in the Water, a thriller with an intriguing cover. Magic and adventure in the ocean makes Graciela in the Abyss a summer shore book, written by Meg Medina, the Newbery winning author of the Merci Suarez series.  Westfallen involves a radio in a backyard shed that links World War II to the present day and explores possible endings of WWII if the information kids share through the radio affects the ending of the war.  Last Dragon on Mars is for readers of epic dragon drama, the first in a proposed series, and Rebellion 1776 by noted historical fiction author Laurie Halse Anderson takes place in Boston in 1776, involving not just the start of the Revolutionary War but also the smallpox epidemic that threatens the city. Finally, Olivetti is a story about family connections told by a typewriter that is able to type out messages. It is a quick read for sixth graders, and the students who have borrowed it all enjoyed it.

Favorite authors have new books, perfect for a quick summer read. Cartoonists Club is the first by Raina Telgemeier in years! Readers of the Click series and Emmie & Friends will appreciate their latest update. Kwame Alexander, author of verse novels Crossover and Booked has teamed with Jerry Craft, author of New Kid, to write about a rivalry between best friends, writing with words vs. pictures. Spy School Entrance Exam is a Spy School Book of Devious Word Searches, Clever Crosswords, Sly Sodoku, and other Top Secret Puzzles.  All Ears is the lastest in the FunJungle series. 

Best of 2024: Holiday Gift Giving guide

A roundup of best books of 2024 for gift giving and personal reading lists

Trends at High Rock this year include every type of graphic novel, murder mysteries, mystery books by favorite authors such as Stuart Gibbs and James Ponti, and historical fiction led by the ever popular Alan Gratz. High Rock students are technically part of the "Middle Grade" age designation, but most reject any book that trends looks too young. Although the links go to the middle grades lists, it is possible to toggle to the YA lists to find books for teenagers. I am highlighting titles below that would appeal to many High Rock readers.

Publishers Weekly  (Offers weekly publications about new reviews and the book business)

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2024  (A book review magazine - and one of my favorite lists)

Bookpage 2024 (An independent bookstore recommendation list)

Amazon's Top Books as chosen by the editors (Based on popularity but chosen by people rather than algorithms)

Chicago Public Library's Best Books of 2024 (Chosen by librarians in Chicago)

School Library Journal Best Books 2024 (A book review source for school librarians)

New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2024 (Middle Grade selections by NYC librarians)

Reading Middle Grade: Best Graphic Novels of 2024 and Best Middle Grade Books of 2024 (by Afoma Umesi, a writer who has paid and free content on her website.)

Horn Book Fanfare 2024 (Country's oldest bimonthly children's book review source, founded in Boston 100 years ago)

Mystery, Fantasy, Adventure:

The Bletchley Riddle is an historical mystery by two favorite authors. The Secret Library is a treasure hunt adventure of family memories, historical connections, and identity. Erin Entrada Kelly has some of the most satisfying endings in her books, and The First State of Being is no exception. A time traveller appears in the neighborhood, a chance encounter that changes futures. The Misfits is a fun romp of a boarding school mystery, the first in a series.  Choose A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall for those readers who want a shorter book with an intriguing mystery. Finally, Impossible Creatures is on all the Best Seller lists. It is a classic good versus evil fantasy for readers who like mythical beings and magical worlds.

Historical Fiction:

Max in the House of Spies is a World War II historical spy story written by Adam Gidwitz, best known for his fairy tale series A Tale Dark and Grimm and the voice of the narrator which provides humor and perspective. In this book the narrator's voice comes from the kobold and the dybbuk who travel on Max's shoulders. Max in the House of Lies is due out this spring.  Across So Many Seas is a refugee story that will appeal to readers of Refugee by Alan Gratz. Gratz fans will also like Wolves at the Door, an exciting historical thriller. Students who like memoirs will enjoy Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, First Crushes, and Growing Up on the Eve of War,  set before the 1980's Bosnian genocide.  Pearl, a graphic novel, is about a Japanese American girl who moves to Japan in 1941 to help her family and gets conscripted into the Japanese army. I am adding George O'Connor's Odin into this section in honor of the meticulous research behind his critically acclaimed graphic novels. Fans will be glad that he has taken on Norse mythology after finishing the Greek Olympians.  Thor, the second book, was released in October.

