THE SCIENCE OF BREAKABLE THINGS by Tae Keller

 

Natalie's interest in science probably comes from her mother, but lately concentrating even in science class has been tough. Home life isn't what it used to be. Natalie's mother has been shut in her room being "sick." Natalie knows that "sick" means sad, but she doesn't understand why her mother has removed herself from life with Natalie and her dad.

Being at school feels much more normal than being at home. Natalie's best friend Twig also helps make things feel normal. Even though hanging out with Twig can be exhausting, Natalie knows her friend cares. She hasn't confided in Twig about what's happening at home, but Twig doesn't always tell Natalie about everything that's happening in her life either.

Mr. Neely the science teacher has assigned a long-term project. Natalie can't figure out what scientific question she should ask so when Mr. Neely suggests she enter the Egg Drop Challenge as her project, she decides to give it a go. Twig agrees to join her, and to their surprise, Dari offers to join them on the project, too. The challenge of creating a device that will keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a three-story building gives Natalie something to focus on instead of the problems at home.

Author Tae Keller explores depression and how it changes the family dynamic. Keller's main character Natalie feels tremendous guilt about her mother's illness as she tries to navigate family and friends. THE SCIENCE OF BREAKABLE THINGS will educate readers about mental illness and its effects on family.

VICTORY. STAND! RAISING MY FIST FOR JUSTICE by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile

 

Tommie Smith shares his experiences growing up as the son of sharecroppers and how he became an Olympic athlete in VICTORY. STAND! Author/artists Derrick Barnes and Dawud Anyabwile helped create the graphic format that provides awesome visuals for Smith's story.

Tommie remembers years of living in poverty along-side his parents and thirteen siblings. Living in Texas first and eventually California, the whole family participated in field work and more to make ends meet. Tommie's first experiences with organized sports came when the family moved to California and learned that school was mandatory.

He was a stand-out runner in elementary school, and by middle school he was playing football and basketball as well as running track. His father told him he could continue to participate as long as he always came in first place. Good grades and great athletic ability earned Tommie a college scholarship where he narrowed his focus to track and field as he set record after record.

As he made other black friends, Tommie began to the inequality all blacks faced. He began attending demonstrations and protests and joined others in demanding more equal conditions at the college level. When he and several others qualified for the Olympics in Mexico City in 1968, they decided to continue showing their discontent. When he and fellow teammate John Carlos stood on the winner's podium, they both raised their clenched fists when the US National Anthem was played. Tommie shares the negative reactions that resulted, he also shares that if he had a chance to do it again today, he wouldn't change a thing.

VICTORY. STAND! should be in classroom and library collections everywhere. It would be perfect for sharing during Black History Month in history classes.

THE LANGUAGE OF SEABIRDS by Will Taylor

 

I picked this up at the Scholastic Book Fair. Yes, I still love going to those!!!

Jeremy's parents have just divorced. It was decided that Jeremy and his dad would take a trip to the seaside while his mom packs up her belongings and moves to her new house. Jeremy's uncle owns and rents a small cottage on the Oregon coast that is the perfect spot for Jeremy and his dad to hang out for a couple of weeks.

Jeremy is hoping to find a quiet place to relax and think through the changes happening in his life. He knows he will be asked to decide which parent he will eventually live with and what that will look like. In addition to figuring out how these changes will affect his life, Jeremy is struggling with a secret he isn't sure how or when to reveal.

His first day on the beach, Jeremy sees a dark-haired boy running along the surf. He tries to watch without being seen. He knows he wants to see more of this boy but isn't sure how to manage it. It turns out all he needs to do is shop at the boy's grandmother's gift shop when he goes to explore the town.

Jeremy and Evan hit it off and begin spending as much time together as possible, and Jeremy's secret may not stay secret for long. 

THE LANGUAGE OF SEABIRDS by Will Taylor explores Jeremy's struggles with his parents' separation and his questions about his sexuality in a tender and heartwarming way. There are moments of tension between father and son that will ring true for readers, and moments of discovery and wonder that will make Jeremy a character to remember.

FAMILY GAME NIGHT AND OTHER CATASTROPHES by Mary E. Lambert

 

Annabelle remembers a time when her family was normal. Things changed shortly after her younger sister was born. She knows Leslie doesn't really remember a time different than now which makes Annabelle sad.

