Category Archives: Middle Grades (5-8)

MG – Ultraviolet

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Salazar, Aida. Ultraviolet. Scholastic Press, 2024. 978-1-338-77565-5. 304 p. $18.99. Grades 6-8.

Eighth grader Elio Solis falls in love with fellow classmate Camelia, but Elio doesn’t know quite what to do with his burgeoning feelings…and his hormones. Coming from several generations of ‘machismo’ Latino men, Elio struggles to reconcile his new unregulated emotions with the need to be traditionally ‘masculine’: stoic and strong. Elio is kind and caring toward Camelia. He is the best new boyfriend he can possibly be. When Elio discovers Camelia has also started to text with a rival classmate, Chava, he seethes with anger and sorrow. Then, to make matters worse, Chava sends Elio bikini pictures of Camelia to further taunt him. Elio has a decision to make: will he fight Chava, make Camelia also feel the hurt he feels, or will Elio learn to forgive and move forward?

THOUGHTS: Ultraviolet is a fresh novel-in-verse examining the dangers of toxic masculinity, navigating romantic relationships, consent, and friendship. I truly empathize with Elio—first, with his feelings of bursting love, and later, with his angst. Salazar includes a number of timely and relevant teen topics without ever feeling didactic: lots of Elio’s thoughts are about physical changes associated with puberty, consent, social media, and gender. Yes: the words ‘cap’ and ‘rizz’ are also in there. The story is written from Elio’s sole perspective, which means we miss out on knowing exactly what Camelia is feeling except through her direct dialogue. However, standing (in discomfort) in Elio’s shoes with his conflicting feelings is quite effective. I can’t recall having read many other stories that cover these topics from a middle school cisgender boy’s perspective, and certainly not in this accessible verse format. Recommended for addition to middle school collections.

Realistic Fiction

Elem./MG – Wires Crossed

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Fantaskey, Beth. Wires Crossed. Illustrated by Oneill Jones. Clarion Books, 2024. 978-0-358-39621-5. Unpaged. $24.99. Grades 3-6.

Mia and Tariq are best friends at a STEM summer sleepaway camp. Tariq surprises Mia in the fall by moving to her hometown after his mom gets a new job. What Mia thinks will be an awesome transition takes a turn when Tariq arrives and seems…different. He’s confident and super athletic, but Tariq is still the same science-loving Tariq on the inside. Mia doesn’t know how to cope with this unexpected twist. Mia’s friendships with other classmates are also changing. Mia feels like she is in danger of being left behind. Will anything ever be the same for Mia and Tariq again?

THOUGHTS: Wires Crossed is a new graphic novel perfect for fans of stories like Awkward and Raina Telgemeier’s Smile. This new realistic graphic novel is about those little growing pains of middle school: shifting friendships, crushes, braces, and living with quirky (and let’s face it, embarrassing) family members. Nothing outlandish happens in this book aside from those middle school growing pains, and this coming-of-age simplicity will make the novel relatable to many current middle grade readers. Recommended for addition to upper elementary and middle school collections where realistic graphic format titles are popular.

Graphic Novel

MG – Imagine a Garden: Stories of Courage Changing the World

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Singh, Rina. Imagine a Garden: Stories of Courage Changing the World. Illustrated by Hoda Hadadi. Greystone Kids, 2023. 978-1-771-64713-7. Unpaged. $18.95. Grades 3-6.

Thoughtful, detailed illustrations of paper overlays accompany author Rina Singh’s verses extolling the ingenuity, compassion, and hopefulness of seven global figures who are lights burning in dark times. In an afterword, she names each one and explains in prose how their acts of selflessness helped less fortunate people; but in the body of the book, Singh weaves a verse tale about their actions and Hadadi describes it in her art. The Palestinian mother who uses grenades to hold flowers in memory of her son; the Brazilian dancer who had to forgo a promising career but opened a free ballet school; the would-be engineer who turned his talents toward teaching children in India; the South African man who shared his love of soccer with poor boys in his township; the Canadian Anishinaabe water activist advocating for clean water for indigenous peoples; the Mexican artist who melts down and transforms guns into beautiful art; the Greek restaurant owner who opened her doors to hungry Syrian refugees.This book would be difficult for younger students to read independently. It requires an awareness of suffering and a broad worldview. The relative obscurity of the book’s heroes paves the way for readers to look for their own hidden heroes. Students can extend the book through biographical searches, ideas for service learning projects, interpretation of facts into verse, or depiction of scenes of people doing good works in the paper medium. Teachers can use this book in lessons highlighting peace and social justice.

