New
Middle School Favorites
Well, by this point, school is solidly back in session for everyone, including that time of our lives that was chaotic and stressful and overwhelming (at least for me), MIDDLE SCHOOL. While that is 3 years of my life you could not pay me to do again, the teachers, librarians, and other support staff that work at middle schools are some of the best people you will ever meet, and they are truly doing some amazing work. Getting through those years is HARD, and sometimes, as all of us know, the best way to make it through such an awkward, uncomfortable time is through reading.
Since the days of Judy Blume wondering if anyone was listening to Margaret, getting through middle school has had an assist from a group of talented authors who manage to make kids feel like they aren’t alone in their experiences and allowing children to work through these changes with a mirror up to their faces as words on the page. Make sure that you have a robust middle grade collection, as kids are now navigating these new frontiers, plus many of these are currently part of the Back to School Sale, and they can be grabbed at a discount through September 30!
Books You Should Know About
Maeve Mulvaney Has Enough by Kelly Mangan
Buy the Maeve Mulvaney Has Enough ebook
Buy the Maeve Mulvaney Has Enough audiobook
From the publisher:
Fourteen-year-old Maeve feels more at home in the pages of her comics and sketchbook than she does in “Nowhereville” (her maybe-not-so-nice nickname for the small Florida town where her family just moved). In the comic-book version of her life, she’s a brave superhero who always bests the bad guys. In reality? Not so much.
When a bully at her new school makes her life miserable over her weight (and a sexist teacher defends him), Maeve isn’t sure what to do. Her mom thinks she should just cheer up, brush it off, and stay positive. But then Maeve hears from other misfit eighth graders who are also being picked on, and she decides that enough is enough.
Drawing inspiration from her comics, Maeve creates a feminist superhero club, hoping she and her new friends can inspire meaningful change in their community. But it turns out, fighting back without becoming the bully yourself is harder than it seems…
This heartfelt and uplifting novel serves as a sweet reminder that heroes are stronger together, that home is where you make it, and that the greatest superpower you have is your voice.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
From the publisher:
Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they’ve been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language? It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams? Front Desk joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels.
Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner
Buy the Free Piano (Not Haunted) ebook
From the publisher:
From beloved graphic novelist Whitney Gardner comes a big-hearted, touching, and spooky coming-of-age story about a young aspiring songwriter who forms a ghostly partnership with the pop star who haunts her secondhand piano.
The piano is free, but fame has a price.
On the sleepy streets of Cascade Cove, lonely Margot knows that when she stumbles across a discarded synthesizer with a “not haunted” sign, she’s discovered the key to realizing her dreams. Determined to become a real songwriter and earn her absent father’s admiration, Margot dives headfirst into trying to gain followers and fans online. But her musical journey takes an unexpected turn when she realizes the (not haunted) piano is very much…haunted.
Enter Vision, teen pop sensation of 1979 whose untimely demise left her spirit intertwined with the keys of her synthesizer. Though Margot and Vision couldn’t be more different, the girls form an unlikely bond fueled by their shared passion for music.
But as Margot’s obsession with fame and recognition grows, she may come dangerously close to losing what she loves about music…and herself.
Rayleigh Mann and the Quest for Misfits by Ciannon Smart
Buy the Rayleigh Mann and the Quest for Misfits ebook
Buy the Rayleigh Mann and the Quest for Misfits audiobook
From the publisher:
On the previous All Hallows’ Eve, Rayleigh was just a typical Londoner. Or he thought he was.
Now Rayleigh has embraced his monster heritage, passed all the tests to stay in Below-London with the rest of monster society, and even saved his father—the Bogey Mann—from the notorious Illustrious Society.
But his adventures are far from over.
Though Rayleigh is supposed to be staying far away from trouble, it’s found him once again. As strange shadows begin to reach out to him for help and clues begin to fall into place, Rayleigh and his new friends are embroiled in a mysterious treasure hunt to prevent Below-London from falling into chaos—and not the good kind, this time.
Fans of The School for Good and Evil and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky will thrill as they and Rayleigh return to Below-London—soaring across the city, exploring libraries that disregard the rules of space and time, and meeting new friends as they uncover a sinister plot and embark on another unforgettable adventure.
Restart by Gordon Korman
From the publisher:
Chase’s memory just went out the window. Chase doesn’t remember falling off the roof. He doesn’t remember hitting his head. He doesn’t, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name. He knows he’s Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets. Pretty soon, it’s not only a question of who Chase is — it’s a question of who he was . . . and who he’s going to be. From the #1 bestselling author of Swindle and Slacker, Restart is the spectacular story of a kid with a messy past who has to figure out what it means to get a clean start.
The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez by Jasminne Paulino
Buy the The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez ebook
Buy the The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez audiobook here
From the publisher:
Seventh grader Alex’s favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos of rocket launches with his Papi and spending hours on the NASA website reading about astronauts and planets. He even dreams of going to space one day himself, and knows he’ll have to study hard in order to get there.
But Alex is in his grade’s SC (self-contained) classroom, which means doing the same dull worksheets every day and reading books his sister read back in the third grade. Worst of all, being in SC means nobody thinks he’s ready to join Ms. Rosef’s mainstream science class—the class Alex knows will be the first step on his path to NASA.
When his teacher says “not yet” for the millionth time, Alex decides it’s time to make a change. Now he’s ready to try everything he can to get the people in his life—his teachers, his parents, and the kids at school—to understand that he, Alex Ramirez, is capable of the extraordinary.