Realistic Fiction:

Favorite authors have new books in this year's realistic fiction selection. The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko will appeal to fans of One for the Murphy's as Hank leads his younger sister to look for a home. Take it from the Top is a friendship story that takes place at a theater camp. Kate O'Shaughnessy's book, Lasagna Means I Love You (2023), hits all the right notes for students who read with their hearts, and The Wrong Way Home promises to do the same. Uprooted is a graphic novel memoir, a favorite type of graphic novel at High Rock. Turning Twelve is by the authors of Growing Pangs, a graphic novel for fans of Raina Telgemeier. Weirdo is recommended by superstars Jason Reynolds and Jerry Craft. It is about an awkward preteen who learns to embrace his own power.

Summer 2024: More Reading Lists 

The following are lists of summer reading ideas from a variety of sources:

High Rock's Summer Reading List - for rising sixth graders, current fifth graders

Pollard's Summer Reading List - for rising seventh graders, current High Rock students

Summer Reading from the American School Library Association - grades 6 - 8
A .pdf of suggested titles with descriptions, some of which are also on High Rock's and Pollard's lists. Smaller list, high quality.

Publisher's Weekly Summer Reading List: Middle Grades
Brand new titles that are being released this summer

Horn Book Summer Reading: Middle School
New middle school titles from the Horn Book, Boston's professional review source for literature for children and YA.

Bank Street School of Education: Best of 2024 (just released) Ages 12 - 14

Comprehensive list with descriptors - divided into useful categories. No cover pictures but excellent list. 

Bank Street School of Education - best of 2024 - ages 9 - 12

For a slightly younger audience. Includes titles for up to sixth grade and also grades 4 and 5.

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading List - old favorites. 

Sorted by best selling titles, an interesting way to look at old favorites. You can also sort by newest to oldest. Includes information about their reading promotion which includes a free book for students who document reading six titles.

Reading Middle Grade - 

Book lists from a Afoma Umesi, a web designer who reads and reviews middle grade titles. She charges for her summer reading list, but the free content is useful, especially her topical lists which are updated frequently. 

What to read next - The answer can be among the titles in High Rock's book contest

Coming in May is High Rock's annual Battle of the Books where cluster teams of readers compete on stage in front of a cheering audience of the entire school. All the answers are the book titles in this year's Battle of the Books List. High Rock's Library Club begins the year by building the list of their favorites. Since October, students who are looking for a book have been able to consult the large display in the library. The book list is made up of old favorites - the books the students consider essential reading - and newer books that they might not encounter before sixth grade. There are over 80 titles on the list, and in this post I am highlighting some of the old and the new titles in historical fiction, realistic fiction and fantasy. The list also includes graphic novels, mystery, and science fiction. 

Historical Fiction: Favorites include the most read authors: Alan Gratz, Jennifer Nielsen, Kelly Yang, and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Woods Runner is a short book set in the Revolutionary War by the master of survival stories: Gary Paulsen. May B by Caroline Starr Rose is a verse novel, perfect for a winter's day, about a teenager who has to survive by herself in a cabin on the prairie. 

Newer books include Blackbird Girls about two girls who lived near the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Ruta Sepetys writes YA historical fiction and has been the most popular author for students who have read the elementary favorites. Amber and Clay fits into High Rock's social studies curriculum beautifully: a verse novel about two children in Ancient Greece, their stories illuminated by the artifacts that begin every chapter. Students really love The Breathing Room, a book set in a sanitorium for tuborculosis in the 1940's. Freewater, last year's Newbery winner, is the rare book that depicts empowerment, community, and joy despite its setting during a time of enslavement. Finally, Letters from Cuba is based on the author's family experience of helping other family members escape to Cuba during World War II and is a hopeful book that shows the power of community.

