WORSER by Jennifer Ziegler

 

WORSER by Jennifer Ziegler is now at the top of my best books of 2022, and it is going to take something special to knock it off its pedestal. Filled with amazing words and turns of phrase and an incredible main character, WORSER is encouraging, heart-breaking, and a hoot to boot.

William Wyatt Orser "Worser" is most comfortable around people over 40. This doesn't endear him to his fellow seventh grade classmates. Raised to appreciate words and language and the accurate use of both, Worser is frustrated when he hears words used incorrectly. The fact that he makes his frustration known by constantly correcting those around him hasn't earned him any friends. Since his propensity for correcting folks isn't limited to just his classmates, he has recently found himself in the principal's office for correcting his teachers.

Worser has always had a partner in this appreciation for words in his mother, but she has suffered a stroke that has left her with only the ability to express herself with sounds like "Be" and "Beh. Worser's eccentric aunt has come to stay with them bringing her two half-feral cats and her crazy art projects. In an effort to escape and find a quiet place, Worser has discovered a small, little used bookstore whose proprietor allows him to spend time working on something he calls his Masterwork. 

Life for Worser begins to look up when his long-time crush Donya needs a place for the school Literary Club to meet. The bookstore is the perfect answer. Worser learns others might appreciate his love of words and his amazing Masterwork, but life just isn't that simple for Worser. Complications arise that will test his patience and his fears that life with his mother may never return to normal.

A-OKAY by Jarad Greene

 

Meet Jay. He's about to start eighth grade. Among his challenges are keeping up his grades, dealing with his parents and friends, figuring out if he likes girls the way his friends do, and pimples. 

Pimples began to appear in a modest amount, but now they have appeared A LOT! A trip to the doctor ends with some strong medication and, evidently, the need for a lot of patience. This could take a while.

In the meantime, in order for Jay to get an art class in his schedule, he ends up with none of his friends in his classes or his lunch period. Making new friends when you have a face full of pimples just adds more stress to the situation. Can Jay find a way to get people not to notice his face? Can he figure out why he doesn't seem to be attracted to either girls or boys? Eighth grade is definitely going to be a challenge.

Author and artist Jarad Greene has crafted a graphic novel perfect for the emotional and physical chaos that is middle school. Any current eighth grader, eighth grader to be, or any former eighth grader will be able to relate to Jay's stressful life.

GOLDEN GIRL by Reem Faruqi

 

GOLDEN GIRL is the much talked about novel in verse by award winning author Reem Faruqi. Aafiyah is a seventh grader living with her family in Atlanta. She likes to play tennis and hang out with her best friend Zaina.

Aafiyah also likes to "borrow" things. When she spies something she likes, she touches it and suddenly it seems to drop into her bag. Things like her best friend's lip gloss and new pencil sharpener. Aafiyah keeps the things for a bit and then finds a way to quietly return them. She knows it is stealing, but she doesn't want to think about what it really might mean.

Life takes an unpleasent turn for Aafiyah and her family when they travel to Pakistan to bring her grandparents back to the U.S. Her grandfather needs treatment for his cancer and there's an excellent doctor in Atlanta. They are all about to board the plane to return to the U.S. when several men approach and detain her father. He is accused of embezzling funds from his company, but he loudly proclaims his innocence.

Returning home without her father and her grandmother creates stress on the family. Their finances are strained with legal bills and medical bills, and Aafiyah vows to never steal again. Can she keep her promise? Will her father ever be able to prove his innocence and return home?

MUFFLED by Jennifer Gennari

 

Ok, I'll admit I was drawn to this cover design. I knew in my head the earmuff wouldn't be fluffy when I ordered the book, but in my heart, I hoped it would be. Sigh...a little disappointed, but not disappointed in the book at all!

Amelia and her father are extremely sensitive to sounds, especially loud sounds. Amelia has grown up wearing noise canceling headphones. Now that she is about to start fifth grade, it's been suggested that she try not wearing the headphones. Because her father understands how difficult this is going to be, he gives her a gift the day before school starts. Even though her mother objects, her father gives her earmuffs. They are purple and fuzzy and hopefully just what Amelia needs.

The earmuffs do help some, but they aren't like the headphones. Amelia is managing to focus despite the classroom noise until she is told she must take a music class this year. The choices are singing in the choir or learning to play the flute or trumpet or trombone. She decides choir is the best option; that is until the first day. Singing is not for Amelia. Since her old best friend picked flute, Amelia switches to that. Not only does the high-pitched noise bothers her, but she is also frustrated that her former friend and another girl poke fun at her efforts. 

