ORBITING JUPITER by

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt

Realistic Fiction, Abuse, Bullying, Friendship, Compassion,
Families, Overcoming Adversity

2015, 183 pages

Description

Kirkus Reviews starred (July 15, 2015) Jackson Hurd's family has taken in a new foster child, and Jackson will have to find the meanings of love and loyalty as he befriends his foster brother. Joseph Brook looks like an average eighth-grader at Eastham Middle School, but he's not. He became a father at age 13, spent time in juvie, and has an abusive father. Living with Jack's family on their Maine farm could mean a normal life for him, but he is obsessed with finding Jupiter, the daughter he's not allowed to see. He finds love within Jack's family and support from some teachers at school--including Coach Swieteck, whom some readers might remember from Okay for Now (2011)--who appreciate his skills in math and gymnastics, but one teacher warns Jack of Joseph's bad influence, and other students call Joseph "Psycho." Schmidt writes with an elegant simplicity in this paean to the power of love. But there's a snake in the garden--Joseph's father--and it is the uncoiling of fate, rooted in the tale from the beginning, that leads to the novel's devastating conclusion.Readers will not soon forget either Joseph Brook or this spare novel written with love and grace. (Fiction. 10-14)

My Comments

Gripping, tragic story. Great for classroom discussions and reluctant readers. Kids will love this one. Grades 7 and up.

THE FORT by Gordon Korman

The Fort by Gordon Korman

Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Air Raid Shelters, Bullying, Domestic Abuse, Secrecy

2022; 239 pages

Description

When a tight-knit group of middle school friends discover a trap door in the woods that leads to a completely intact bomb shelter, they vow to keep the place a secret while sharing their individual secrets to build the safest space possible.

"Five friends who need to stick together after they set up a hideout in an abandoned bomb shelter and discover that the only way to be true friends is to reveal their secrets and help each other out.

The morning after Hurricane Leo rips through the town of Canaan, residents awaken to widespread destruction -- power outages, downed branches, uprooted trees, broken windows and damaged roofs. Four eighth-grade friends -- Evan, Jason, Mitchell, and CJ -- meet to explore the devastation. The tight-knit group is dismayed to find that Evan has brought along a stray -- Ricky, who is new to their town and school, and doesn't have any friends yet.

Ricky is the one to find the strange trap door that's appeared in the middle of the woods -- the door to an old bomb shelter, unearthed by the hurricane. Inside, the boys find a completely intact underground lair, complete with electricity, food, and entertainment (in the form of videocassettes). The boys vow to keep the place's existence to themselves.

Things soon get tense. Some bad locals keep snooping around. And what started out as a fun place to escape soon becomes a serious refuge for one of the kids who is trying to avoid an abusive home situation. In order to save the shelter, the friends must keep its secret... and in order to save themselves, they're going to have to share their individual secrets, and build the safest place they can." - The Publisher

My Comments

I was hooked the minute the boys discovered the bomb shelter which is a club house on steroids. The bonds of friendship ring true as do the secrets. There is a subplot of abuse by a stepfather that is realistic but written with sensitivity for this age group. it is especially poignant how the abused boy's friends were unaware for so long, but then found ways to help him once they understood the situation. Korman skillfully portrays the importance of friendship as well as the excitement and difficulties of being a young teen.

BYSTANDER by James Preller

 Bystander by James Preller

Bullies, Realistic Fiction, Divorce, Anxiety

226 pages

Description

School Library Journal (January 1, 2010)

Gr 6-9-Eric Hayes has moved from Ohio to Long Island, NY, with his mother and younger brother. His schizophrenic father left long ago. Eric soon meets Griffin Connelly, a handsome kid with natural leadership, lots of charisma, and a real mean streak. While Griffin is the perfect bully, David Hallenback is the perfect victim: beaten down and willing to do anything to get Griffin's approval. At first, Eric is a bystander, not participating in the bullying but not doing anything to stop it. However, several events move him out of this passive role: Griffin steals from him and reveals Eric's confidences about his father; adults at school address bullying; and Mary, a girl he likes, takes a stand against it. Eric realizes that his silence makes him complicit and speaks out, only to become Griffin's next victim. Preller has perfectly nailed the middle school milieu, and his characters are well developed with authentic voices. The novel has a parablelike quality, steeped in a moral lesson, yet not ploddingly didactic. The action moves quickly, keeping readers engaged. The ending is realistic: there's no strong resolution, no punishment or forgiveness. Focusing on the large majority of young people who stand by mutely and therefore complicitly, this must-read book is a great discussion starter that pairs well with a Holocaust unit.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.