Realistic Fiction and sports are the most popular sections at High Rock after graphic novels. The familiar books have characters that students can connect to. Starfish and Odder are verse novels with fewer words per page, and Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is about a sixth grader who is trying to break every school rule and is full of drawings that illuminate the humor. 

Readers who already know Mike Lupica and Tim Green are happy to learn about John Feinstein, a professional sports writer who also writes middle school books. The Walk On is the first in his Triple Threat series. Nikki on the Line is about a girl who is no longer the best basketball player when she joins a travel team. The other four books offer different perspectives: Amos Abernathy, a Civil War reenactor who is searching in history for someone like himself, Evan Pao, a Chinese American who is seeking a way to be included in his new town's Civil War celebration. Paradise on Fire is a survival story in which Addy's need to find escape routes becomes necessary when the group encounters a wild fire in the mountains. In Holler of the Fireflies, a city kid attending an elite science camp in the Appalachian mountains encounters its rich history through the eyes of a local peer. 

Fantasy: Sixth grade is a good time to try the fantasy series friends have been talking about for years. Rick Riordan and John Flanagan wrote books to motivate their own children who were reluctant readers. Students who are seeing the new Netflix series may want to check out the original Lightning Thief. The Ranger's Apprentice series by Flanagan has the best depiction of archery and has two spinoff series that keep fans reading. Keeper of the Lost Cities has been one of the top circulating books at High Rock for the past ten years. Half Upon a Time is a fractured fairy tale featuring a boy named Jack (of course) for students who appreciate humor. The False Prince is by Jennifer Nielsen who also writes suspenseful historical fiction.

Nic Blake and the Remarkables is a new series by Angie Thomas and has a similar feel to Percy Jackson with both a quest and emerging powers. The Iron Trial is a shorter book about a boy who tries to fail the test to get into magic school. Students looking for a challenge will enjoy Tress of the Emerald Sea, a new book by Brandon Sanderson with a quest similar to The Princess Bride, on an ocean not made of water.  Jonathan Stroud's book, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne, is a complex retelling of a version of Robin Hood. Fantasy fans moving into more complex books should seek out this author whom Rick Riordan calls a genius. Hex Hall is a light romance about a girl sent to magic school where she encounters a group of mean girls and learns about her remarkable powers. The Last Mapmaker was on the summer reading list and is well worth the read, one of my favorites. 

Holidays 2023 - Book gift giving guide

Are you wondering about what book would make a good gift this holiday season? Here is a roundup of lists by experts along with some of my suggestions. These lists show middle grade books, but it is easy to navigate to other age groups in most of the lists. 

SLJ Best Books (School Library Journal - a book review source for school librarians)

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2023 (Another major book review magazine)

Publishers Weekly Best of 2023 - Middle grade (Weekly newsletter with reviews and news about the book business)

Bookpage - Best Books of 2023 Middle Grade (a recommendation guide for readers)

Amazon's Top 20 of 2023 - ages 9-12 (Based on popularity)

Chicago Public Library - Best Books for grades 3-8 (Chosen by librarians in Chicago)

New York Public Library - (Middle Grade Selections by NYC librarians)

Realistic Fiction is well represented in this year's lists. The six books pictured here are my favorites. The surprise ending of The Probability of Everything made me immediately reread the book. Gary Schmidt is one of my favorite authors, and not only is The Labors of Hercules Beal one of the best books I have read, it also fits into the sixth grade mythology curriculum. Simon Sort of Says is funny - attack peacock, an alpaca disaster, curious emus - and is also about living on after a tragedy. Tiger Daughter is a quick read about standing up for yourself, and Will on the Inside is a sports book about a boy who can no longer define himself by soccer when he develops Crohn's Disease. You Are Here: Connected Flights is written by a team of talented East and Southeast Asian American authors whose characters connect at an airport.

