Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

“Belle Prater’s Boy” is a historical fiction novel set in the 1950’s. The story takes place in the Appalachian Mountains in the heart of coal county. Woodrow’s mother is missing, and his father can no longer take care of him, so he’s sent to town to live with his Grandparents. Gypsy, his cousin lives next door, and both sixth graders are keeping secrets. Woodrow secret is about his mother disappearance and Gypsy’s is about her father’s death. These two characters are well developed, and they draw the reader into the story. The book has enough humor that the very serious topics don’t overwhelm the reader. A wonderful book for any middle schooler.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 1996	Profanity: No
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.	Violence: Yes
Age Level: 10-14 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 4.4	Mature Themes: Domestic Abuse
Pages: 196	Suicide, Abandonment, Alcoholism
Stars: 5                                                        Series: 2 Books Awards: 1997 Newbery Honor

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Miranda is in sixth grade living in NYC and the year is 1978. Sal, Miranda’s best friend, has stopped talking to her and she doesn’t know why. When she starts to receive strange notes, her life gets even more complicated. These notes predict the future with accuracy and one of them has an alarming prediction that someone is going to die. This middle-school novel is a combination of genres, historical fiction, mystery, time travel and friendship. The mystery keeps your reading, the historical portrayal of the 1970’s is informative and the friendship among the characters is heartwarming. I will be recommending the book to my grandchildren.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2009	Profanity: No
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books	Violence: Mild
Age Level: 10-12 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 4.5	Mature Themes: Homelessness,
Pages: 199	Bullying
Stars: 5 Awards: 2010 Newbery Medal

Paperboy by Vince Vawter 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

The year is 1959 and an eleven-year-old boy called Little Man is living in segregated Memphis. His best friend has asked him to take over his paper route for the month of July. Little Man agrees to the job but is worried about having to talk to the customers, when he collects the weekly payment. He has a stutter that makes it difficult to communicate with people. Little Man not only has to interact with the customers on the route but the adult bully in the neighborhood is stealing from him.

There are a lot of serious and complicated concepts in the book, domestic violence, bullying, segregation, and brutality. Even with all these difficulties the book is heartwarming, and the drama keeps the reader engaged. For those readers who want to know what it was like for their grandparents growing up in the 50’s this book is a great snapshot of that time in America.

 

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2013	Profanity: No
Publisher: Delacorte	Violence: Knife Fight
Age Level: 10-12 years	Sexual Content: Mild
AR Level: 5.1	Mature Themes: Racism,
Pages: 224	Domestic Violence, Bullying
Stars: 5 Awards: 2014 Newbery Honor Series: 3 Books

Elf Dog and Owl Head by M.T. Anderson 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

It is summer and the whole world is locked down because of a deadly virus. A young boy, Clay, spends his days in the woods behind his house. Away from his pesky sisters and his parents worries. The woods are the same place that the Under the Mountain people go hunting with their dogs. When one of the dogs is separated from the pack Clay finds her and of course takes her home. The dog becomes part of the family after they try to find its owner. The dog has a very ornate collar with its name on it, Elphinore. Elphinore takes Clay to magical places in the woods that Clay never knew existed or could have found without her. But as with all magic, danger is right around the corner. 

The adventures that Clay and Elphinore go on are thrilling and captivating. I was enthralled with the book from the beginning. This fantasy story is perfect for middle-schoolers. The book has similarities to other fantasy stories, but its updated version will be more relatable to today’s readers. This is one I will be getting for the Grandchildren.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2023	Profanity: No
Publisher: Candlewick Press	Violence: Mild
Age Level: 8-12 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 4.8	Mature Themes: Animal
Pages: 229	Cruelty
Stars: 5 Awards: 2024 Newbery Honor

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Jude and her mother have left their turbulent country of Syria for America. They leave behind her father and beloved brother. Jude’s Uncle has taken them in, to live in his very American home in Cincinnati. Warga does a beautiful job of expressing the difficulties of being a new immigrant in America. She not only expresses the cultural differences but also the racial prejudice that many immigrants experience. The book is written in verse and flows seamlessly. A great book to expose middle-school students to the realities of being an immigrant in this county.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2019	Profanity: No
Publisher: Balzer & Bray	Violence: War
Age Level: 9-12 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 5.3	Mature Themes: Hatred to
Pages: 342	Immigrants
Stars: 5 Awards: 2020 Newbery Honor

Snow by Uri Shulevitz 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Love the illustrations, love the book. One boy and his dog really want it to snow. As they look out the window, they see a snowflake. They run outside and go all around town telling the people on the streets that it will snow but the towns people tell him it will melt. The boy is right and by the end of the book the whole town is white. This book was at my granddaughter’s reading level, so she read the book to me. We had fun with the pictures, and she was so proud to be able to read it by herself. A great first reader that is actually a good book.