My Comments
This is a popular book with 6th and 7th graders, although painful for me as an adult to read. It brings to mind 'The Lord of the Flies,' though obviously not as brutal - but brutal enough. The characters are very well developed. It was difficult to watch the main victim accept the bullying in a fruitless attempt to be popular. I really liked the ending, which was positive, but not what I expected. Great choice, especially for middle school.

JENNIFER CHAN IS NOT ALONE by Tae Keller

 

Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller

Realistic Fiction, Bullying, UFO's, 

277 pages

Description

Horn Book Magazine (May/June, 2022)

Twelve-year-old narrator Mallory is distressed to learn that her neighbor and sometime-friend Jennifer Chan has disappeared. Having recently moved to town (deemed "Nowhereville" Florida by Mallory), Jennifer -- who is Chinese American; lives with a young, single mother; and wholeheartedly believes in aliens -- doesn't fit in at snobby, homogenous Gibbons Academy. Socially insecure Mallory (whose own mom is "half Korean") and her two mean-girl besties had bullied Jennifer. Alternating between "Now" and "Then," and with heavy foreshadowing of something known as "the Incident," Mallory slowly, guiltily, reveals what happened, and how she's determined to make things right. Occasional interspersed journal entries from "Jennifer Chan's Guide to the Universe" provide the missing girl's thoughts on family, friendship, and the inevitability of extraterrestrial existence, plus how to make contact; the story's climax leaves room for interpretation regarding her success. Keller (Newbery Medalist for When You Trap a Tiger) writes with uncommon compassion for all of her characters -- even the cruel-seeming ones -- addressing such issues as peer pressure, individuality, identity, and microaggressions from a variety of perspectives. A heartfelt and hopeful appended note provides further details about the author's motivation and methodology. Elissa Gershowitz May/June 2022 p.146

My Comments

I absolutely loved this one! Keller is a superb writer who writes from different perspectives with compassion. Her characters are realistic and well developed. She is a master of showing, not telling. Jennifer's fervent belief in UFO's adds excitement to the plot, but also sheds light on how desperately Jennifer misses her father who died of cancer, the reason for their move to a small town from Chicago. The quest to find UFO's is the link to her dad.The vicious bullying is painful to read, but Jennifer's courage and belief in herself is inspiring. This should be on summer reading lists. It would be a great book for literature circles or classroom discussions.

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.

THE 57 BUS by Dashka Slater

 

Narrative Nonfiction, African American, Bullying, LGBTQIA, Prejudice and Racism, True Crime

High School

Grades 7-12

305 Pages

Description

Horn Book Magazine (January/February, 2018)

“It was late afternoon on Monday, November 4, 2013. Sasha was napping on the 57 bus in Oakland, California, when Richard, egged on by friends, set their gauzy skirt on fire. (Sasha is genderqueer and prefers the pronoun they.) Sasha survived, but sustained third-degree burns on their calves and thighs. The incident was captured on video cameras installed in the bus, and the next day Richard was arrested for a hate crime and processed in the justice system. From the start, the deck was stacked against Richard, an African American teenager with a criminal history, who had now committed a horrific crime that grabbed media attention, caused national outrage, and fomented local protests. Slater goes beyond the headlines to tell the very human stories behind these individuals and their families (although it's clear she did not have as much personal access to Richard as she did to Sasha). It's a powerful story of class and race (Sasha is white), gender and identity, justice and mercy, love and hate. Using interviews, court documents, and news accounts, Slater has crafted a compelling true-crime story with ramifications for our most vulnerable youth.” - jonathan hunt

My Comments

Grades 7-12

Informative and enlightening about both gender, identity, and the criminal justice system. It illuminates cultural differences and obstacles, but also shows how people can transcend stereotyping and dehumanizing groups of people who are not our own. This title is on my school's 8th grade ELA reading list. Great choice.