Mystery and historical fiction

Anna investigates the reasons why no one will speak to a classmate who was kind to her in What Happened to Rachel Riley, a mystery of social dynamics in middle school. The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels is full of clever wordplay and murder with a main character named Shenanigan. Mona Lisa Vanishes is a nonfiction thriller about Mona Lisa's theft 100 years ago. Firefly Summer takes place during what may be the final family summer at an old camp unless they can find the documents that prove ownership of the property. The Lost Year is a historical investigation set in both the present and the 1930's in USSR. Hope in the Valley is set in the 1980's in Silicon Valley with themes of grief, family, and fair housing.

Graphic novels and novels in verse

Betty Tang builds on her own experience being a Parachute Kid in this graphic novel of three immigrant children surviving in California without their parents.  Family is also a theme of Mexikid; Pedro's Mexican American family takes a road trip to bring his abuelito back from Mexico. Ghost Book is inspired by Chinese mythology. Judy Chen can see ghosts, but her father claims they don't exist. I am highlighting both Sunshine and Aniana del Mar Jumps In for a second time because of  their popularity among sixth graders.  Finally, Mascot is a verse novel told in multiple perspectives about changing the school mascot. 

Sequels and familiar authors

The One and Only Ruby finishes the trilogy that began with The One and Only Ivan, and The Wild Robot Protects ends the Wild Robot series. Both are popular in elementary school, and High Rock readers have enjoyed revisiting familiar characters. The Chalice of the Gods begins with a twist on the first Percy's Jackson's opening line. "I am a high school senior. It's not as easy as it looks." The second Skandar book continue the fantasy series about unicorn school - battle unicorns paired with a human rider, great for Harry Potter fans. Top Story adds to the Front Desk series, and Finally Seen begins a new series about Lina who finally joins her parents in America.

Fall 2023: Update on High Rock Reading

It is November, and students are getting comfortable with the expectations of independent reading. Many students are clinging to the comfort of their favorite graphic novels, and others are looking at their reading goals and trying to expand their reading repertoire. Here are some reading suggestions to help in that endeavor.

Graphic novels have a place in the sixth grade reading diet. Now that students are comfortable at High Rock however, I ask what they are reading in addition to graphic novels and make recommendations for a book with text for them to check out also. Some of the best titles this fall reflect the authors' own experiences. School Trip is the final entry in Jerry Craft's award winning New Kid trilogy. Dan Santat writes about his first social success in middle school in First Time for Everything. Sunshine by Jarrett Krosoczka won the Best Book in the Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards. It follows Hey Kiddo but can also be read alone. The Tryout and Guts are not new titles, but both demonstrate the power of writing from the author's experience and are among the most popular books at High Rock along with Squished by Megan LLoyd - author of Allergy - about growing up with a large family. 

Novels in verse are especially popular this year for readers looking for less text on a page. The following brand new titles are getting attention from book reviewers and have just landed on High Rock's shelves. Students who love the graphic novel Swim Team may want to read Aniana Del Mar Jumps In, another  swimming focused book. Aniana loves to swim, but her mother is afraid of the water. Jason Reynolds chose a new format for his second Miles Morales book, and I imagine some readers may start with this one. The Order of Things has drums front and center on the book cover, reflecting the main character's passion and a strong connection to her best friend who is also a musician. When Clouds Touch Us continues the immigrant story started in Inside Out and Back Again - and potentially many of the book awards it won. Mirror to Mirror tells the story of identical twins who switch places at summer camp in an effort to help each other. In Once in a Blue Moon, James struggles to speak after a traumatic event, but the support of family and friends buoys him.

The Summer I Turned Pretty is the title with the most holds and the most requests for read alikes this fall. Students are looking for light romance, recognition of becoming an adolescent, and the book that the Amazon Prime series is based on.  Float and The MatchBreaker Summer are other summer romance favorites. Sarah Dessen write books for a YA audience, and many are also fine for sixth grade readers. Wendelin Van Draanen is a familiar author, and her comedic romance Flipped was also made into a movie.