THOUGHTS: This book is beautiful to behold; the illustrations tell a story on their own. The true stories of the featured people following the verses may need to be read first for young readers to comprehend the verse’s meaning. Creative teachers can link current events to these varied geographical, contemporary settings. A specialized addition to a school library collection. 

302 Social Communities

MG – Saving Chupie

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Ortiz, Amparo. Saving Chupie. Illustrated by Ronnie Garcia. HarperAlley, 2023. 978-0-06-295028-4. 224 pp. $19.99. Gr. 3-7.

Violeta and her family have just touched down in Puerto Rico to spend the summer helping her grandmother (“Abuela”) re-open her restaurant, La Casita, post-Hurricane Maria. The adults have more than enough work to keep them busy, but they will not accept Violeta’s help. Frustrated, she longs to feel useful and a little less lonely. When Abuela learns from her butcher, Amanda, that their meat supplier’s animals have been viciously attacked, Violeta is more interested in the opportunity for a new friend in Amanda’s son, Diego. Diego soon reveals that he suspects “El Chupacabra” is behind the attacks, but Violeta knows that monsters aren’t real. At least, she thinks they aren’t real … until she finds a baby “Chupie” in the woods while on chupacabra patrol with Diego and his friend, Lorena. When Chupie saves her from a trap, Violeta realizes that he is not a fearsome beast but just a youngster in need of protection. She secretly hides Chupie in her Abuela’s shed, but not everyone agrees with her decision to shelter a cryptid. Can Violeta and her new friends come together to save Chupie from a bigger danger than chupacabras? Author Amparo Ortiz has created a stand-out middle grade graphic novel that blends the fantastical with the all-too-real. Artist Ronnie Garcia colorfully depicts the Puerto Rican setting through lush greens and sparkling blues. And of course, winsome Chupie (and his adorable underbite) are the star of the show!

THOUGHTS: Themes of family, friendship, and bravery ground this exciting tale of magical creatures!

Graphic Novel

MG – Mexikid

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Martín, Pedro. Mexikid. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-593-46228-7. 309 p. $24.99. Grades 5-8.

In this graphic memoir, a Mexican-American family goes on an adventure-filled road trip to Mexico to bring their Abuelito to live in California. Martín identifies himself as a Mexikid–Martín’s term for himself as first-generation American child of Mexican immigrants with “one heart belonging to both sides.” Mexikid takes place in the late 1970s, and is filled with nostalgic family memories: the Winnebago, a brother’s cassette recorder, and shows like Happy Days. Martín is one of nine children. The sibling interactions and intergenerational interactions are the heart (and the humor!) of this tale. Along the way, the siblings meet many of Abuelito’s friends and extended family members. By the end, Martín grows a great deal from this experience, and Abuelito settles into California life with the family.

THOUGHTS: I couldn’t stop laughing out loud while reading this book—particularly the first half. This memoir has a great mix of humor and heart. Mexikid is a wonderful window into the realistic dynamics of a family. Pieces of the memoir’s second half are incredibly sad (at one point, the family must recover and move their Abuelita’s grave to save it from being washed away). By the time I got to the growing pains and the stories of this second half, I had become so close to this story’s subjects, I felt like they were extended family. I won’t spoil ‘the deer story’ for you. Middle school students will love Martín’s humor. A few readers may struggle with the Spanish language included in the book, but it is just one of the many things that makes this story authentic (and of course, a window for readers not from this similar heritage). This story highlights culture while also underscoring the universality of families. Highly recommended for all middle school graphic format collections: Martín’s story belongs right alongside recent award-winning graphic memoirs like When Stars Are Scattered and A First Time for Everything.

Graphic Novel
Graphic Memoir

MG – Mascot

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Waters, Charles, and Traci Sorell. Mascot. Charlesbridge, 2023. 978-1-623-54380-8. 248 p. $17.99. Grades 5-8.

