Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling

Addie is a 12-year-old pilot who loves to fly her ultralight plane around the deserts of Arizona and livestream her adventures. Jolene, another 12-year-old, loves to watch these live streams as a way to escape from her difficult home life. When Addie crash land her plane in the desert one day, Jolene decides to be the one to rescue her. Realistic fiction/Adventure 

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Blended by Sharon Draper

Isabella is only eleven, but she is already so used to hearing about how "exotic" and unusual she is due to her black father and white mother that she is sick of her biracial identity. Now that her parents are divorced and fighting over her worse than ever, Isabella needs a way to define her identity so she can feel not like two halves, but a whole. Realistic Fiction

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

The Collectors by Jacqueline West

Van has always been an outsider. He’s hard of hearing, collects trinkets, and lives with overwhelming his single mother. When Van notices a girl stealing pennies from a fountain one day, he follows her, and discovers an underground society full of wish collectors. But they aren't the only ones who have their eyes on the world’s wishes—and they may not be the good guys, after all. Fantasy

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

On her birthday, 12-year-old aspiring baker Zoe Washington receives a letter from her father who is in prison for murder, declaring his innocence. Determined to discover the truth, Zoe spends her summer trying to prove him innocent, while learning about inequality in the justice system, performing well in her baking internship, and achieving her dream of auditioning for the Food Network's Kids Bake Challenge. Realistic Fiction

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Just Roll With It by Veronica Argawal & Lee Durgey-LaVoie
Maggie, who struggles with anxiety and OCD, is starting middle school and very worried. She uses her 20-sided dice to help her make decisions. When her rolls and decisions get compulsive however, her family realizes they need to step in. Will Maggie learn to make friends, trust herself, and reach out to those around her? Graphic Realistic Fiction (SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Playing a Dangerous Game by Patrick Ochieng
Set in 1970s Kenya, Lumush and his friends spend their free time playing a game called pata potea. When they discover a deserted house, they learn that it’s not ghosts they have to fear but the malevolent Mwachuma, who is part of a smuggling operation. As the young boys are drawn into this criminal underworld, they face a mounting danger that threatens both themselves and their families. Historical Fiction

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Tagging Freedom by Rhonda Roumani

It’s 2011 and Kareem is seeing a revolution happening right before his eyes in Damascus, Syria. Kareem and his friends secretly graffiti messages of freedom around their city. Meanwhile, in the U.S., his cousin, Samira, has been trying make friends at her new school. Right as she begins to fit in, Kareem is sent to live with Sam’s family. When graffitied messages appear around town, Sam must make a choice: should she shy away to protect her new social status, or should she stand with her accused cousin? Historical fiction

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Wave Riders by Lauren St. John

Twins Jess and Jude live a dream life on a battered old yacht, sailing from one exotic destination to the next. When their guardian vanishes one night after an argument with a stranger, the twins are left alone, facing an incoming storm and an unknown enemy. They set out on a survival adventure that will take them an ocean away and pit them against one of the world’s most powerful men. How far do they dare go, and what will they risk, to find the truth about who they really are? Mystery/Suspense

Becoming Kareem by Kareem Abdul- Jabbar
At one time, Lew Alcindor was just another kid from NYC. But with a talent for basketball, and an unmatched team of supporters, Lew Alcindor became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. From a childhood made difficult by racism and prejudice to a record- smashing career, his life was packed with “coaches” who taught him right from wrong and led him on the path to greatness. This book chronicles how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the icon and legend he is today, both on and off the court. Nonfiction Memoir

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook) 

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Because of the result of a ceremony, Deka fears her future in her village. When a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor with an army of girls just like her, Deka knows she must leave the only life she’s ever known. As she journeys to the capital, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they appear to be – not even Deka herself. Fantasy Adventure

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee 

Sky Shin dreams of being a K-Pop star and when a competition comes to her hometown of Los Angeles, she isn’t going to let her physical appearance stand in her way, even if others seem to think it should. Skye nails her audition and joins the show, sparking a host of criticisms, praise, and fat-shaming. Navigating a new relationship with a fellow competitor only adds to Skye’s determination to be a star on her own terms. Realistic Fiction 

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

The In-Betweens by Rebecca Ansari 

Everything is getting on Cooper’s nerves, especially his annoying little sister Jess. When Cooper and Jess discover an unsolved mystery involving a railroad accident, Cooper becomes obsessed with solving it. The mystery involves a mysterious, unidentified dead boy whose only identifying feature is a strange insignia on his jacket. The siblings are shocked to realize a connection close to home and as they begin to investigate further, they make a surprising discovery. Supernatural Mystery

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart

Lily, born Timothy, is a girl. But being a girl is not so easy when you look like a boy. Dunkin, birth name Norbert, is dealing with bipolar disorder and has just moved to town. This would be hard enough, but the fact that he is also hiding from a painful secret makes it even worse. One summer morning, Lily meets Dunkin and their lives forever change. Realistic Fiction

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Mexikid by Pedro Martins 

Pedro Martin embarks on a trip to Mexico with eleven of his family members in their Winnebago to help move their abuelito to the United States to live with them. However, their grandfather won't move until he finishes a quest that becomes a part of Pedro's unforgettable journey. Graphic Memoir/Adventure

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Starfish by Lisa Fipps 

Ellie, a plus-size teenager, has been bullied and fat-shamed for her weight since she was five years old. As a result, she's developed rules for public behavior to avoid embarrassment, such as walking slowly to avoid jiggling and not eating in public. The one place Ellie truly feels at home is in her swimming pool where she feels weightless and can spread out as far as she wants. With the help of her supportive therapist and father, Ellie grows tired of feeling shame and endeavors to live unapologetically. 

