Looking back on the middle grade and YA I read in 2022, I feel like I didn't read the quantity of books that I want and need to. I averaged four books in this category each month, but since I am a middle school librarian I'd like to increase that number so I constantly have new books to recommend to students.
I read a ton of reviews and know different authors' work so that I didn't read anything I hated, but if there is one area I want to improve on in 2023, this is it.
My favorites middle grade and YA reads from 2022 are below. Enjoy!
Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King - Mac and his classmates are given Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic to read and are confused when they find different parts blacked out. Who would be censoring the book they are reading? Mac and his friends try talking to their teacher and principal, but the adults' responses aren't very helpful at all. But Mac won't give up that easily. This book covers a timely issue; it would be perfect to read and discuss with students.
New From Here by Kelly Yang-I love everything Yang has written and this is no exception. This one is a stand alone novel about a family separated during the Covid pandemic as the father stays in Hong Kong for work and their mother brings her three children to California (thinking that Covid won't make it to America). Knox struggles with being the "new kid" - and because he came from Asia is accused of bringing the virus with him. He also struggles with his ADHD and the impulsive decisions he makes.
We Were The Fire: Birmingham 1963 by Sheilia Moses- set during the Civil Rights Movement in the most segregated place in the country, Rufus and his friends decide to participate in the marches organized by MLK, Jr., in an effort to make their voices heard - and increase the numbers of these demonstrations since the adults who want to go have been threatened by their employers that they will lose their jobs. Short, but powerful.
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepytis - Communist Romania in 1989, Cristian is seventeen and doesn't know who he can trust. His family, like others in his country, have to deal with spotty electricity, lack of heat, and food lines. Cristian gets a glimpse what life is like in the US when he meets the teenage son of the US embassy worker his mom cleans for. Cristian, however, has been told he must inform on this family, and it is up to him to decide if he will follow orders, or betray his country.
Jefferson's Sons: A Founding Father's Secret Children by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley- a fictionalized account of Jefferson's sons with his slave, Sally Hemmings. There's some information out there about these children, and Bradley has added details and conversations, but I found this to be an interesting middle grade story that fostered good conversation and interest from students.
Abuela Don't Forget Me by Rex Ogle - the third memoir by Ogle (Free Lunch and Punching Bag are his first two), this one explores Ogle's relationship with his grandmother, the one positive adult figure he has in his life during his childhood. This one reads a little differently than his other books, but
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir - winner of the National Book Award for Young Adult Literature, this has been on my TBR since it was published. Sal and Noor have been friends since elementary school, and dated for a while. No longer dating, they are barely even speaking, and their home lives both seem to be unraveling. Drawn back together after Sal's mother's death, the two have a lot to contend with and I found myself rooting for them even through the bad decisions they made.
When Winter Robeson Came by Brenda Woods - a novel in verse set during the Watts Riots in 1965; Winter comes from Mississippi to visit his cousin, Eden, in Los Angeles. He wants to find his father who disappeared ten years ago. The two set out to uncover Winter's dad's whereabouts while at the same time tensions are about to bubble over and rioting occurs. I appreciated how well written this novel was, and what a good discussion piece this book is for events in history my students don't know about.
The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez - set in 1980, Cuba, Hector's has learned that in Cuba you must always support the government - even if you are only doing so in public. Hector's dad was expelled to the United States, so it is especially important for his mom and siblings to appear pro-Castro. With political unrest occurring, Cuban officials announce they will open the Port of Mariel and allow those who want to leave the freedom to do so. Hector's mom decides she will take her family to the US where they can be reunited with Hector's father, but leaving the country isn't as easy as it seems.
Dream Annie, Dream by Waka Brown - twelve year old Annie has to deal with racism and middle school struggles as she dreams of getting the lead in her school's play. She's thrilled to get a part in The King and I but classmates try to steal her joy by deciding that the only reason Annie got the part is because it is an Asian play and she is Japanese American. Annie can give up, or show everyone what she's made of. I went into this one having read some reviews, but was happily surprised by how fantastic the writing and story are; our eighth grade language arts teacher read this as well and also gave it rave reviews.
I love historical fiction novels and half of the middle grade books I read fall into that genre. There are so many amazing books coming out in 2023, I can't wait to get my hands on them.
1 comment:
All of them sound very interesting!
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