In the greater D.C metro area, eighth grade students grapple over an English assignment where they must debate the pros and cons of indigenous mascots. Callie, one of the students involved, catalyzes the debate project after sharing her original poem. The poem disparages the school’s indigenous mascot and the offensive “tomahawk chants” students perform (and, in turn, must endure) at school sporting events. All perspectives and feelings about this issue are represented. During the course of the multiple-perspective verse novel, each stakeholder develops their argument, and some change their minds in the process. The students are also empowered to take action by addressing the school board.

THOUGHTS: After reading this verse novel in its entirety, I am moved by how Charles Waters and Traci Sorell use diverse character perspectives to artfully build an argument against the use of indigenous mascots. The plot itself takes its time building through exposition because Waters and Sorell use the diverse character perspectives to weave in necessary historical context for middle grade readers. It’s worth the wait. Mascot contains a diverse cast of characters with different opinions about the issue. I was concerned that the teacher in this novel would assign a debate project about such a triggering issue, but my fears were put to rest almost immediately through the novel’s carefully planned development. Recommended as a relevant addition to all middle school realistic fiction collections. 

Realistic Fiction

Elem./MG – Wildfire

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Bard, Breena. Wildfire. Little, Brown Ink, 2023. 978-0-316-27768-6. 288 p. $24.99. Grades 3-8.

Wildfire opens with rural Oregon tween Julianna heading home from her 4-H meeting and encountering three boys, including her childhood friend Carson, lighting fireworks despite a strict “burn ban.” Later that afternoon, as she and her younger sister are feeding their goats and chickens, their dad rushes home to tell them that they must evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire started by those very fireworks. Their home is destroyed in the fire, and Julianna must begin her eighth grade year in a new school and a new city: Portland, Oregon. Julianna keeps the reason for her move to Portland a secret so that no one will pity her, but Carson’s arrival at her new school makes it especially difficult to make a fresh start. At the urging of some new friends, Julianna joins the Conservation Club and participates in a riverside clean-up, tree planting, letter writing, and an environmental protest. At the protest, suppressed emotions overwhelm her, and she must finally reckon with her deep grief for the home she and her family lost. Julianna’s (and her family’s) grieving process is realistically and sensitively portrayed in this compelling graphic novel. Bright, earthy colors appealingly represent Julianna’s connection with nature and the outdoors. Note that some of the family’s farm animals perish in the fire.

THOUGHTS: As wildfires continue to dominate the news cycle, books such as this one provide middle grade readers with a relatable perspective on their devastating toll. Some may even be inspired to take action against climate change, and author/illustrator Breena Bard provides some tips in her Author’s Note!

Graphic Novel

MG – Mabuhay!

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Sterling, Zachary. Mabuhay! Scholastic, 2023. 978-1-338-73860-5. $12.99. 240 p. Grades 3-7.

Siblings J.J. and Althea have two things in common. They both have trouble fitting in at school, and they both despise working for their parents. Their parents run a Filipino food truck called The Beautiful Pig, and expect their children to help out because “family comes first,” as their mother often reminds them. Spending a lot of time around their parents’ place of work means they hear a lot of Filipino folklore, and these tales all seem to end with an important lesson J.J. and Althea must learn. One day after work, the family arrives home to find Tito Arvin has arrived from the Philippines. His impromptu visit comes with lamentations about life back home and dreams about a monster who is after their family, a dream both J.J. and Althea have on the same night. Suddenly, the witches and monsters from Filipino folklore are more than just fairy tale creatures, and J.J. and Althea work together to save their heritage and their family.

THOUGHTS: Author Zachary Sterling weaves Filipino folklore with humor and adventure to create a heartwarming story about family, friendship, and food. The illustrations are vibrant and expressive. Tagalog words are used throughout and defined at the bottom of the page, and Sterling includes a Filipino recipe for Chicken Adobo in the back of the book. This graphic novel is a must-have and must-read for middle grade students.

Graphic Novel

MG/YA – Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Escaped the Holocaust

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Brown, Don. Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Escaped the Holocaust. Clarion Books, 2023. 978-0-35-853816-5. 190 p. $22.99. Grades 7-12.