Alan Gratz writes the most popular historical fiction books at High Rock. We had a conversation at the AASL conference in Florida in October, and we agree that students are looking for books that are exciting page turners. His message to High Rock students is that he is writing books as fast as he can. In the meantime, here are some books we both recommend. His Ground Zero is on the Battle of the Books list and is a favorite. Brooklyn Nine is an earlier work of his, before his iconic red covers. Jennifer Nielsen is known for historical thrillers and the first name Alan Gratz mentioned in books similar to his. The characterization in The War that Saved My Life makes a different type of page turner. Ruta Sepetys writes for an older audience, and many High Rock students are starting to find her books. Finally, I was happy to hear that Alan Gratz agrees with me about like Lauren Wolk's books. They are really good!

All sixth graders read When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller. Keller was raised in Hawaii amid stories told by her Korean grandmother, stories which infuse her writing. Her books are different from each other. Mihi Ever After is a fantasy about three girls entering a fairy tale. Jennifer Chan is Not Alone is based on a bullying incident in the author's life, and The Science of Breakable Things is about a girl looking for a way to help her sick mother.  

Lisa Yee is another favorite for students who look for realistic fiction. Millicent Min, Girl Genius, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, another favorite, is part of Millicent Min series. Her most recent middle grade book, Maizy Chen's Last Chance, won many awards this year. 

Maliha Siddiqui is an author of Pakistani descent who incorporates her Muslim religion in her books.  In Barakah Beats, Barakah's vocal talent helps her connect with friends in her new public school. In Bhai for Now, identical twin brothers are reunited by accident when the father returns to the town where the mother is living. 

Dream, Annie Dream by Waka Brown is about a seventh grader who encounters racism in the casting of the school musical. Wendy Wan-Long Shang writes about a similar topic in Not Your All-American Girl.  In The Secret Battle of Evan Pao, Evan advocates to find himself in the school's Civil War celebration. In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo is a Taiwanese immigration story written in verse that fans of The Front Desk series will appreciate. 

For students who like fantasy, there is an increasing number of books that center around AAPI characters.  Zachary Ying and the Dragon Empire is billed as Tristan Strong meets Percy Jackson as Zachary Ying journeys across China to seal the underworld. Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality is the final book in the Pandava quintet which is being filmed for a Disney series. The Last Fallen Moon, the second book in the Gifted Clans series, incorporates Korean mythology., and the Dragon Warrior series by Katie Zhao incorporates Chinese mythology. Team Chu and the Battle of the Blackwood Arena has a more modern setting as siblings work together when they are trapped inside a laser tag game.

 February 2023: Youth Media Awards

Every January, the American Library Association announces winners of the major book awards. Among this year's winners are many titles that are of interest to High Rock readers. 

The Newbery is awarded to "the most outstanding contribution to children's literature" for ages 8 to 14. The three honor books are books I have been promoting this year. 

• Iveliz Explains it All is verse novel about a seventh grader's mental health struggles after the death of her father. 

• The Last Mapmaker, a fantasy adventure, follows twelve year old Sai as she becomes the mapmaker's assistant and goes on a voyage to map the uncharted waters beyond the known world. 

• Maizy Chen's Last Chance explores family connections and history of Chinese Americans when Maizy and her mother return to their grandparents' home and restaurant to help when the grandfather is sick. This book also won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. 

• The Newbery Medal winner was a surprise choice to many who try to predict the winner, but it was on the shelf at High Rock when the awards were announced. Freewater by Amina Luzman-Dawson should be exciting enough for Alan Gratz fans as it follows the escape of two enslaved children who find the Freewater community within the Great Dismal Swamp.

The Caldecott is awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. This year two of the Honor books are geared to middle schoolers.

• An honor award went to Jason Griffin's pictures for his collaboration with Jason Reynolds.  Ain't Burned All That Bright is recommended for age 12 and up. This book hasn't been back in High Rock's library since the day it arrived. I loaned it to a teacher who is circulating the book around his classroom and does not want to give it up yet. 