Realistic Fiction

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen

During the pandemic, 15-year-old Valdez Jones is thriving thanks to online school that allows him time to fish off the Key West coast. One day he sees a boat run aground on a sandbar and becomes suspicious when the men running the boat give him cash to pretend he never saw them. When he begins to see the men all around town and they hire him to be a lookout for them, he worries that he's in over his head and tries to find a way out of his precarious predicament. Mystery 

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

In this futuristic twist on the classic Cinderella story, Cinder is a teenage cyborg mechanic. Her “normal” existence is turned upside down when she meets and falls for the handsome prince and learns that her sister's life is being threatened by a plague. Can Cinder save her sister and also capture the heart of her prince? Science Fiction

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Code of Honor by Alan Gratz
When Iranian-American Kamran Smith learns that his big brother, Darius, has been labeled a terrorist, he sets out to piece together the codes and clues that will save his brother's life and his country from a deadly terrorist attack. Realistic Fiction

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

The Disasters by M.K. England

Hotshot pilot, Nax Hall, has a history of making poor life choices, so it’s not a surprise when he is kicked out of his elite training academy. But Nax’s one-way trip back to Earth is cut short when a terrorist group attacks the Academy. Nax and three other washouts escape (barely), but they’re also the sole witnesses to the biggest crime in the history of space colonization. This disastrous crew might not be “academy material,” and they might not even like each other, but they may be the only ones left to step up and fight back. SciFi Adventure

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Don't Hate the Player by Alexis Nedd

By day, Emila Romero is a field hockey star with a flawless report card. By night, she’s a member of a superstar eSports team. Emilia has mastered the art of keeping her two worlds separate and thriving. When a major eSports tourney comes to her city, Emilia is determined to prove herself to the male- dominated gaming community, but her perfectly balanced life is thrown for a loop when a person from her past, who is also the member of a rival team, discovers her double life. Realistic Fiction

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming

From award-winning author Candace Fleming, comes the powerful and fascinating story of the brave and dedicated young women who helped turn the tides of World War II for the Allies, with their hard work and determination at Bletchley Park. Nonfiction

(SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Fake ID by Lamar Giles 

Nick Pearson is hiding in plain sight. In fact, his name isn't really Nick Pearson. He shouldn't tell you his real name, his real hometown, or why his family just moved to Stepton, Virginia. And he definitely shouldn't tell you about his friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy Eli was uncovering when he was killed. Or about how Nick had to choose between solving Eli's murder with his sister and "staying low-key" like the Program said to do. But he's going to tell you—unless he gets caught first... Mystery

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang

If her grandmother is to be believed, Vietnamese American teenager Valentina Tran's family is just unlucky in love and she's destined never to find it. After an encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers at the Lunar New Year festival, old childhood imaginary friend turned nemesis, Saint Valentine, urges her to give him her heart to protect it from further pain. Valentina bargains with the spirit to turn it over in a year if she has not found love and embarks on a personal journey to break her family's curse. Graphic Realistic Fiction

(SORA eBook)

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

Puerto Rican American Sierra Santiago is ready for a summer of relaxing and art, but when strange occurrences start happening in her Brooklyn neighborhood, things take a sinister turn. Sierra and her friends discover that someone is murdering the community's ancestral spirits, who are able to communicate with them through a form of magic known as shadowshaping. Fantasy

(Learning Ally, SORA eBook, SORA audiobook)

For Sixth Graders, We Recommend:

Realistic Fiction

Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino

Class Trip by Jerry Craft (graphic novel)

Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass

Falling Short by Ernest Cisneros

Freestyle by Gale Galligan (graphic novel)

Finally Heard by Kelly Yang

Hands by Torrey Maldonado

Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution by Sherrie Winston

Not an Easy Win by Chrystal Giles

The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls by James Bird

She Holds Up the Stars by Sandra Laronde

Shine On, Luz Véliz! by Rebecca Balcárcel

Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena by Julie C. Dao

This Last Adventure by James Dalton

Those Kids From Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly

Twin Cities by Jose Pimienta

Unfadeable by Maurice Broaddus

Historical Fiction

Coming Up Cuban by Sonia Manzano

In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

Troublemaker by John Cho

Wave by Diana Farid

Mystery/Horror

Drew LeClair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury

Jennifer Chan is Not Alone by Tae Keller

This Appearing House by Ally Malineko

SciFi/Fantasy

Amira and Hamza by Samira Ahmed

Children of Quicksands by Efua Traore

Etta Invincible by Reese Eschmann

Freddie vs. the Family Curse by Tracy Badua

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

Leviathan by Jason Shiga

The Marvellers by Dhionelle Clayton

My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee

Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lexhuz by Laekan Zea Kemp

Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl by Julie Kagawa

Nonfiction

Hardcourt by Fred Bowen

The Outdoor Scientist by Temple Grandin

RBG’s Brave and Brilliant Women by Nadine Epstein

The Talk by Wade Hudson