When Amelia promises that trombone will be her last and final choice, she discovers a new friend and possibly an instrument she can tolerate. School starts to improve, but Amelia is discovering that friendship is definitely a give and take operation that may prove more difficult than figuring out how to play the trombone.

MUFFLED by Jennifer Gennari explores a condition many don't know about. Readers will soon relate to Amelia's struggle and cheer for her when things go well. Perfect for readers 4th grade and up.

FINDING JUNIE KIM by Ellen Oh

 

Junie Kim is a shy, Korean girl trying to get through middle school. She would like to be noticed as little as possible unlike most of the other girls she knows. When some vandals paint racist comments in the school gym and later in the restroom, Junie is upset to realize there are such hateful individuals in her school.

A number of Junie's friends are planning ways to speak up about the vandalism and the racism that has basically targeted anyone who is not white. Junie isn't sure how much she wants to speak up which causes her friends to question how much she cares about them. The main thing causing Junie to keep quiet is the taunting she suffers from a boy named Tobias. Each day on the bus Junie faces his nastiness.

Hiding the fact that she is being bullied results in a depression Junie finally admits to her parents. They are heartbroken to learn about the abuse Junie has been dealing with and immediately take action to find her help from a therapist and medication to treat her depression.

An assignment from her history teacher just might help Junie find out more about her identity and her understanding of where she fits in with the world around her. The assignment is to interview members of an older generation to learn about their struggles. Junie chooses to interview her grandparents. She is amazed and horrified to hear their stories about living in South Korea during the Korean War. Learning about the atrocities they witnessed and what they suffered before coming to the United States, helps Junie find the courage to stand up with her friends against the racism threatening her school and community.

Author Ellen Oh unflinchingly tackles the current negativity prevalent in our society. Inspired by her own family background, Oh tells a courageous, multi-generational story sure to open the eyes of her readers.

EMMY IN THE KEY OF CODE by Aimee Lucido

 

Emmy wasn't happy about moving from Wisconsin to California. Things were just fine where they were. Now she has to make new friends and find where she belongs in this different place.

She always thought music would be her future. After all her mother is an opera singer and her dad is a pianist. It has never made sense that when Emmy sits down at the piano, she can't seem to figure it out, and when she sings, she's pretty sure people wish she would stop, so when signing up for an elective, Emmy decides to try computers instead of any music related options.

Turns out when Emmy meets Ms. Delaney and begins learning about writing computer code, everything comes easily and makes sense. Coding is sort of like music, and Emmy loves every minute of it. Also, during computer time she partners up with Abigail who might just be a potential friend.

EMMY IN THE KEY OF CODE by Aimee Lucido ticks a lot of boxes for readers. There's awesome stuff about coding, interesting mentions of various musical genres, the difficulty of friendships, and finding a place to fit in. Written in verse, it is a fast-paced read perfect for middle grade readers.

PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION by Tirzah Price

 

The story inside this colorful cover should satisfy most mystery lovers, and as an added plus, fans of Jane Austen. Author Tirzah Price has embarked on a mystery series inspired by the great Jane Austen. PRIDE AND PREMEDITATION uses the characters from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE as the key actors in a murder mystery. Written in a style that smacks of Austen, this reviewer found it a pleasure to read.

Lizzie Bennet dreams of being hired as a solicitor in her father's law firm. Of course, women are meant to needlepoint, sit politely, and definitely be seen and not heard. Lizzie wants to change all that. When her father offers a challenge that he will consider hiring her if she can find a case and use logic to solve it, she immediately heads off to prove she is worthy to work for him.

A Mr. Bingley has been accused of murdering his brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst. On the surface it appears that Bingley has the motive to want Hurst out of his business as well as the family. Lizzie isn't convinced. She begins investigating. Her questioning takes her to Hurst's home, the law offices of a Mr. Darcy who has been hired by Bingley, and continues in some compromising and dangerous situations for the young Lizzie.

I loved Lizzie's determination to avoid the usual, accepted role of women of the time as she puzzles through the clues and ends up proving she has all it takes to be a solicitor and maybe more. I look forward to reading Price's next mystery take on Jane Austen, SENSE AND SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.

NEW FROM HERE by Kelly Yang

 

Knox and his brother Bowen and sister Lea are Asian-American. They are living in Hong Kong, but were born in the U.S. They still have a home in San Francisco where they stay during the summer. Although, it isn't summer, they are packing to move to the California house. 

A virus has erupted in China that threatens to be quite serious. Knox's parents have determined it would be safer for the three children and their mother to move back to the U.S. Knox loves the summertime visits to the states, but the prospect of living there, going to school there, and making new friends is frightening. Add in the fact that their father won't be coming; Knox is upset.