Their house was never tidy. That's not something her mother worried about, but when the "collections" started, Annabelle's house became a secret she didn't share with anyone. The kitchen was filled with stacks of old newspapers, empty milk jugs, and empty egg cartons. Canned goods surrounded her father's desk in the den and linens of all kinds were heaped in the living room. Stuff was piled everywhere except Annabelle's room; she had cleaned it out when she was ten and refused to let any clutter accumulate. There was also the ex-dining room where the door was locked and never opened. What was in there? Lord only knew.

Things come to a head when Annabelle's father leaves early for his yearly trip with students to the UK, and at the same time, Grandma Nora arrives to fix things. The tension and arguing are thick in the air. Annabelle watches the toll it is taking on her little sister and realizes the family is out of control. Her mother has never admitted it, but she is a hoarder, and someone needs to help.

Author Mary E. Lambert tackles a topic I have never seen covered in a book for middle grade readers. Annabelle immediately grabbed me by the heart strings and kept pulling me through this remarkable story. The courage and strength of the children in this dysfunctional family should be experienced by young readers and adults alike. Lambert shows how difficult but necessary change can be.

REAL by Carol Cujec & Peyton Goddard

 

If you liked OUT OF MY MIND by Sharon M. Draper, you will want to pick up a copy of REAL by Carol Cujec & Peyton Goddard. Inspired by Peyton Goddard's real-life experiences, readers will learn about living with autism and not having the ability to communicate.

Charity is smart. She has a near perfect memory and awesome math skills. The problem is no one knows. Her autism hides the real Charity behind what people see on the outside. She doesn't have control over her body movements so she bounces, jumps, and flaps. She can't verbalize her thoughts and feelings so no one knows what's going on inside her brain.

Since Charity can't go to regular public school, she is sent to a special school that supposedly helps neurodiverse students. Rather than helping these students, Charity and others are treated roughly, ignored, and shut in a timeout closet for hours. When Charity's parents discover the abuse, they demand that she be allowed to attend the public middle school.

With the help of kind teachers, Charity is given an opportunity to learn. With the aid of a person trained to instruct Charity, she learns to type her thoughts and responses. Her first communication is to type "I am intelligent." It still isn't easy for Charity. There are bullies and people who don't think she should be mainstreamed into regular classes and especially not the advanced classes. She demonstrates her true abilities and with help she learns to calm her body and behavior.

REAL is an emotional story that will have readers cheering and crying as they follow Charity's battle to prove she is more than just what people see. 

FRONT DESK by Kelly Yang

 

Inspired by some of her own experiences, Chinese-American author Kelly Yang shares what it is like to grow up in California. FRONT DESK is perfect for a read-aloud for 5th grade and up with tons of opportunities for discussion of the immigrant experience.

Mia is constantly reminded why she and her family left China to come to the United States. It was for freedom and opportunity, but as far as Mia is concerned, it doesn't seem like there is much of either one. Her parents were both professionals in China and now they are thrilled if they can get jobs working in restaurants as dishwashers and servers. When they are offered the chance to manage a motel for Mr. Yao, they are hopeful that things are looking up.

While Mia's parents work to clean rooms and take care of the building and grounds, Mia works at the front desk. She loves greeting people and checking them into their rooms, but things don't always go smoothly. Missing keys, requests for extra pillows, and wake-up calls prove to be challenging. There is the constant worry about threatening people who might cause trouble for her parents or for the weekly renters who have become like family for Mia.

School is challenging as well. Mr. Yao's annoying son Jason is in Mia's class. At first she thought she was lucky to have another Chinese kid in her class, but Jason is as big a bully as the other kids. Learning to write in English is fun for Mia, but her teacher's criticisms are often hard to take. Finding Lupe as a best friend gives Mia some hope that living in America can be good.

FRONT DESK is fast-paced with short chapters that will keep readers turning pages to find out what Mia's next adventure will be.

THE WORDS WE KEEP by Erin Stewart

 

THE WORDS WE KEEP by Erin Stewart speaks to the often-avoided topic of mental illness. Anxiety, depression, and stress plague more and more people today. Teens suffering from these forms of mental illness don't always have the help they need or the skills to ask for that help. Author Erin Stewart shares a story to bring these issues to light for those needing help and those wanting to give help.

