Tag Archives: Middle School

Elem./MG – The Cartoonists Club

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Telgemeier, Raina, and Scott McCloud. The Cartoonists Club.  Graphix, 2025. 978-1-338-77721-5. 288 p. $14.99. Grades 4-8.

Makayla has a ton of energy and ideas but can’t create a story. Howard loves to draw, but his dad thinks drawing is a waste of time. Lynda is an excellent artist that lacks confidence and focuses on every mistake she makes. And Art, Art just loves trying anything new! Meet the Cartoonists Club, an after school club led by their librarian. In this club, the kids learn about the steps it takes to make a graphic novel, gain self confidence, and so much more! There is a lot of information on how to create a zine and the steps it takes to write and illustrate a graphic novel along with a Q and A with the author/illustrators.

THOUGHTS: This story is different from your typical Raina graphic novel. Sure, you have a great story with relatable characters, but you also learn so much about what it takes to make your own graphic novel. It’s like getting a peek behind the creative curtain!

Graphic Novel

Elem./MG – On Guard! A Marshall Middle School Graphic Novel

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Wasserman, Cassidy. On Guard! A Marshall Middle School Graphic Novel. Random House Books, 2025, 978-0-593-64999-2. $21.99. 256 p. Grades 4-8.

Grace is dreading the start of the new school year. Her ex-best friend, Ava is in almost all of her classes, her parents are freshly divorced, and she is still not really on great terms with her mom post-divorce. She feels like she just doesn’t fit in, and she knows she needs a hobby, but nothing seems that interesting to her. So, when she escapes the lunch room one day and sees a group of students practicing fencing, she reluctantly decides to give it a try, and it just may be what she needs.

THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I thought it was really well done and showed how divorce for a pre-teen can be in an authentic and genuine manner. I think many upper elementary and middle level readers would enjoy this novel. 

Graphic Novel
Realistic Fiction

MG – Happy & Sad & Everything True

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Thayer, Alex. Happy & Sad & Everything True. Aladdin, 2024. 978-1-665-95524-9. 272 p. $17.99. Grades 5-7. 

Dee Hiller is having a tough start to sixth grade. She’s always been able to rely on Juniper, her best friend, for support and camaraderie. But this year, Juniper is in another class and is developing a new group of friends who gossip about Dee and say unkind things. To make matters worse, Dee’s mother embarrassed her in front of the whole school at Parent PE Day. In order to avoid her peers, Dee takes to hiding in the restroom during her class’ “Snack & Stretch” time. One day, when hiding in the restroom, Dee hears a noise–it turns out to be Henry, one of her classmates, kicking a grate that connects the girls’ and boys’ restrooms. Henry is upset about a situation with his father; Dee lends a listening ear and her support. The next day, Dee chats with an elementary schooler upset about his spelling. Soon, word of Dee’s caring and supportive nature spreads, and she realizes she is pretty good at listening and supporting fellow students with their everyday, school-related problems. Slowly, Dee comes out of her shell, befriending Henry, while also gaining new appreciation for her mother.

THOUGHTS: This gentle story will resonate with many middle grade students, who may be feeling lonely due to fracturing friendships or struggling socially. Told in the first person, readers will appreciate Dee’s growth over the course of the story as she learns more about her strengths (and weaknesses) and gains a stronger sense of self. Recommended.

Realistic Fiction

MG – Don’t Cause Trouble

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Chung, Arree. Don’t Cause Trouble. Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, 2025. 978-1-250-88730-6. 256 p. $14.99. Grades 3-7.

Twelve-year old Ming Lee dreams of being popular, playing basketball, and owning a new pair of “Air Elevates.” His Chinese dad and Thai mom (who met and married in Thailand before emigrating to the United States) dream of their only child graduating at the top of his class from Stanford. Ming’s at-home bowl cut and secondhand clothes don’t help his odds of popularity, so he tries to stay off the radar at school and follow his parents’ admonition: don’t cause trouble. He doesn’t even speak up when he’s misplaced in an E.S.L. class! With the help of two new friends – and a new haircut – Ming gains newfound confidence, but his ongoing desire to fit in leads to a serious error in judgment. How Ming handles the repercussions really reflects his character’s emerging maturity as he finds his own voice. Short chapters depict slices-of-life alongside more pivotal moments for Ming, his friends, and his family. Author and illustrator Arree Chung employs a retro color palette and clothing styles, situating this graphic novel in an unspecified time in the near past. Many readers will identify with Ming’s sense of alienation, as well as a through-line of faith in God. They will also respect his entrepreneurial endeavors in his quest to get those Air Elevates! A note from the author reveals how Don’t Cause Trouble was inspired by Chung’s own childhood, and a bonus “How to Make a Graphic Novel” section is a fun behind-the-scenes look at his creative process!