When they arrive in San Francisco, it takes a few weeks to settle in. Eventually, the three siblings are enrolled in school, and Knox is pleasantly surprised to make a new friend on the very first day. He's also thrilled with his teacher. She is quick to recognize his potential and helps him find ways to overcome some of the uncontrolled behavior that has gotten him into trouble in the past. He learns his new friend has ADHD, and when he discusses this with his mother, Knox finds out he may have it, too.

School may be a success for Knox, but other troubles arise. As the virus, now referred to as COVID-19, makes its appearance in the U.S., Knox and his siblings experience racism for the first time. Their Asian heritage makes them a target from people who misunderstand and fear the virus. Their mother also loses her job, so money and health care become constant concerns.

Author Kelly Yang's NEW FROM HERE tackles the issue of COVID-19 and the first U.S. cases. All too familiar issues like shortages of PPE, toilet paper, and food supplies become problems for Knox and his family. Being separated from their father and the uncertainty of when they will be united increases the worry. Despite the concerns surrounding them, Knox and his siblings continue to think creatively as they deal with the stress of daily living during the start of a pandemic. Intended for a middle grade audience, older readers and even adults will easily relate to this realistic tale.

96 MILES by J. L. Esplin

 

John and his brother Stew are waiting for their father to return from a business trip when everything falls apart. The power goes out and then they are held at gun point while some men load up all their food and water stockpiles along with their generator and gas into a pickup. Lucky to be alive, John and Stew try to sit tight and wait for their dad. 

The two boys have been heading to their closest neighbors each day to check in and eat a meal, but after the robbery, they begin to make other plans. It takes John several days to convince Stew that they need to take their emergency packs which were fortunately hidden from the creeps who stole everything else and head to Brighton Ranch. The trip means hiking in the desert 96 miles. John figures they can make it in three days. Once they reach the ranch, their family friends there can help them out until their dad returns.

What John and Stew don't expect is running into two other siblings trying to hike to safety or another pickup driver determined to make things even more difficult for the second half of their journey. Determined to survive whatever disaster has shut the country down, John must make survival decisions that aren't always popular with his small group, but someone has to decide what to do next.

Author J. L. Esplin has crafted a survival story to rival authors like Gary Paulsen and Roland Smith. Readers will be holding their breath with each twist and turn in 96 MILES.

BECOMING BRIANNA by Terri Libenson

 

Brianna alternates living with her parents who divorced recently. Her dad is pretty laid back, but her mother can be intense. At the moment Brianna's mother is trying to convince her that she should have a Bat Mitzvah. Her mother can be fairly persuasive, so Brianna finds herself agreeing.

Now her life is revolving not just around school and keeping perfect grades, but also time must be set aside for Hebrew lessons, writing a speech, and spending time with the local cantor and rabbi. Brianna hates being in the spotlight, but if she wants to satisfy her mom, she has to put her fears aside.

When some acquaintances at school hear about her Bat Mitzvah and the party that will follow, they suddenly start paying her more attention. Brianna's BFF decides to confront her about this sudden attention by telling her that she thinks these new "friends" may be using Brianna simply to get an invite to the party. This causes a rift between the best friends that threatens to complicate matters even more than learning Hebrew and preparing a speech.

BECOMING BRIANNA by Terri Libenson is the perfect graphic novel for middle grade readers dealing with the stress of family and friends. The characters are spot-on and the humor relatable.

RAIN REIGN by Ann M. Martin

 

Rose loves homonyms (homophones) and prime numbers. She loves that her name is a homonym pair - Rose and rows. Though she loves homonyms and prime numbers, not everyone around her appreciates that she talks about them non-stop. Rose is labeled as high-functioning autistic.

At home Rose spends time working on her homomyn list and figuring out whose names have letters that total a prime number. Her father would rather not discuss these things, so Rose keeps it to herself. At school Rose has an aide who sits beside her to help her stay on task and suggests when Rose might need to step into the hall for a break.

One day when her father comes home from work, he brings a surprise - a little, blonde dog. Because it is raining, Rose names the dog Rain (reign). Rain is the perfect companion for Rose. The dog doesn't care if she talks about homonyms and prime numbers, and walking Rain after school gives Rose something to do besides homework and fixing supper.

Things change when a superstorm hits the area where Rose lives. It causes flooding and property damage and closes school for a week. Also, during this time, Rain runs off. A search for the little dog reveals some disturbing information that threatens Rose's sometimes fragile relationship with her father.

RAIN REIGN by Ann M. Martin is a touching story about a girl living with challenges readers may have heard about but might not truly understand. Martin takes readers into an autistic mind in a way that might help them better understand the condition. This book is perfect for middle grade and older readers.