Iveliz Explains it All

by Andrea Beatriz Arango

YA FIC ARANGO

In this story written in poems, you'll get to know Iveliz, a teenager from Puerto Rico. She's going through a tough time because her dad passed away, and she's dealing with feelings of sadness, worry, and guilt. Iveliz tells us about how she sometimes feels really sad and has trouble talking to others or asking for help. The book looks like it's a copy of Iveliz's journal, and it has some drawings and cartoons that make it more interesting.

The Many Masks of Andy Zhou by Jack Cheng

YA FIC CHENG

When Andy's grandparents come from Shanghai to stay in Detroit, his friend suggests bleaching his hair to stand out in middle school. It doesn't go well, and he ends up with orange hair, making him a target for bullies. Andy faces other challenges like social problems, being treated unfairly because of his race, and his grandfather's declining health. He even develops a condition where he pulls his hair when he's anxious. But things start to get better when he becomes friends with one of his bullies through anime and their cultural backgrounds, and he discovers his artistic talent with the help of a kind teacher.

The Great Greene Heist

by Varian Johnson

YA FIC JOHNSON

Jackson Greene is known for pulling off daring pranks at school, but his actions have gotten him into big trouble. He can't use his cell phone at school and might even get kicked out. However, when his friend Gaby is in danger of losing the student council elections due to some unfair actions by a power-hungry candidate and the greedy principal, Jackson decides to help. He assembles a team of experts, including a tech whiz, a decoy, a getaway driver, and a right-hand person, to execute a clever plan to expose the principal's scheme and secure a win for Gaby in the election.

I Funny

by James Patterson

YA FIC PATTERSON

Jamie Grimm is a kid who can make people laugh in any situation. He uses humor to shield himself from sadness and pain, especially because he's in a wheelchair. He lives with his not-so-smiling Aunt and Uncle and has a cousin named Stevie who bullies everyone, including Jamie. The one place where Jamie feels safe and can try out his jokes is his Uncle Frankie's diner. Frankie encourages him to enter the Planet's Funniest Kid Comic Contest, but Jamie has to conquer his fear of being on stage. He gets help from "Cool Girl" and his friends Pierce and Gaynor along the way.

Orphan Island

by Laurel Snyder

YA FIC SNYDER

Nine kids live on an island all by themselves. Every year, a green boat arrives, taking the oldest child away and bringing a new one. When Jinny's friend Deen leaves, Jinny becomes the new Elder and is now responsible for teaching the latest arrival, Ess. But Ess is different; she remembers her mother in the outside world, and Jinny finds it tough to teach her how to survive on the island. When a year goes by, and the green boat returns, Jinny isn't ready to leave her home. This decision challenges the way of life the children have followed for so long.

Remember Us

by Jacqueline Woodson

YA FIC WOODSON

Sage no longer fits in with the girls because she prefers playing basketball over worrying about her looks. Basketball is her greatest passion, and it brings her closer to the new boy, Freddy. They form a special bond as their families face displacement due to mysterious fires destroying their homes. Sage's mom warns that they will move soon to a safer place where sirens don't blare late at night. Sage also struggles with the loss of her father and a frightening incident in the park that made her question her identity and leads her to consider giving up basketball altogether.

New Kid

by Jerry Craft

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC CRAFT

Jordan has a passion for drawing cartoons about his life. But his parents decide to send him to a fancy private school instead of the art school he dreams of. At this school, he stands out as one of the few students of color in his grade. As he travels between school and home, Jordan realizes he's caught between two different worlds, and he doesn't quite fit into either one. Can Jordan figure out how to navigate the culture of his new school while staying connected to his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

Tegan & Sara Junior High

by Tegan and Sara Quin

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC QUIN

Twins Tegan and Sara start their first year of middle school. But there's a hiccup when they find out they'll be in different classes for the first time. It bothers them that their classmates can't tell them apart. They also feel anxious about being apart. As the year goes on, they both have unique experiences with new friends, physical changes, and emotions. Even though they're on different paths, they grow closer when they find their mother's boyfriend's old guitar and discover a shared passion for music.