So Over Sharing by Elissa Brent Weissman
Buy the So Over Sharing audiobook
From the publisher:
In this timely contemporary middle grade novel from award-winning author Elissa Brent Weissman, two girls find their private struggles against their influencer mothers going very public
Quiet, introverted Hadley and rough-around-the-edges Willow have one big main thing in common: both their moms have gained a huge online following sharing every detail of their lives. Hadley’s mom—Phoebe of @PhoebeAndJay fame—loves to share all the terrible, down and dirty bits about raising kids while Willow’s mom Rosalind at the up-and-coming @MoonbeamsAndMarigold basks in the glow of motherhood.
If getting all her life’s moments (including an almost decade old viral potty training video) shared online isn’t enough, Hadley’s starting a new school in a new neighborhood and desperately trying to keep her mom’s identity a secret while Willow is struggling with a recent life-changing announcement from her mom who, it turns out, is not getting out of the influencer world anytime soon.
As the two girls build a friendship on a private Instagram page and share the pains of having a momfluencers, they come up against the same question—how long will they have to share their lives with everyone?
Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix
Buy the Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans ebook here
Buy the Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans audiobook here
From the publisher:
Life is tough for twelve-year-old orphan Adia. Her aunt and uncle believe she’s an ogbanje, a demon-possessed child that brings misfortune wherever they go, and Adia can’t disagree—especially when she suddenly manifests mysterious powers that she can’t control, causing an earthquake in her village.
So when Adia is offered a kitchen apprenticeship at the faraway Academy of Shamans, she flees with nothing but a pouch of change, her cat Bubbles, and the hope that someone there can figure out what’s wrong with her—and fix it. But just as she’s settling in, Adia stumbles upon a shocking secret: Unlike her, the kingdom’s emperor really is possessed—by a demon more wicked than any other. And he’s on his way to the Academy for a visit.
Joining forces with a snarky goddess, a five-hundred-year-old warrior girl, and an annoying soldier-in-training, Adia must travel through hidden realms to exorcise the emperor and save her kingdom. But to succeed, she first must come to understand the powers inside her….
The fate of the world hangs in the balance.
The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose
Buy the The Burning Season ebook here
Buy the The Burning Season audiobook here
From the publisher:
Twelve-year-old Opal has a secret: she’s deathly afraid of fire. Still Opal is preparing to become a fourth-generation lookout on Wolf Mountain, deep in the New Mexico wilderness. She, Mom, and Gran live at ten thousand feet in a single room at the top of a fire tower. They are responsible for spotting any hint of smoke before it becomes an uncontrollable blaze.
Instead of training for the lonely life of a lookout, Opal wishes she could be starting seventh grade in Silver City, attending real classes with kids her own age and even going to afterschool clubs like FFA. But Wolf Mountain has other ideas. When Mom makes the long trek to town for supplies and Gran goes missing, Opal is the only one to spot a tell-tale spiral of smoke moving up the mountainside. She’ll have to be braver than she’s ever been as she heads into the woods, beyond Wolf Ridge’s old blackened burn scar, to face down a fire on her own. But when a fire is what took her father away, and Opal herself knows the sting of smoke and lick of flames, how can she be brave enough when it really counts?
For more middle school must-haves, check out these great lists!
Character Faves: Middle Grades past 2 years
Must Watch Films
Grab some popcorn and gear up for a great sleepover with these movies, great for all ages!
Sonic the Hedgehog, 2020
Watch Sonic the Hedgehog on Kanopy
From the studio:
The world needed a hero, we got a hedgehog. Superpowered with speed, Sonic races to save the world and stop evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) from world domination. Sonic teams up with The Donut Lord, aka Sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), to save the planet in this live-action adventure comedy that’s fun for the whole family.
13 Going on 30, 2004
Watch 13 Going on 30 on Kanopy
From the Studio:
A delightful be-careful-what-you-wish-for romantic comedy starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. On the eve of her 13th birthday, all Jenna Rink wants is to be pretty and popular. After a humiliating experience with the coolest boy in school, Jenna makes a desperate wish for a new life. Miraculously, her wish comes true, but with one catch… it’s 17 years later and she’s a 13-year-old trapped inside her 30-year-old body.
Ella Enchanted, 2004
Watch Ella Enchanted on Kanopy
From the Studio:
Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway delivers an enchanting performance in this unforgettable, modern fairy tale. On the day she’s born, Ella (Hathaway) is given the gift of obedience by her Fairy Godmother. Unable to refuse to do anything she’s asked–no matter how wicked–Ella sets off to return the gift. But her simple journey soon turns into an amazing magical adventure bursting with colorful characters, music, wit, and whimsy.
A Little Extra Something
Support your community by diversifying your Libby offerings with Libby Extras. Today we’re highlighting Method Learning Academic Success Course.
From the Extra: The key to academic success is establishing and maintaining good habits, developing study skills and effectively managing time. Our Academic Success curriculum is designed for all students to help with organizing, planning and executing their academic and extracurricular lives. This robust SEL and executive functioning curriculum can be used across middle school and high school grade levels.
- Curriculum of audio, text-based, and video lessons
- Sets of practice questions to test understanding of lessons
- Explanations of all questions
Test run Libby Extras to see how each service can entertain and educate your patrons.
So, sharpen your pencils, grab your calculator, and try to find the best seat in the cafeteria to enjoy all of these great books and movies! Reach out to your Digital Content Librarian or Account Manager for more information on how to provide the best content for your community. They’ll be sure to guide you through all of your middle grade needs; it’ll be easier than remembering your locker combination after winter break!