Grades 6-7
Booklist
Fiction
Between Two Brothers by Crystal Allen
Between Two Brothers
by Crystal Allen

Isaiah 'Ice' Abernathy has always worshiped his older brother, Seth. For years they've been not just brothers but best friends--and as Seth starts his senior year, Ice is eager to spend as much time with his brother as he can, making memories before Seth goes to college. But when Seth announces he's leaving much earlier than expected, and then he misses an important event--one he'd promised to attend--it causes a major fight. Filled with regret, Ice plans to apologize to Seth later the next day, but later never comes, as he finds out Seth was in an accident--one that leaves him in the hospital. And the doctors say he may never recover. Racked by fear and guilt, Ice chooses to step up, defy the experts, and help Seth recover in a way only he can--by trusting in their bond and the undying love between two brothers--
Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Something Like Home
by Andrea Beatriz Arango

When a lost dog helps Laura find a way home to her family, they discover family in each other along the way.--
Swim Team: A Graphic Novel by Johnnie Christmas
Swim Team: A Graphic Novel
by Johnnie Christmas

Bree can't wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees--until she's stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she's forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help--
The Serpent's Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1): Volume 1 by Sayantani DasGupta
The Serpent's Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1): Volume 1
by Sayantani DasGupta

From New York Times bestselling author comes a world packed with action and adventure, perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Soman Chainani.MEET KIRANMALA: INTERDIMENSIONAL DEMON SLAYER(Only she doesn't know it yet.)On the morning of her twelfth birthday, Kiranmala is just a regular sixth grader living in Parsippany, New Jersey . . . until her parents mysteriously vanish and a drooling rakkhosh demon slams through her kitchen, determined to eat her alive. Turns out there might be some truth to her parents' fantastical stories-like how Kiranmala is a real Indian princess and how she comes from a secret place not of this world.To complicate matters, two crush-worthy princes ring her doorbell, insisting they've come to rescue her. Suddenly, Kiran is swept into another dimension full of magic, winged horses, moving maps, and annoying, talking birds. There she must solve riddles and battle demons all while avoiding the Serpent King of the underworld and the Rakkhoshi Queen in order to find her parents and basically save New Jersey, her entire world, and everything beyond it . . .
Art Club (a Graphic Novel) by Rashad Doucet
Art Club (a Graphic Novel)
by Rashad Doucet

After the art programs are cut at his school, Dale Donovan recruits talented artists to create an after-school art club--
Ironheart: Meant to Fly by Eve Ewing
Ironheart: Meant to Fly
by Eve Ewing

Contains material originally published in magazine form as Ironheart (2018) #1-12.--Title page verso.
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi
A Place at the Table
by Saadia Faruqi

Sara, a Pakistani American girl, and Elizabeth, a white Jewish girl, bond in a cooking class in this story about sixth grade, food, friendship, family and what it means to belong.
Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen
Wrecker
by Carl Hiaasen

When fifteen-year-old Valdez Jones VIII, a.k.a. Wrecker, unwittingly becomes entangled with a group of smugglers and grave robbers, he must deep-dive into their shady dealings in order to escape their twisted net.
The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson
The Storyteller
by Brandon Hobson

Ziggy's mother disappeared ten years ago, one of the many Native women who have mysteriously gone missing, and Ziggy believes a secret cave may hold the key--so with his sister, Moon, and friends Alice and Corso, he sets out to find the cave and solve the mystery of his family's origins.--
Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller
Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone
by Tae Keller

Mallory Moss knows the rules of middle school. The most important one? You have to fit in to survive. But then Jennifer Chan moves in across the street, and that rule doesn't seem to apply. Jennifer doesn't care about the laws of middle school ... Then Jennifer goes missing. Using clues from Jennifer's journals, Mallory goes searching. But the closer she gets, the more Mallory has to confront why Jennifer might have run ... and face the truth within herself--
The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln
The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels
by Beth Lincoln

On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match. Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker. Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile's long-lost treasure. She's excited to finally meet her arriving relatives--until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs. So what if everyone thinks she'll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can become whatever she wants, even a detective. And she's determined to follow the twisty clues and catch the killer. Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it's packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important.--
Mexikid: (Newbery Honor Award Winner) by Pedro Martín
Mexikid: (Newbery Honor Award Winner)
by Pedro Martín

Pedro Martin's grown up in the U.S. hearing stories about his legendary abuelito, but during a family road trip to Mexico, he connects with his grandfather and learns more about his own Mexican identity in this ... graphic memoir--
Olivetti by Allie Millington
Olivetti
by Allie Millington

The heartfelt national bestseller praised by Tom Hanks as a great favor to readers; perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo and Peter Brown.
City Spies by James Ponti
City Spies
by James Ponti

Sara Martinez is facing years in the juvenile detention system for hacking into the foster care computer system to prove that her foster parents are crooks. But then she gets a second chance when a mysterious man offers her a chance to join a group of MI6 affiliated spies--
Dark Tide by Sean Rodman
Dark Tide
by Sean Rodman

In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, Kai and his stepfather must stop an ancient predator before the tide turns.
The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands
The Blackthorn Key
by Kevin Sands

Originally published in hardcover in 2015 by Aladdin.
A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat
A First Time for Everything
by Dan Santat

A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life. Dan's always been a good kid. The kind of kid who listens to his teachers, helps his mom with grocery shopping, and stays out of trouble. But being a good kid doesn't stop him from being bullied and feeling like he's invisible, which is why Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe. At first, he's right. He's stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn't know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him--first Fanta, first fondue, first time stealing a bike from German punk rockers... and first love. Funny, heartwarming, and poignant, A First Time for Everything is a feel-good coming-of-age memoir based on New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat's awkward middle school years. It celebrates a time that is universally challenging for many of us, but also life-changing as well.--
The Clackity by Lora Senf
The Clackity
by Lora Senf

To rescue her aunt from the ghost of a serial killer, twelve-year-old Evie Von Rathe embarks on a journey into a strange world filled with hungry witches, ghosts, and a story thief, all while trying to fulfill her deal with the Clackity.
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
A Wish in the Dark
by Christina Soontornvat

A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him. A compelling fantasy looks at issues of privilege, protest, and justice. All light in Chattana is created by one man -- the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright orb light, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong's prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free. Nok, the prison warden's perfect daughter, is bent on tracking Pong down and restoring her family's good name. But as Nok hunts Pong through the alleys and canals of Chattana, she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always held dear. Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, Christina Soontornvat's twist on Victor Hugo's Les Misâerables is a dazzling, fast-paced adventure that explores the difference between law and justice -- and asks whether one child can shine a light in the dark.
The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne
by Jonathan Stroud

Scarlett McCain is a shoot-first ask-questions-later kind of outlaw. She scrapes by on bank heists, her wits--and never looking back. She's on the run from her latest crime when she comes across Albert Browne. He is the sole survivor of a horrific accident, and against her better judgment, Scarlett agrees to guide him to safety. This is a mistake. Soon there are men with dogs and guns and explosives hot on their heels. Scarlett's used to being chased by the law, but this is extreme--
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