Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters by Yevgenia Nayberg

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Chernobyl, Life and Other Disasters by Yevgenia Nayberg

Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters
Yevgenia Nayberg
Holiday House
Published April 14, 2026

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About Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters

Strong-willed Genya sets her mind to attending art school in 1980s Ukraine, amidst the turmoil of Soviet control, the Cold War, and the unfolding Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Genya—the nickname of the book’s author and story’s protagonist, Yevgenia—knows from age five that she wants to be an artist. When she turns eleven, she’ll apply to the same prestigious art school that her mother attended. But making the cut won’t be easy, especially with the school’s open-secret rule that no more than 1% of the student body can be Jewish.

… Continue reading →

Review: A Wolf Called Fire by Rosanne Parry

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A Wolf Called Fire by Rosanne Perry

A Wolf Called Fire (A Voice of the Wilderness #4)
Rosanne Parry
SparkPress
Published February 4, 2025

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About A Wolf Called Fire

The stand-alone companion to Rosanne Parry’s New York Times bestseller A Wolf Called Wander tells the wilderness survival story of the wolf pup known as Warm and is illustrated in black and white throughout. This Voice of the Wilderness Novel features extensive back matter, including a map.

Warm is the smallest pup, the one his father calls the heart of the pack. But all Warm sees is his bigger brothers Sharp and Swift, even his sisters Pounce and … Continue reading →

Review: One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

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One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

One Word, Six Letters
Adib Khorram
Henry Holt & Co
Published March 17, 2026

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About One Word, Six Letters

Two teen boys grapple with identity and accountability and set off a ripple effect within their community after a school assembly is disrupted by a shouted slur.

Freshmen Dayton and Farshid couldn’t be more different—or so it seems.

When Dayton takes a dare and shouts the f-slur at a visiting author during a school event, it sets off a chain reaction that forces both boys to face parts of themselves they’d rather ignore.

Dayton, grappling with … Continue reading →

Review: El Deafo by CeCe Bell

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El Deafo by Cece Bell

El Deafo
Cece Bell
Amulet Books
Published September 2, 2014

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About El Deafo

Starting at a new school is scary, even more so with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece’s class was deaf. Here she is different. She is sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends.

Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear she can hear her teacher not just in the classroom, but … Continue reading →

MMGM Review: Hafsa’s Way by Aisha Saeed

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Hafsa's Way by Aisha Saeed

Hafsa’s Way
Aisha Saeed
Nancy Paulsen Books
Published March 10, 2026

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About Hafsa’s Way

In this inspiring stand-alone companion to New York Times bestseller Amal Unbound , Hafsa defies her family’s patriarchal expectations by pursuing her dreams and insisting that her married sister pursue hers.

Hafsa intends to be a doctor one day, so she’s thrilled to be accepted into Bukhari Summer Science Camp for kids who share her dream. Her parents, however, do not share her enthusiasm. They don’t support the idea of girls being doctors, the camp is expensive, and they don’t want to send her off to the big city of Lahore unsupervised. But when her brother-in-law offers … Continue reading →

Review: Front Desk by Kelly Yang

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Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Front Desk (Front Desk #1)
Kelly Yang
Arthur A. Levine Books
Published May 29, 2018

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About Front Desk

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: … Continue reading →