6-8 Recommended Books

FICTION:

Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar
Told from the perspectives of four girls from the same Sephardic family, the novel chronicles each girl’s search for freedom and safety, spanning from Spain in 1492 to Miami in 2003.

All Roads Lead to Rome by Sabrina Fedel

When the daughter of a diplomat fake dates a Scottish celebrity in Italy, she soon finds herself living her own Roman Holiday until the feelings get real and the paparazzi's knives come out. (Grades 7 and up)

The Baker and the Bard: A Cozy Fantasy Adventure by Fern Haught
A baker’s apprentice and a young bard go on an adventure to secure the final ingredient needed for a massive pastry order. Along the way, they encounter mysterious happenings and meet fantastical beings.

Bemused by Farrah Rochon

The untold origin story of the 5 Muses from Disney’s Hercules is revealed in this fresh YA take on Greek mythology.

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
While working at Bletchley Park during WWII, siblings Lizzie and Jacob try to find out what happened to their mother after she disappeared in Poland when the Nazis invaded.

Bye Forever, I Guess by Jodi Meadows
Introverted Ingrid thrives in a role-playing game online but spends school days alone until her virtual crush presents an in-real-life opportunity. A charming look at first crushes, healthy friendships, and book superfandom.

Eyes on the Ice by Anna Rosner
In 1963, under the brutal Communist regime, two hockey-loving brothers must throw a game in a Soviet-Czech tournament to help their imprisoned father.

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
Y2K becomes the least of Michael’s worries when he meets Ridge, a boy from the future.

Flying Through Water by Mamle Wolo
Sena will have to use all the survival skills he has learned from his grandfather in rural Ghana to survive and escape from the human traffickers who trapped him.

The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor
A near-death experience as a child left Dorian with the ability to communicate with ghosts, which he now uses to counsel wayward and unhappy spirits.

How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger
Thirteen-year-old Tara’s overactive imagination fuels her anxiety and fear over skipping eighth grade and starting high school early, but after making friends and learning to be true to herself, she enjoys a good year.

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell, illus. by Ashley Mackenzie
Christopher and Mal must work together to save the last magical place on Earth, the Archipelago, and all the mythical creatures that inhabit it from destruction.

Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
Seventh-grader Kareem navigates middle school challenges, football aspirations, and family responsibilities, while his mother is unable to return from Syria due to a travel ban.

Last Chance Academy: A Study in Secrets by Debbie Michiko Florence
Only Murders in the Building meets Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library in this action-packed novel about a girl pulled into a mysterious treasure hunt at her new boarding school.

The Liars Society 2: A Risky Game by Alyson Gerber
Weatherby and Jack have been tapped to join Last Heir, the most powerful secret society in the world, but the night of the first gambit, the game takes a terrifying turn. Now, Jack and Weatherby are in a race against time to discover the truth about the game—and themselves. But how do you know who to trust when everyone is a liar?

Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams, illus. by Danica Novgorodoff
Isaiah has big plans to spend the summer with his friends, but when one is killed in a tragic accident, Isaiah learns to process his grief in unexpected ways and accept help from unfamiliar faces.

The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie
In an abandoned funhouse, three friends unlock clues to discover a hidden treasure.

Murray out of Water by Taylor Tracy
When a hurricane forces Murray and their family to evacuate to their uncle's house, they navigate complicated family dynamics while discovering new facets of their identity.

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman
While doing court-ordered volunteer work at a senior home, twelve-year-old Alex meets 107-year-old Josey who hasn’t spoken in years. A bond develops, and they help each other overcome mistakes and misunderstandings.

Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu
Amid a variety of changes in her life, Violet Hart must come to terms with her illness and a dark shadowy presence in her new home.

One Wrong Step by Jennifer Nielsen
A spine-tingling adventure about two kids and their fight for survival on the unforgiving trails of Mount Everest. Join Atlas, Maddie, and their Sherpa in this epic about loss, letting go, and the most important lesson a climber can learn: where the eye goes, a person follows.

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor

After receiving a mysterious letter proclaiming her father's innocence for a crime he committed 7 years ago, Maeve poses as an apprentice and embarks on a perilous investigation to uncover the truth.

The Pale Queen by Ethan M. Aldridge
After a chance encounter with the mysterious Lady of the Hills, Agatha learns of a hidden mist-shrouded land. But is the Lady who she appears to be, and can Agatha protect her village?

The Picture Visitors: A Case for the Van Gogh Agency by Christina Wolff, tr. by Claire Storey
This adventure follows Vincent, who has the ability to jump in and out of paintings. As he pursues an art thief, he meets two other teens who also possess this ability.

The Playmakers by Chad Morris & Shelly Morris
Can a team of middle school underdogs prove to the whole school that they have what it takes to be noticed, in both basketball and drama, or will it all go horribly wrong?

Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson
This adventure opens in March 1776, on the eve of the Loyalists’ forced evacuation of Boston. Period details of daily life during the events of the founding of the United States immerse readers in the era, and plot points become compellingly relevant to contemporary times when Boston is hit by the smallpox epidemic and controversies about inoculation abound.