Eb & Flow

by Kelly J. Baptist

YA FIC BAPTIST

Ebony and De’Kari (aka Flow) do not get along. How could they when their cafeteria scuffle ended with De’Kari’s ruined shoes, Ebony on the ground, and the both of them with ten days of at-home suspension. Now Eb and Flow have two weeks to think about and explain their behavior - to their families, to each other, and to themselves.

The Town with No Mirrors

by Christina Collins

YA FIC COLLINS

Zailey and her grandmother live in a place called Gladder Hill, where mirrors and words relating to physical appearance are banned. The authorities in Gladder Hill go to great lengths to make sure there are no reflective surfaces around, even changing the water to make it cloudy. Zailey, however, is an artist who loves drawing people's faces. She keeps a secret sketchbook of portraits, but she's afraid that if anyone finds out, she and her grandmother could be kicked out of Gladder Hill. Things take an interesting turn when one of her classmates discovers her sketchbook and admits that he's also curious about his own appearance.

Swindle

by Gordan Korman

YA FIC KORMAN

If something needs doing, Griffin carefully plans a fix and his best friend Ben usually gets roped in as assistant. When the town council ignores his plan for a skate park on the grounds of the soon-to-be demolished Rockford House, Griffin plans a camp-out in the house. While there, he discovers a rare and valuable baseball card. His family's money worries are suddenly a thing of the past, until a collectables dealer swindles him. Griffin and Ben plan to snatch the card back with a little help. Little goes according to plan, but everything turns out all right.

The Rhythm of Time

by Questlove and S.A. Cosby

YA FIC QUESTLOVE

Rahim Reynolds dreams of becoming a famous rapper. However, his dad is making it tough for Rahim to record or share his music. His friend, Kasia Collins, lives in a super high-tech house next door and is a talented builder and hacker. When Kasia gives Rahim a unique phone she created, it unexpectedly transports him back to June 1997. Kasia tries to bring Rahim back to their time while avoiding government agents, but Rahim makes friends with his young father in 1997, putting their future and timeline at risk.

Fast Pitch

by Nic Stone

YA FIC STONE

Shenice Lockwood dreams of leading the Fulton Firebirds to the U12 softball regional championship. But Shenice's focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending-and family-name-ruining-crime may have been a setup. It's up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family's past-and fast-before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever.

Martin McLean, Middle School Queen

by Alyssa Zaczek

YA FIC ZACZEK

Seventh-grader Martin McLean is surrounded by expressive people, but he struggles to find his voice, except when solving math problems. That changes when his Tío Billy introduces him to the world of drag, and Martin becomes the fabulous Lottie León. As Lottie, he gains courage, but he's afraid to reveal his drag alter ego to anyone outside his family, including his friends Carmen, Pickle, and a crush named Chris. When he faces a dilemma with a Mathletes competition and his first drag show on the same night, Martin realizes he must be true to himself and unveil his inner drag superstar to his friends.

Lo & Behold

by Wendy Mass

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC MASS

Addie's home used to be filled with science and curiosity. But everything changed when her mom had a bike accident and got hooked on painkillers. With her mom no longer able to care for her, Addie's dad takes her far from home for the summer. He's mentoring a group of graduate students working on augmented reality (AR), his specialty. Even though Addie tries to distance herself from it all, she can't help but get involved in her dad's AR projects. Mateo, a neighbor boy and fellow geek, encourages her to join in. Mateo is a do-gooder and, together, they combine his hospital volunteering with the technology they're working on to help people who are going through tough times, just like they are.

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC TELGEMEIER

Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school play this year, it’s a musical, and she can’t really sing. Instead, she’s the set designer for the drama department stage crew. She wants to create a Broadway-worth set but how can she, when she doesn’t know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage and offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen.