SWEEPING UP THE HEART by Kevin Henkes

Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Divorce, Grief, Sculptors, Friendship183 pages


Description"A seventh-grader in 1999 wonders when her real life will start—this spring break, she’ll find out. Her friend Natalie is spending a year in France, while Amelia’s widowed, emotionally distant father won’t even take her to Florida for one week! Love, support, and the excellent baking of their housekeeper, Mrs. O’Brien, a neighbor in her 70s, partly reconcile Amelia to staying home in Madison, Wisconsin, where at least she’ll have time for creating ceramic animals at Louise’s clay studio. At first Amelia’s dismayed to find a strange boy there—it’s Louise’s nephew, Casey, visiting while his parents go on a retreat, hoping to save their failing marriage. Casey confesses that his campaign to keep them together isn’t going well. Amelia can relate. Her mother died when Amelia was 2; with her father seldom home and Natalie in France, she feels unsettled and adrift. Active imaginations and shared creativity strengthen the preteens’ bond. Spotting a woman who resembles Amelia, Casey suggests she could be her mother, possibly reborn. Pursuing this intriguing idea spawns unexpected developments that spur Amelia’s emotional growth (reflected in the Emily Dickinson poem quoted in the title). Captured on the threshold of puberty’s tumultuous changes, Amelia and Casey quiver with hope and longing. Like a Chinese brush painting made of words, this short novel distills the slow-building impatience of early adolescence down to its essence—not much happens, yet everything does. The primary cast presents white. Spare, luminous, lovely. (Historical fiction. 8-12)"  (Kirkus Reviews Starred December 1, 2018)


My CommentsThis is a sweet, gentle book that shows ways to deal with the difficulties of growing up and how to understand others. Henkes deftly conveys the idea that it's okay to be yourself. I love the way Amelia immerses herself in her pottery. I would give it to thoughtful students.

THE YEAR WE FELL FROM SPACE by Amy Sarig King

Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Divorce, Family, Mental Health, Meteorites
262 pages

DescriptionAfter her parents separate, a Pennsylvania preteen struggles to accept the new normal. "Liberty, 12, loves creating star maps and connecting stars in new patterns, forming new constellations (rendered by Goffi). After their dad moves out, she and her anxious little sister, Jilly, 9, don’t see him for months. Their mother avoids answering questions. Lib abandons her star maps; the promise and possibilities they represented no longer feel real. Peer relationships suffer, too. Former friend Leah “excommunicates” her. Finn, offspring of another rocky marriage, ignores her. Being shunned isn’t all bad; Lib enjoys eating lunch with a fellow outcast, Iranian American Malik (other characters default to white). Reconnecting with Dad, the girls are upset to learn he’s dating. Desperate to restore her family, Lib bargains with the stars and meteorite she lugged home, utilizing magical thinking to bring about Dad’s return. Counseling helps, too. Lib may not be clinically depressed like Dad, but what ails her is equally huge. “We co-own a divorce. Split four ways,” she tells him. “It’s ours.” Lib’s precise, present-tense narration sensitively reveals how divorce changes each family member, not just their relationships. It’s a painful truth, but for Lib, sharing that hard-won insight is also empowering. Acclaimed as a YA novelist (Dig, 2019, etc.), King pens a middle-grade book that will especially resonate with readers confronting or affected by family turmoil. Quietly compelling. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 8-12) "(Kirkus Reviews August 15, 2019)

My CommentsLove the book, but wish the author had not made Liberty a new sixth grader. The book explores complex feelings and family relationships. This is a wonderful book for grades 7-8. It is not a book that I would give to many fifth or sixth graders. I wish that authors would refrain from stipulating an age or if necessary at least make the age one or two years older than the intended grade level. It is difficult to get a 7th or 8th grader to read about a 6th grader. That said, I love it, especially the star maps.

SHOUTING AT THE RAIN by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Cape Cod, Poverty, Friendship, Weather, Families

276 pages
HL 560

Publisher's Description

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Fish in a Tree comes a compelling story about perspective and learning to love the family you have.