THOUGHTS: Among all of the many wonderful middle grade graphic novels published in the past few years, Don’t Cause Trouble is a standout! Note that the Ming family faces anti-Asian racism and microaggressions throughout the narrative.

Graphic Novel

MG – Swing

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Meeker, Audrey. Swing. Feiwel & Friends, 2024. 978-1-250-86403-1. 253 p. $22.99. Grades 4-8.

Swing opens on Marcus McCalister’s first day of eighth grade. His older brother is a soccer superstar, but Marcus is ambivalent about going out for the team again. His classmate Izzy Briggs marches to the beat of her own drum. The two are paired up in gym class to study a form of dance for a week, and then perform it for the class. The showcase goes about as well as expected, with bruised toes (and pride) aplenty. Their gym teacher offers to let them redeem themselves – and their grade – by performing in the school talent show. Izzy agrees – but only if she leads and Marcus follows. Everything gets more complicated as Marcus tries to juggle soccer practice with swing dance rehearsal, and his teammates definitely notice how much time he and Izzy are spending together (and they definitely aren’t above a little petty revenge). Author and illustrator Audrey Meeker’s artwork is very character-forward, with simple backgrounds in a range of colors that complement the mood of each scene, and the focus on characters’ actions and emotions. Crimson cheeks, especially, reveal when emotions are running high.

THOUGHTS: With themes of friendship, loyalty, and gender norms, Audrey Meeker’s debut graphic novel proves once again what a rich vein the eighth grade is to mine for stories such as this one!

Graphic Novel

MG – Halfway to Somewhere

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Pimienta, Jose. Halfway to Somewhere. Random House Children’s, 2025. 978-0-593-56945-0. 256 p. $13.99. Grades 6-8.

Ave is feeling stuck. They had to move with their mom and younger brother from their home in Mexico to Kentucky for her new job at the university. But only half of the family is here. Ave’s dad and older sister are staying in Mexico, and Ave keeps asking when they will be joining the rest of them in the US. They find out that this separation is going to be permanent, since their parents are getting a divorce. So now Ave needs to learn a new language, transition to a new middle school, and grapple with the break up of the family. As Ave begins exploring their new home and making other bilingual friends, they slowly begin to reconcile the differences in their new home versus the old and try to find the beauty of both.

THOUGHTS: A great middle grade graphic novel with beautiful illustrations. The setting really comes across with juxtaposition of the Mexican desert to the hills of Kentucky. The amount of background in many of the panels brings this story to life along with the art for each of the characters. I easily could see this becoming one of those animated graphic novels. Ave’s story is also an interesting one to read about. Transitioning to a new home, new language, and even new family structure is hard. Pimienta does a great job discussing hard topics about what it means to assimilate and how that is different for many people. I also liked that although Ave is nonbinary, this is mostly accepted as an everyday thing and doesn’t focus on any outside negative impacts, only an interlude of some family friction. Overall, Halfway to Somewhere is a great addition to any middle grade collection!

Graphic Novel
Realistic Fiction

MG – Turning Twelve

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Ormsbee, Kathryn.  Turning Twelve. Random House Children’s, 2024. 978-0-593-65006-6. 240 p. $14.99. Grades 6-8. 

Sequel to Growing Pangs. Katie is a homeschooled student who has great plans for her seventh grade year: babysitting, pool parties, acting! She’s starting to feel grown up. But when her best friends move away, and her church also institutes a new dress code that she feels is unfair, things seem to have taken a spin for the worst. But her bright spot in all of this is her new friend Grace that she met through the local theater group. As their friendship grows, Katie begins to question if it is friendship or something more that she feels towards Grace. And if it’s a crush what would that mean for her place in her community as she reflects on what adults have said around her.

THOUGHTS: Turning Twelve is a well-illustrated, coming of age graphic novel set in the 2000s where Katie is beginning to take on more responsibilities and coming into her own. Katie also is questioning the why of things she is being told by adults in her life, especially as things become more strict at church. She has a lot of introspection, and the story touches on many aspects of growing up, like how a girl’s body changes, periods, and crushes. Great for fans of Raina Telgemeier.

Graphic Novel
Realistic Fiction

Elem./MG – Knots

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Frakes, Colleen. Knots. HarperAlley, 2024. 978-0-063-24717-8. 240 p. $24.99. Grades 3-6.