Red Bird Danced by Dawn Quigley, illus. by Carla Joseph
In this emotional novel-in-verse set in the present day, two Ojibwe neighbors, Ariel and Tomah, struggle with the disappearance of Ariel’s aunt while raising awareness for missing Indigenous women.

Shark Teeth by Sheri Winston
Twelve-year-old Sharkita "Kita" Hayes must decide whether to continue covering for her mother, who struggles with alcoholism, in order to keep her siblings together or seek help from trusted adults, risking their separation.

Sunrise Nights by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro

Two young artists have a chance meeting on the last night of summer arts camp in this YA novel in verse and dialogue cowritten by acclaimed authors Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro.

Sunrise of the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The fifth book in The Hunger Games series features young Haymitch's story, and his participation in the fiftieth Hunger Games.

Take It from the Top by Claire Swinarski
Their tremendous talent and love for performing arts first brought besties Eowyn and Jules together at Lamplighter Lake summer camp, but this summer finds the girls barely speaking. Through flashbacks and chapters from each girl’s perspective, readers piece together their current tension as they prepare for starring roles in a production of Wicked.

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko
After waiting for his unreliable mother to come home, 11-year-old Hank seeks out his grandmother’s friend to care for him and his toddler sister, and he finds unexpected hope and support along the way.

The Things We Miss by Leah Stecher, illus. by Anna Kuptsova
When J.P. discovers a door that can send her forward in time, she begins avoiding all the worst parts of being a seventh-grader, but she discovers skipping ahead has consequences.

Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar
Elio shares his churned-up feelings as he navigates falling in love, masculinity, and his changing body.

Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis
After being homeschooled by her parents while living out of their van, Cayenne starts seventh grade at a middle school. A fascinating story told in verse.

The Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Confused by her mother’s decision to flee across the country, 12-year-old Fern tries to find a way back to the commune where they once lived, uncovering disturbing truths about it along the way.

NONFICTION:

101 Things Every Young Athlete Should Know by Taylor Marr
Being an athlete is a unique opportunity to learn about your personal potential for growth and create memories that will last a lifetime. This book serves as a guide to teach young athletes how to prevent injuries, improve performance, take care of their bodies and nutrition, set and meet goals, practice sportsmanship, and much more!

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson, illus. by Ekua Holmes
Vibrant collages adorn Watson's semi-autobiographical collection of poems that explore growing up as a Black girl and celebrate the strengths of the Black women in her life.

The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming
The true story of ten young women who left their homes during WWII to work in secret at Bletchley Park, intercepting German communications, breaking their codes, and helping end the war. (Sibert Honor Book)

Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illus. by James E. Ransome
Compelling text and illustrations tell the story of John Lewis and his transformative work as a civil rights activist.

Made in Asian America: A History for Young People by Erika Lee and Christina Soontornvat
From three-time Newbery Honoree Christina Soontornvat and award-winning historian Erika Lee comes a middle grade nonfiction book that shines a light on the generations of Asian Americans who have transformed the United States and continue to shape what it means to be American.

Milk Without Honey by Hanna Harms
With simple, elegant illustrations, Harms describes the plight of insect pollinators like bees, and how our world is affected by their work.

The Race to Be Myself (Young Readers Edition) by Caster Semenya
In this memoir for young readers, Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya reflects on her groundbreaking career and her fight for identity in professional sports.

Shift Happens: The History of Labor in the United States by J. Albert Mann
Shift Happens is a smart, funny, and engaging look at the history of worker actions that brought us weekends, pay equality, desegregation, an end to child labor, and so much more. (Grades 7 and up)

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (Young Readers Adaptation) by Elizabeth Kolbert
In this young reader’s adaptation of the New York Times bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning The Sixth Extinction, Elizabeth Kolbert explains why and how humans have altered life on the planet in a way no other species has before.

Spying on Spies: How Elizabeth Smith Broke the Nazis’ Secret Codes by Marissa Moss
A great addition to books about women’s contributions to science. Readers will enjoy learning about the brilliant Elizabeth Smith Friedman in this narrative nonfiction title featuring photographs and graphic novel–style drawings. The back matter includes codes and ciphers to learn and practice.

Uprooted: A Memoir About What Happens When Your Family Moves Back by Ruth Chan
Thirteen-year-old Ruth Chan had a comfortable life in Canada, but when her father gets a job in Hong Kong, she must adjust to a new life across the world.

Warrior on the Mound by Sandra W. Headen
Narrated by twelve-year-old Cato, this intense and evocative story of racial unrest in prewar North Carolina ends with a dramatic match between white and Black little league teams.

Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen by James Robinson and Brian Rea
Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James’s point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions.

What Is Color? The Global and Sometimes Gross Story of Pigments, Paint, and the Wondrous World of Art by Steven Weinberg
Science, history, and art converge in this vibrant and playful exploration of color.