Simon Sort of Says

by Erin Bow

YA FIC BOW

Simon's dad had some quirky stories to his name, like the time he gave a squirrel a holy sacrament or when there was an alpaca disaster on YouTube. But the story people won't stop talking about is when Simon survived a school shooting. Now, two years later, they move to a place where the internet is banned. Here, people are more interested in listening for aliens in space. Simon makes a friend who wants to help the scientists, and this gives him a chance to have a new story told about him.

The Tiger Rising

by Kate DiCamillo

YA FIC DICAMILLO

After the death of his mother, Rob moves with his father to a run-down motel in Florida. He discovers a caged tiger in the nearby woods, which becomes a symbol of his own feelings of being trapped and powerless. Rob doesn't share this discovery with anyone until he meets Sistine, a feisty girl who has her own emotional struggles. As Rob and Sistine form a close friendship, they both grapple with their personal challenges. Rob is emotionally closed off, and Sistine is dealing with the recent loss of her mother. Together, they decide to free the caged tiger as a way to confront their own feelings of captivity and loss.

Hands

by Torrey Maldonado

YA FIC MADLDONADO

Trev is scared after his abusive stepfather is sent back to jail and tries to prepare for the man's eventual release by learning to box so he can defend himself and his family by fighting with his hands. Trev is a gifted artist and is constantly being told by the adults around him that he has promise and a future; fighting does not come naturally to him. He dreams of taking his mother and sisters away from the projects to a place that he will not have to "throw hands"

Ghost

by Jason Reynolds

YA FIC REYNOLDS

Seventh-grader Castle Cranshaw, who goes by Ghost, has never been into track, but his life takes a turn when a former Olympian invites him to join a youth track team. For Ghost, running fast is like an escape, a way to leave behind the terrifying memory of his father trying to harm him and his mom with a gun three years ago. The trauma has led to problems at school, stealing, and lying. But joining the track team opens up a new world of friends, goals, and a chance for Ghost to leave his painful past behind.

What Happened to Rachel Riley?by Claire Swinarski

YA FIC SWINARSKI

How did the coolest girl in school go from being super popular to someone that nobody wanted around? Anna Hunt, a new student who dreams of starting her own podcast, had a choice for her school project about social issues. She could have picked an easier topic that meant a lot to her. But Anna can't help but wonder about one thing: What really happened to Rachel Riley? And is it connected to the secret game the boys are playing? She's not afraid to ask tough questions, faces challenges in making new friends, and wonders if the world can ever become a better place.

The Love Report

by Maya & BeKa

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC BeKa

Best friends Grace and Lola are on a mission to unravel the mysteries of romance at their middle school. They have lots of questions about love, like what makes popular girls appealing, why some relationships thrive, and others fade away. Lola comes up with a plan to observe, study, and analyze all the school couples, creating The Love Report. As they dig deeper into the world of romance, they'll find surprises and learn to look beyond appearances

The Moth Keeper

by Kay O’Neill

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC ONEILL

Anya is now a Moth Keeper, responsible for looking after lunar moths that help the Night-Lily flower bloom once a year. Her village depends on this flower for survival, and Anya is eager to prove herself and show her appreciation to her friends. But what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn't what she expected? Every night, she's alone in the desert with only one lantern for light. Anya is determined to show her worth and express her gratitude to her friends and the village, but she begins to wonder if it's too hard. Something doesn't feel right. When Anya sees something that could harm what she's meant to protect, her village and the lunar moths face the consequences.

El Deafo

by CeCe Bell

[GRAPHIC] YA FIC BELL

At the age of 4, CeCe loses most of her hearing due to meningitis. She gets a hearing aid and learns to read lips, but it's not easy. When her family moves to a new town, she starts attending a school that doesn't have separate classes for deaf students. CeCe gets a cool new hearing aid called the Phonic Ear, which helps her hear her teacher even from far away in the school. It makes her feel like a superhero. However, the Phonic Ear is bulky and uncomfortable, and she has to wear it on her chest. She realizes that while superheroes are amazing, they are also different, and being different can sometimes make you feel alone.