8th Grade

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick

In The Last Book in the Universe books are no longer read, and the power of storytelling has been pushed aside. Instead, using mind probes (i.e., technology) to escape reality has become the primary source of entertainment. The book includes fascinating characters, from “proovs,” or genetically improved humans, to endearing and misunderstood misfits like Ryter and Spaz. Together, Spaz and his band of underdogs courageously go up against the societal structures and authorities in an attempt to fight for what’s truly important. 

Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido

In a new city, at a new school, twelve-year-old Emmy has never felt more out of tune. Things start to look up when she takes her first coding class, unexpectedly connecting with the material—and Abigail, a new friend—through a shared language: music. But when Emmy gets bad news about their computer teacher, and finds out Abigail isn’t being entirely honest about their friendship, she feels like her new life is screeching to a halt. Despite these obstacles, Emmy is determined to prove one thing: that, for the first time ever, she isn’t a wrong note, but a musician in the world’s most beautiful symphony.

Hullmetal Girls by Emily Skrutskie

Aisha Un-Haad would do anything for her family. When her brother contracts a plague, she knows her janitor's salary isn't enough to fund his treatment. So she volunteers to become a Scela, a mechanically enhanced soldier sworn to protect and serve the governing body of the Fleet, the collective of starships they call home. If Aisha can survive the harrowing modifications and earn an elite place in the Scela ranks, she may be able to save her brother. Key Tanaka awakens in a Scela body with only hazy memories of her life before. She knows she's from the privileged end of the Fleet, but she has no recollection of why she chose to give up a life of luxury to become a hulking cyborg soldier. If she can make it through the training, she might have a shot at recovering her missing past. In a unit of new recruits vying for top placement, Aisha's and Key's paths collide, and the two must learn to work together--a tall order for girls from opposite ends of the Fleet. But a rebellion is stirring, pitting those who yearn for independence from the Fleet against a government struggling to maintain unity. 

Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation by Sylvia Liu

In a high-tech, futuristic world, 12-year-old Hana Hsu attends an elite academy for gifted children called Start-Up. She competes against her classmates to win a chip implant that will “mesh” her to the multiweb. But suspicious events at the school make Hana second-guess her desire for the implant and lead her on a quest to uncover the truth behind the secretive corporation that created it.

The Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare by Zillah Bethell

A beautiful friendship and coming-of-age story in middle-grade, The Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare by Zillah Bethell is lightly futuristic, and deeply compelling. Auden Dare is colorblind and lives in a world where water is scarce and families must live on a weekly, allocated supply. When Auden’s uncle, the scientist Dr. Bloom, suddenly dies, he leaves a note to Auden and to his classmate Vivi Rookmini. Together, the notes lead them to Paragon―a robot. As Auden, Vivi, and Paragon try to uncover Paragon’s purpose and put together the clues Dr. Bloom left behind, they find out that Dr. Bloom's death was anything but innocent, that powerful people are searching for Paragon―and that it's up to Auden and Vivi to stop them.

Bots and Bods: How Robots and Humans Work, from the Inside Out by John Andrews

What do humans and robots have in common? Find out in this intriguing illustrated nonfiction book that encourages kids to discover their inner robot. Bots and Bods is an illustrated guide for kids looking to explore anatomy and technology and how they're related. How do we both move or sense the world? How does robot intelligence compare to our own? Middle-grade readers will find these answers and more among the four sections:

• Body structures

• Muscle and movement

• Senses and sensors

• Thinking and feeling

An accessible guide with exciting illustrations, fun facts, and special feature spreads about robots in the real world explains why “bots” can sometimes do a better job than “bods” and vice versa.

Artificial Intelligence Explained: A Kid-Friendly Guide to AI and Machine Learning by Shah Rukh

Artificial Intelligence Explained: A Kid-Friendly Guide to AI and Machine Learning is an engaging journey that demystifies the world of AI for young minds and curious learners. From the origins of AI to its astounding applications in everyday life, this book unveils the secrets behind smart devices, gaming, medicine, and more. With relatable explanations, captivating stories, and interactive projects, readers discover the inner workings of AI, explore its ethical implications, and envision a future where they become AI innovators. Packed with knowledge and inspiration, this book equips young readers with the tools to understand, embrace, and shape the technological world around them.

From Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves  by Vivian Kirkfield

In a time when people believed flying was impossible, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier proved that the sky wasn’t the limit. When most thought horseback was the only way to race, Bertha and Karl Benz fired up their engines. From the invention of the bicycle and the passenger steam locomotive, to the first liquid-fuel propelled rocket and industrial robot, inventors across the world have redefined travel. Filled with informative sidebars and colorful illustrations, this collective biography tells the story of the experiments, failures, and successes of visionaries who changed the way the world moves.

From Here to There: The Story of How We Transport Ourselves and Everything Else  by HP Newquist

Since humans first stood upright, we've been on the move. Need food? Water? Land? A place to live? Survival depends upon motion. For thousands of years, people have devised ways to move faster, farther, and more comfortably. Their inventions—shoes, skis, the rudder, the wheel, engines, rockets—have had an enormous impact on how and where human beings live and thrive. When human beings get a move on, change happens: 

• The wheel, probably first used in the Middle East around 6,000 years ago, meant building and trading supplies could be moved more easily—whole civilizations rolled out.

• The Vikings sailed far and wide because they used a keel on their longships.

• Horse-and-carriage gridlock gave rise to subways.

• The bicycle changed the world for women in terms of freedom and fashion.

• Drones and driverless cars are the future . . . coming sooner than we think.

Award-winning author HP Newquist explores the transportation inventions and technologies that have transformed the way we experience the world around us. It’s a fascinating journey!