• Choosing Brave is another picture book that is making the rounds among sixth graders. Emmett Till's ghost is a character in Ghost Boys, a popular book by Jewell Parker Rhodes, and students are interested in learning more about his story. Choosing Brave won several awards this year.

Coretta Scott King Award - recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults - 

• • Freewater by Amina Luzman-Dawson, winner of the author award

  • Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy, winner of new talent illustrator award

  • Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas - a new favorite graphic novel, winner of an honor for an illustrated book

Pura Belpre Award - honoring Latinx writers and illustratrators whose children's and young adult books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience. The Spanish department at High Rock has a unit on Pura Belpre and the award winning books.

• • The middle grade winner, Frizzy by Clarabel Ortega, is one of the top circulating books at High Rock.

  • Celia C Perez, the author of Tumble, has added another Honor to her list. Tumble doesn't want to accept her stepfather's offer of adoption until she meets her father and learns more about her parents' past. 

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award - Most distinguished informational book for children

• • Seen and Unseen - one of the most appealing nonfiction books I have ever read. Students who read George Takei's graphic novel They Called Us Enemy will be especially interested in the account of the Japanese Internment Camps as recorded by three photographers.

Stonewall Book Award - For children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience

• • Music, summer camp, and connections are three threads in the Stonewall Honor book for middle grades In the Key of Us. The way the main characters help each other reach their musical potential makes it a great choice for musicians.

  • The cover of The Real Riley Mayes makes the book seem younger than its intended audience, but the theme of finding friends is one that resonates with sixth graders. 

Schneider Family Book Award - for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience. Many past winners of this award are High Rock favorites. 

• Winner Wildoak by C.C. Harrington -The magic of a forest and an abandoned snow leopard cub, good for fans of Pax and The One and Only Ivan

• Honor book Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd - Olive is excited for the chance to finally attend school after years of being homeschooled due to her brittle bone disease. After a difficult first day, she hears about a magical wish-granting hummingbird that could solve her problems.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature  

• Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee, also the winner of a Newbery Honor

• Troublemaker by John Cho - The LA Riots after the death of Reggie King as told by a twelve year old boy

Sydney Taylor Book Award - outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience

• • Winner Aviva vs. the Dybbuk by Marie Lowe - Only Aviva can see the Dybbuk, and her community blames his mischief on her. Set in a contemporary Orthodox Jewish community.

  • Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternak - Ziva faces the Angel of Death in her quest to cure her twin brother of his illness.

  • Ellen Outside the Lines by A. J. Sass - Ellen is nervous about her class trip to France, especially as her careful plans to avoid overstimulation are upturned when she moves beyond her initial friend group. 

December 2022: Best Book lists for gift giving ideas

It is the season for lists of favorite books from 2022. Below is a compilation of my favorite lists from library and book publishing sources. They may be helpful as you look for titles for potential gift giving.

I have highlighted four areas: Fantasy/Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Nonfiction, and books that are the most requested at High Rock, whether or not they are on a published list.

School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Books

Publishers Weekly Best Books 2022: Middle Grade

Kirkus Reviews Best Books 2022: Middle Grade (to be released on December 5)

New York Public Library's Best Books 2022

Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Young Readers (grades 4-8)

Bookpage Best Middle Grades Books of 2022

If you liked The Lightning Thief - Fantasy and Adventure

For readers who like the magic school element in Harry Potter,  The Marvellers is an exciting new book. For YA readers of this genre, Bloodmarked is the sequel to Legendborn - a secret society hiding behind traditions in a boarding school. The Last Mapmaker is both a voyage to map the unknown and a study in class, power, and secrets. Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena is set in a virtual reality laser tag game, but it is the characterization that makes it one of the best reviewed of its genre.  The Ogress and the Orphans is for readers who like examples of magic creating community and for fans of Kelly Barnhill, author of Newbery winning Girl Who Drank the Moon. Finally, Disney's franchise creates a new series: The Society of Explorers and Adventurers, for those readers looking for mythology within their adventures.