Delsie loves tracking the weather--lately, though, it seems the squalls are in her own life. She's always lived with her kindhearted Grammy, but now she's looking at their life with new eyes and wishing she could have a "regular family." Delsie observes other changes in the air, too--the most painful being a friend who's outgrown her. Luckily, she has neighbors with strong shoulders to support her, and Ronan, a new friend who is caring and courageous but also troubled by the losses he's endured. As Ronan and Delsie traipse around Cape Cod on their adventures, they both learn what it means to be angry versus sad, broken versus whole, and abandoned versus loved. And that, together, they can weather any storm.

My Notes

This is a realistic picture of what it feels like to be left out and bullied, but also how to surround yourself and appreciate people who care about you. Delsie is unique and loveable; she stays true to herself throughout the story, never falling to the level of the girl who is mean to her. I think the story was a little long towards the end, but still a wonderful read.

FISH IN A TREE by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Bullying, Learning Disabilities, Education, Friendship, Courage, Creativity

From the PublisherThe author of the beloved One for the Murphysgives readers an emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who's ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn't fit in."Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid."Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there's a lot more to her-and to everyone-than a label, and that great minds don't always think alike.

Comments

A great book for class and reading circle discussions, this story portrays the complexities of middle school social life, self image, misunderstandings, and friendship. An engaging thoughtful book. Highly recommend for class discussion and summer reading lists.

HELLO UNIVERSE by Erin Entrada Kelly

Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Bullies, Hearing Impaired, Missing Children

313 pages

Newbery Award 2018

From the Publisher

Winner of the Newbery Medal

"A charming, intriguingly plotted novel."--Washington Post

Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships.

Told from four intertwining points of view--two boys and two girls--the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). "Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits."--Booklist

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.

They aren't friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

The acclaimed and award-winning author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia.

"Readers across the board will flock to this book that has something for nearly everyone--humor, bullying, self-acceptance, cross-generational relationships, and a smartly fateful ending."--School Library Journal

My Comments

Great for incoming grade 6 summer reading lists and class discussions. Accessible and high interest for a wide audience. Great plot creates suspense with realistic, loveable characters.

Highly recommend. Give to teachers.

SAVE ME A SEAT by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Realistic fiction, multicultural, friendship, bullies, school stories.

"Ravi has just moved to the United States from India and has always been at the top of his class; Joe has lived in the same town his whole life and has learning problems--but when their lives intersect in the first week of fifth grade they are brought together by a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and the need to take control of their lives." (publisher)

Engaging light read with a lot to think about. Highly recommend as realistic fiction through 6th grade.

ZERO TO HERO by Henry Winkler

Fantasy, Ghosts, Bullies

170 pages, 2012

A short, fun story that empathizes with the challenges of middle school social complexities.

"Billy Broccoli is new to the neighborhood, and wants cool friends and a spot on the baseball team more than anything. But the one thing he never wanted is his own personal ghost. So imagine his surprise when he ends up sharing a room with Hoover Porterhouse, a funny ghost with a whole lot of attitude.
When an obnoxious school bully sets out to demolish Billy, the Hoove comes up with a plan for revenge. It’s all in the Hoove's Rule Number Forty-Two: Stay cool. And like it or not, Billy and the Hoove have to stick together if Billy ever wants to get in style, get even, and conquer the school." - from the publisher

MANIAC MAGEE by Jerry Spinelli

Fiction, Prejudice, Racism, Homelessness, Family, Strength

Newbery Award 1991; Boston Globe/Hornbook Award 1990
184 pages, 1990

Let's not forget to recommend this powerful, heartwarming book! It exemplifies the strength of innocence and truth. An uplifting story that will also make you want to cry.