Norah Dowd’s family has moved to the small town of Cheney, Washington, where her parents have jobs as prison guards with the Washington State Department of Corrections. As a “prison brat,” Norah is used to moving often, but she hopes that her family will stay put in Cheney. Norah and her dad are both quiet and love comics, while her mom and outgoing younger sister Lark have more in common. Hoping for a new look to make her stand out on her first day of middle school, Norah tries to dye her thick, dark hair blonde. This kicks off a series of misadventures in DIY haircare that mirror some big changes for her family, too. For example, when her dad gets promoted, her mom is transferred to another facility and must move with Lark to another town. Without her mom at home, Norah – the “good kid” – does her best to take care of herself and her dad, but she is only in sixth grade, after all. Norah’s teacher, Ms. Washines, notices that Norah has been unusually quiet, looks unkempt, and has “a knot on the back of your head the size of a hot dog!” Norah finally confides in her dad that she needs some help. The story culminates in a meaningful culture fair and one more big change for the Dowd family.

THOUGHTS: Early middle grade readers will adore this endearing graphic novel’s colorful panels, working class realities, and “knotty” situations. Knots would also work well as a mentor text for metaphor, as Norah’s tangled hair represents her complicated family dynamics. 

Graphic Novel

MG – Crushing It

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Becker, Erin. Crushing It. Penguin Workshop, 2024. 978-0-593-52364-4. $17.99. 240 p. Grades 5-8

“Magic Mel” feels most like herself on the soccer field, where she can focus on the game in front of her and tune out the world. She is voted for team captain and is ready to finally lead her 8th grade team to the championship game. But, when Mel is off the field, she feels like she is messing up left and right. Her friend group is in pieces; she struggles giving a speech in class; and her ex-best friend, Tory, is being cold toward her. The only place Mel feels like she can be herself off the field is texting her poetry with BTtoYouPlease. Tory on the other hand seems to have her life all together. Her mom is around, but seemingly checked out, so when she escapes into messaging NotEmilyD, she starts to feel like she has someone to confide in. But what happens when NotEmilyD and BTtoYouPlease meet in real life? 

THOUGHTS: This novel is character-driven with the characters Mel and Tory showing how they manage friendships, family life, confusing feelings, and middle school sports. Those who love soccer, and even those who don’t, will enjoy this novel. The characters are relatable and show what it can be like to question who you crush on and how to manage those relationships.

Realistic Fiction

MG – Bye Forever, I Guess

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Meadows, Jodi. Bye Forever, I Guess. Holiday House, 2024. 978-0-823-45638-3. 288 p. $18.99. Grades 4-8.

Thirteen-year-old Ingrid loves gaming, her favorite fantasy series, and running her popular blog “Bye Forever, I Guess” which features wrong-number texts she gets as well as reader submissions. The only thing is, she is doing this all anonymously. Her popular friend since… forever, Rachel, thinks Ingrid needs to come clean and tell the world who she is all while making Ingrid uncomfortable. When two new students join Rachel and Ingrid’s friend group, Rachel isolates Ingrid even further by playing her off as a charity case. Ingrid finally stands up to Rachael, but then everything backfires, and Ingrid is left on her own at school. She leans deeper into her online world and then gets a wrong-number text from a boy her age who thinks he’s texting a “Rachel.” Writing it off as a coincidence, Ingrid and the boy, “Traveler,” continue to send text messages and then start gaming together with Ingrid’s other online best friend. Highlighting the characters’ love of gaming, books, and all things nerdy, the story offers a deep look at relationships spanning from friends to families, to first romances. 

THOUGHTS: I absolutely adored this book. Many of the characters were relatable, especially for middle school students. The relationship between Ingrid and her grandmother is so incredibly sweet, and readers will enjoy watching her online friendships with “Llama” and “Traveler” grow. This story is so endearing and delightful; it could make a cold, bitter heart squee. Bye Forever, I Guess is an absolute must-have for middle school collections. 

Romance
Realistic Fiction

Thirteen-year old, Ingrid has two versions of herself, the charity case friend of Rachel, the most popular girl in school and a battle hardened healer on a popular MMORPG who also runs one of the most popular social media accounts. When Ingrid finally stands up for herself against Rachel, Ingrid’s IRL life is in shambles. Then when she receives a wrong number text and befriends the boy through texting and her favorite video game, it might be too good to be true. Especially when she finds out that the wrong number friend might have been originally interested in her ex-friend, Rachel. Will it be worth Ingrid letting down her walls and letting someone in?

THOUGHTS: A funny, adorable middle grade romcom of mistaken identity and messy relationships. It shows a mixture of online and IRL lives. A great, sweet addition to middle grade and high school romance collections which will appeal to the nerdy crowd. While the twist was expected it was still enjoyable.

Realistic Fiction