Lily will never forget what she calls the Night on the Bathroom Floor when she discovered her older sister Alice in a pool of blood. Lily will forever regret that she froze and didn't know how to offer the help her sister needed. Now Alice has returned from time at a treatment center, and Lily realizes she still doesn't know how to help because Alice isn't the only one who may be crazy.

Straight A student, track star, and always a good girl, Lily is quietly struggling with her own monsters. Since her mother's death after the birth of her little sister, Lily has tried her hardest to make things easy for her father. When her English teacher announces a contest that could earn her a scholarship to UC Berkley for a summer program, Lily is determined to win. Qualifying for states on the track team is also a way she can please her father. All this plus keeping watch over Alice's mental health has triggered feelings in Lily that have her spiraling out of control.

THE WORDS WE KEEP is perfect for YA collections looking to spread the message to readers with similar feelings that they are not alone. Stewart's novel tells the gritty truth but also offers hope for living with and recovering from mental health trauma.

WILDOAK by C.C. Harrington

 

WILDOAK by C.C. Harrington is going on my best books of all-time list. It is perfect for animal and nature lovers, those who feel picked on because they are different, and anyone looking for a heartwarming story.

Maggie stutters. She avoids talking by any means possible. This has resulted in the constant need to switch schools and total misunderstanding by her father. When she is asked to leave her most recent school, her father threatens to send her to Granville for special treatment, but Maggie has heard horror stories about what happens at this special school. At her mother's suggestion, it is decided that Maggie will go to stay with her grandfather for two weeks. If her stutter doesn't improve, it's off to Granville for treatment.

Grandfather Fred lives in Wildoak Forest. Maggie visited once when she was just a toddler, but she doesn't remember much at all. The hope is that the fresh air and natural surroundings will help her overcome her disability. Fred couldn't care less about Maggie's stutter. He is just thrilled to have her company, helps her settle in, and encourages her to explore and enjoy Wildoak.

On one of Maggie's first treks into the forest she comes across a large cat caught in a trap. She is able to set it free and later returns to treat its wounds. Doing some research, she discovers that the animal is probably a snow leopard. Fred tells her that's impossible because there aren't any snow leopards in Cornwall. Despite his doubts and negativity, Maggie befriends the animal and vows to protect and defend it.

Author C.C. Harrington tells the story of Maggie and Rumpus the snow leopard in alternating voices that will capture readers' hearts immediately. There's plenty of adventure as well as lessons to learn about accepting people (and animals) for what they are, as they are. 

WE ARE ALL SO GOOD AT SMILING by Amber McBride

 

Whimsy suffers from clinical depression. She has been hospitalized multiple times in recent years. She feels guilty about the disappearance of her older brother years ago. Her parents seem to want to assure her health and safety so as not to repeat any mistakes made with her brother.

When a new boy named Faerry moves into her neighborhood, Whimsy has the feeling she should know him. His sister went missing the same time as Whimsy's brother. A friendship grows between them, and they begin to share their similar feelings of sadness and loneliness. Both are drawn to a haunted woods nearby even though it frightens them. Something there promises to answer the many questions they have about their missing siblings.

Amber McBride is also the author of ME (MOTH). This new novel, written in verse, combines friendship and depression with a touch of fairy tale magic.

HANDS by Torrey Maldonado

 

Trev has vowed to protect his mother and sisters. When his step-father was sent to prison for hitting Trev's mother, he threatened to get even with Trev when he was released. That day will be coming soon so Trev wants to be prepared.

Working out in the neighborhood gym seems to be the answer. Trev wants to use his hands to settle the score with his step-father, but he isn't getting much support from those around him. His "uncles" all tell him using hands to get even isn't what his mother and sisters would want. They have dreams for Trev that don't involve using his hands in a violent manner. His mother reminds him about how he liked to draw when he was younger and others remind him how good he was. He keeps hearing the word "promise" and wonders if that might be where he can find the answer.

Author Torrey Maldonado's HANDS is just over 100 pages, but it definitely packs a punch. Trev's voice comes through loud and clear as he struggles to determine his path. The characters who step forward to give him advice and stand by him illustrate the people we all have in our lives if we just take the time to listen to their wise words.