Run and Hide details Hitler’s rise to power in Germany and describes how Nazi Germany’s expansion of power led to prejudice, violence, and murder against the Jewish population in Europe. Don Brown focuses the majority of this graphic nonfiction title on real stories of children’s survival during the Holocaust. Brown includes information about the Kindertransport that took place prior to the Nazi invasion of Poland. The train-based evacuation of children ran from Europe to England and saved 10,000 children. Other resistance groups and miraculous stories of neighbors hiding children throughout the war are also covered. 

THOUGHTS: This newest graphic nonfiction release by Don Brown is descriptive and honest. It is an excellent resource for secondary students to understand the origins of the Holocaust and what it was like to be a child (or parent) living in fear during this time. Brown shares amazing stories of survival here, but importantly, he also explains the stories he includes were statistically exceptional to the million children who did not escape. The instances of survival included in Run and Hide were only able to occur through a combination of “near misses, tight squeezes, dicey chances, long odds, and dumb luck.” The focus of this story is on survival and hiding rather than the details of life in concentration camps; in this way, the reader is spared the most brutal details and images of the Holocaust. Brown’s extensive bibliography is both necessary and helpful for students who are interested in learning about his source material. Mentions of other and ongoing instances of genocide are also included in the author’s note. Brown’s drawings enhance the tone of the text. Recommended for middle and high school graphic nonfiction collections.

Graphic Novel

In his latest graphic history for young readers, author and illustrator Don Brown explores the history of World War II with a focus on the plight of young Jewish people and heroic efforts to save them. Brown has chronicled other disasters, both natural and manmade, in his previous works: 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Dust Bowl, and the flu of 1918, among others. His text and artwork are particularly urgent in Run and Hide, perhaps because – as he writes in his author’s note, appropriately titled “Uninterrupted” – “Hate and violence endure, uninterrupted” (179). Here he covers Kristallnacht, the Kindertransport, the “final solution,” deportations, and more. In depicting each event, he incorporates first-person testimony in speech bubbles. This technique succeeds in both portraying and personalizing the complex events of the Holocaust. His grim, roughly drawn line art of concentration camps are especially effective. Throughout Run and Hide, Brown credits the bravery of Jewish youths and the heroic actions of resistance networks but also leaves the reader with the stark fact that one million children were killed in Europe during WWII. 

THOUGHTS: Run and Hide is a remarkable work of graphic nonfiction. It presents our most difficult history in an approachable way that will inspire deeper research and action. (Thorough source notes and an extensive Bibliography are included.)

Graphic Novel (Nonfiction)
950.43 World War II

MG – Tiger Daughter

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Lim, Rebecca. Tiger Daughter. Delacorte, 2023. 978-0-593-64898-8. 181 p. $17.99. Grades 5-8.

As the daughter of two Chinese immigrants, Wen doesn’t always feel like she fits in at her Australian public school. At home, Wen is expected to obey her father, Jin, at all times. He also expects Wen’s mother to be a polished, quiet stay-at-home wife. At school, Wen makes friends with Henry, also a son of Chinese immigrants, and together they begin to prepare for a special examination—a passing score would ensure entrance into the prestigious school across town. The stakes are incredibly high for both young people. Before the examination, a horrible tragedy strikes Henry’s family, and afterward, Wen must help Henry find his inner strength to survive. Wen’s father, Jin, does not want to help and forbids Wen from assisting Henry or his father. Wen and her mother both have to find the courage to help Henry’s family and rise above the expectations placed upon them, even if that means disobeying and enraging Jin.

THOUGHTS: Tiger Daughter is a strong story of resilience, family, grief, and coming-of-age as a young female immigrant. Wen and Henry’s family dynamics are each written with realism and nuance. Domestic abuse, spousal control, sexism, toxic masculinity, prejudice, and mental health issues all are explored truthfully through the book’s characters. Rebeccca Lim writes with a clear understanding of clashing cultural spheres having lived her own immigrant experience as well. The book has a hopeful and satisfying ending for middle school readers without being saccharine. At under 200 pages, this quickly-read piece of realistic fiction packs a powerful punch. Tiger Daughter will be a great companion text to titles written by Kelly Yang and Rex Ogle, and it is recommended as an excellent addition to any middle school library. 

Realistic Fiction