ZENOBIA JULY by Lisa Bunker

 

Description
The critically acclaimed author of Felix Yz crafts a bold, heartfelt story about a trans girl solving a cyber mystery and coming into her own. Zenobia July is starting a new life. She used to live in Arizona with her father; now she's in Maine with her aunts. She used to spend most of her time behind a computer screen, improving her impressive coding and hacking skills; now she's coming out of her shell and discovering a community of friends at Monarch Middle School. People used to tell her she was a boy; now she's able to live openly as the girl she always knew she was. When someone anonymously posts hateful memes on her school's website, Zenobia knows she's the one with the abilities to solve the mystery, all while wrestling with the challenges of a new school, a new family, and coming to grips with presenting her true gender for the first time. Timely and touching, Zenobia July is, at its heart, a story about finding home. -Publisher

My Comments

This is a story that you want to keep reading. Zenobia has experienced tremendous loss and rejection, but she is a fighter inside. She is not a rebel, but she is not afraid to stand up for others. Zenobia is complex. She defies stereotypes. She breaks your heart. The book, however, is not all sadness. There are colorful, funny characters, there is friendship, and there is triumph. Zenobia July will give some students courage. It will open the minds and hearts of all readers.

ALI CROSS by James Patterson

 Description

When his best friend Abraham is reported missing, Ali Cross sets out to find him, but he soon learns that being a kid sleuth isn't easy and clues aren't always what they seem"--Provided by publisher.

My Comments

Great choice for those looking for high action mysteries.

MAYBE HE JUST LIKES YOU by Emily Barbara Dee

 

Description

When boys in her class start touching seventh-grader Mila and making her feel uncomfortable, she does not want to tell her friends or mother until she reaches her breaking point.

My Comments

Realistic portrayal of sexual harassment of a girl in middle school that is called just joking by the boys. Mila's confusion, her unwillingness to tell anyone, and the conflict it causes in her life ring true. The story pulls in the reader from the beginning to the end. Highly recommended.

THIS LIGHT BETWEEN US by Andrew Fukuda

Description 

"In 1935, ten-year-old Alex Maki of Bainbridge Island, Washington, is horrified to discover that his new pen pal, Charlie Lévy of Paris, France, is a girl, but in spite of his initial reluctance, their letters continue over the years and they fight for their friendship even as Charlie endures the Nazi occupation and Alex leaves his family in an internment camp and joins the Army" -publisher

My Comments

A gorgeous, tragic story with a tragic ending. The racism against the American Japanese after Pearl Harbor is painful to read, but the perseverance against all odds in the United States and in the war overseas is inspiring. The relationship of Charlie and Alex grows against the backdrop of war's injustice. This is a book for advanced middle school through adult readers.

LIFE IN THE BALANCE by Jen Petro-Roy

 

Realistic Fiction, Softball, Friendship, Family, Alcoholism

Description

After Mom’s alcoholism has created anger within the family and a problem at work, she leaves to spend eight weeks in rehab. Dad takes a second job and has little time for Veronica. Just when she’s worked up the courage to tell Claudia, her best friend, about the situation, Claudia preempts her with the news of her parents’ divorce. Reluctant to add to her friend’s distress, Veronica doesn’t tell her, but when Claudia discovers the secret, she feels hurt that Veronica didn’t confide in her. A heart-to-heart talk sets their friendship back on course, but it will be a long time before Veronica feels that her family is right again. Still, a support group offers a gleam of hope. Petro-Roy, whose Good Enough (2019) portrays a 12-year-old at a treatment center for anorexia, writes with clarity and avoids suggesting that alcoholism is easy to manage or to live with. Given that Veronica’s a sixth-grader whose family is in distress, it seems natural that friendship lies at the heart of this very readable story.

My Comments

The plot has suspense involving making the team, friendship, family secrets, and what's happening with Veronica's mother. The story is accessible and age appropriate. This is a great realistic fiction choice for all middle schoolers.