Realistic Fiction: 

Lisa Yee fans (Millicent Min, Girl Genius) have waited years for her to write a new realistic fiction book, and Maizy Chen is winning awards. It combines a summer adventure, family history, and family relationships. Middle school interpersonal dynamics is the focus of Those Kids from Fawn Creek. Students who loved Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley will want to read Caprice. In the Key of Us shares a summer camp setting with the popular books Out of My Heart by Sharon Draper and Drum Roll Please by Lisa Bigelow. Activism is a theme in Small Town Pride, a title for those readers looking for examples of how kids can make a difference. Iveliz Explains it All is an example of one of the many books that explore mental health. 

Nonfiction! 

This year's group of nonfiction use format, photographs and pictures, and text placement to describe their topics.  Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration is an excellent example of the art of the nonfiction book, perfect for readers who want to learn more after reading George Takei's graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy. History lovers will also want to reach about the Japanese balloons on the west coast during World War II in Peace is a Chair Reaction.  American Murderer, part of the Medical Mysteries series, describes how scientists discovered the devastating impact of hookworm in the American south. Students who want more hands on activities will appreciate Temple Grandin's newest book for students: The Outdoor Scientist.  How to Build a Human  matches the prehistory element of High Rock's social studies in an engaging and hilarious narrative.  Even students who aren't familiar with Octavia Butler's works will appreciate Zoboi's masterful account of her life through poetry and prose in Star Child.

Most Requested Books at High Rock -

Sequels don't usually make the best book lists, but they may be the book your High Rock student wants. Below are favorites, either sequels or new books by favorite authors. 

November 2022: How Independent Reading Goals Help Stretch Readers

Graphic Novels - Are they the only books your students read? 

Graphic novels account for half the books checked out at High Rock. They are real books, and there is value from reading them. (Pictured below are some new books that are earning praise from reviewers this fall.) Some students are seeing the power of being able to finish a book in a day and are gaining confidence in their reading. Other students use graphic novels as breaks between longer books. They may also reread favorites because in graphic novels in particular, repeated readings let readers notice new things. Some students seem to be stuck in this section of the library, however, because they want to choose something easy and familiar. For these students, setting reading goals with their SLS teachers helps them choose a different type of book. 

Verse novels are one stepping stone for students looking for a short book. This format has exploded in recent years, led by Kwame Alexander's books: Crossover, Booked, Becoming Muhammad Ali (with James Patterson), and now his best selling historical fiction novel The Door of No Return, the first of a planned trilogy. Also gaining critical acclaim is Iveliz Explains it All. Iveliz is a seventh grader whose desire to make friends and succeed at school is thwarted by her mental health and managing the recent loss of her father. 

High Rock's Battle of the Books list features 85 books chosen by students and High Rock adults. These books will be the answers in the school-wide quiz show in the spring. Students who are not sure which book to read can choose one from this display, knowing that their fellow students have agreed that these are some of the favorite books of every genre. Some students set goals to read all the books in a specific genre, to read a certain number of books, or even to read every book on the list. On the top row are newer books, and on the bottom row are old favorites. The full list is available here.

What goal did you set for yourself? How does this book fit in? Do you want to choose another book to go along with your graphic novel? These questions help me guide students to expand their reading and emphasize their ownership of their reading. Students have reading goal conversations with their SLS teachers, but they are also a good place to start a conversation with your High Rock student. Trimester one is coming to an end, and students will be setting new goals for trimester two. Conversations at home can help with reflection and goal setting as students practice taking responsibility for their learning.

For individual book recommendations you can email me, High Rock's Librarian at elizabeth_vaccaro@needham.k12.ma.us. You can also fill the form here: Help: I Need a Book!

Beyond realistic fiction recommendations include Blood in the Water, a thriller with an intriguing cover. Westfallen involves a radio in a backyard shed that links World War II to the present day and explores other endings of WWII if the information shared over time in the past affects the future.