"In this modern-day tall tale, Spinelli ( Dump Days ; Jason and Marceline ) presents a humorous yet poignant look at the issue of race relations, a rare topic for a work aimed at middle readers. Orphaned as an infant, Jerry Magee is reared by his feuding aunt and uncle until he runs away at age eight. He finds his way to Two Mills, Pa., where the legend of ``Maniac'' Magee begins after he scores major upsets against Brian Denehy, the star high school football player, and Little League tough guy, John McNab. In racially divided Two Mills, the Beales, a black family, take Maniac in, but despite his local fame, community pressure forces him out and he returns to living at the zoo. Park groundskeeper Grayson next cares for the boy, but the old man dies and Maniac moves into the squalid home of the McNabs, who are convinced a race war is imminent. After a showdown with his nemesis, Mars Bar, Maniac bridges the gap between the two sides of town and finally finds a home. Full of snappy street-talk cadences, this off-the-wall yarn will give readers of all colors plenty of food for thought. Ages 8-12" -Publishers Weekly May 1990

THE FOURTH STALL by Chris Rylander

Realistic Fiction, School, Friends, Bullying, Mystery, Humor

"The humor of Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets a Godfather-like tale of crime and betrayal in this first book in Chris Rylander's The Fourth Stall Saga.

Do you need something? Mac can get it for you. He and his best friend and business manager, Vince. Their methods might sometimes run afoul of the law, or at least the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can pay him, Mac is on your side.

 His office is located in the East Wing boy's bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming. Or at least it was, until this particular Monday. Because this Monday is when Mac and Vince find out that the trouble with solving everyone else's problems is there's no one left to solve yours.

The school setting; fast-paced, cinematic, and funny story; and engaging voice make The Fourth Stall a perfect classroom read." From the Publisher

This is a real favorite with my sixth graders. It's a page turner! Mac's business operation is outrageous and breaks a lot of rules....and the law at times, but the story works just because it is so outrageous - believable, but not really. What saves Mac in the reader's eyes is that he really is a nice kid and wants to look out for others...while making money.

This could be a good match for both reluctant and avid readers.

WONDER by R.J. Palacio

315 pages.Bullying; Self Perception; Overcoming Adversity; Kindness; Friendship; Middle School. 

NY Times Bestseller

Description from Titlewave.com:"Notes: Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunts and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.

From the Publisher: I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse."

Horn Book (Fall 2012)
"Born with a severe facial deformity, formerly homeschooled Auggie is starting fifth grade. We learn how desperately he wants friends but little of what he might offer in return, as he seems to be defined by his disability. Still, this novel is a heartbreaker, and one that for many readers may provide a new definition of bravery in the face of adversity."

This a perfect choice for summer reading lists and classrooms. It will provide much material for discussion. Fair Warning: Readers will most likely cry! The message of friendship, love, and kindness is much needed today. Thank you R.J. Palacio.

BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver

Grades 9-12 mature content.  Fiction: Death, Interpersonal relations, Popularity, Conduct, High School, BullyingLoved this book! Lauren Oliver explores the topics of bullying, insecurity, friendship, and courage in a realistic portrayal of the high school experience. I began reading it with trepidation because I thought it was going to be a teenage angst, groundhog day story, but I was completely wrong. This is one to recommend to high school students.

"Grades 9-12. If you could relive your last day, what would you do differently? This is what Samantha asks herself when, after a fatal accident driving from a party on Friday, she wakes in her bed to find she must repeat the entire day again. And again. As Samantha lives through multiple Fridays, desperate to prevent her death, she is struck by how even the most insignificant acts, like running late for school instead of being on time, can change everything. Suddenly she is noticing uncomfortable things—about her friends, about herself—she has never noticed before. It’s the ultimate learning experience, and it takes Samantha seven times—not to save her own life but to leave with one she can be proud of. Oliver, in a pitch-perfect teen voice, explores the power we have to affect the people around us in this intensely believable first novel. Samantha grows from an entitled, popular, yet insecure girl to one with the compassion and guts to make the right decisions. This is a compelling book with a powerful message that will strike a chord with many teens." Booklist (October 15, 2009 (Vol. 106, No.4))


 

TWISTED BY Laurie Halse Anderson

2007. Family problems, high school, friendship, bullying "After finally getting noticed by someone other than school bullies and his ever-angry father, seventeen-year-old Tyler enjoys his tough new reputation and the attentions of a popular girl, but when life starts to go bad again, he must choose between transforming himself or giving in to his destructive thoughts."

Twisted was recommended to me by a student who read it in one night. I did the same. Another well written, thoughtful, on the edge of your seat work by Anderson. In my book, she's batting a perfect score - every single one of her books is a winner.