Published In: 1998
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux
Age Level: 2-7 years
AR Level: 1.6
Pages: 28
Stars: 5
Awards: 1999 Caldecott Honor

Jake the Fake Keeps it Real by Craig Robinson and Adam Mansbach 🟊🟊🟊🟊

Jake will attend a new school starting in 6th grade, the Music and Art Academy. This is the same school that Jake’s very talented and gifted sister goes to. Jake is not sure how he managed to get into the school but now that he is there can he convince his teachers that he is talented and gifted like his siter? Jake attempts several projects to find his true talent with no results. Finally on the night of the big talent show Jake finds his true calling. The book is funny and middle school boys will enjoy Jake’s antics. The book is not a classic but great for reluctant readers.

 

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2017	Profanity: No
Publisher: Crown Books	Violence: No
Age Level: 8-12 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 5.4	Mature Themes: No
Pages: 135
Stars: 4 Series: 3 Books

The Black Pearl by Scott O'Dell 🟌🟌🟌🟌🟌

“The Black Pearl” is a classic and should be read by every middle schooler. Ramon Salazar wants to be a great pearl diver like his father and to find the largest pearl in the sea, the Pearl of Heaven. As with most who desire treasure, there is a price to pay and Ramon pays with the life of his father.

The text is straightforward, and the storyline flows effortlessly. The book should be an easy read for any 10–13-year-old. “The Black Pearl” is an adventure novel with lots of suspense that keeps the reader going page after page until the book is finished. My only complaint is that the illustrations are dark and hard to decipher but otherwise this book has a place in every home library.

Published In: 1967
Publisher: Dell
Age Level: 10-13 years
AR Level: 5.4
Pages: 96
Stars: 5
Award: 1968 Newbery Honor

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes 🟌🟌🟌🟌🟌

Twelve-year-old Martha Boyle has a lot to deal with. One of her classmates was hit by a car and died, she finds herself liking a boy that she previously despised, and her relationship with her family is strained. As the author sends the Boyle family off on their annual family vacation to Cap Code to visit mother/grandmother, all these issues come to a head. It is Goodbee, Martha’s wise grandmother that helps her navigate through all of life’s problems.

“Olive’s Ocean “is a coming-of-age book that is more suitable for middle-schoolers than elementary school children. The book has a smattering of “bad” language and one sexual reference. Even more important is that the feelings and thoughts that Martha has are more age appropriate for the older student. I enjoyed the book and read it for the first time as an adult. I could relate to Martha as I look back at myself at her age. I will be putting the book on the list for my granddaughters to read. In my opinion, it is a book that would appeal more to girls than boys.

Published In: 2003
Publisher: Greenwillow
Age Level: 8-12 years
AR Level: 4.7
Pages: 217
Stars: 5
Award: 2004 Newbery Honor

Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm 🟊🟊🟊🟊

The year is 1899 and 12-year-old May Amelia has a rough life. She is the only girl in a family of 8 children, in fact she is the only girl in the community of Nasel. Her Pappa is always telling her “Don’t Get Into Mischief May Ameila” and to be a “Proper Young Lady”. All she wants is to go fishing and run around the logging camp with her brothers. May Amelia might get some help from her mother who is pregnant, and May Amelia is hopeful that it will be a baby girl.

The book is written without quotation marks when the character is talking, making it sometimes hard to follow the dialogue. I like May Amelia, she is both tough and compassionate. Her character develops over the book which makes her endearing to the reader. This historical fiction is a wonderful insight into Pioneer Life at the turn of the century. If your child likes historical fiction this is a great addition to your home library.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 1999	Profanity: None
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.	Violence: Murder
Age Level: 10-13 years	Sexual: None
AR Level: 4.8	Mature Themes: Death of a Baby,
Pages: 253	Aging, Prejudice
Awards: 2000 Newbery Honor Stars: 4

The View from Saturday by e.l. konigsburg 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Four sixth-grade kids unexpectedly become friends over the course of the school year. The characters Noah, Nadia, Ethan and Julian are a bit quirky and all of them have issues and problems. Julian the most ostracized of the kids finds a unique way to bring all four of them together. Mrs. Olinski, their teacher, then picks them for the school’s Academic Bowl which helps solidify their friendship. As the children prepare for the competition and work on their friendship all four become confident and self-assured in themselves.

“The View from Saturday” is not for all middle schoolers it was written in the 90’s when everything moved at a slower pace and so does the book. However, if you can get your child to read the book the message of friendship will stay with them into adulthood. I read this book as an adult and appreciated the depth of the characters and their individual stories. I will be recommending it to my grandchildren.


Published In: 1996
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Inc.
Age Level: 11 + years
AR Level: 5.9
Pages: 176
Stars: 5
Award: 1997 Newbery Medal

Moon Over Manifest by Clara Vanderpool 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

The year is 1936 and Abilene Tucker’s father has decided to send her to the town of Manifest, where he spent some time in his youth. Abilene and her father have been riding the rails but after an accident that put Abilene’s life in danger her father knows that this way of life is too dangerous for a 12-year-old girl. When she arrives in Manifest, she finds a run-down town not the idyllic place her father told her about in his stories.

Abilene makes it a quest to find out more about her father and his life in Manifest. She never finds out much about him till the end of the book but does discover a town with a lot of secrets. “Moon Over Manifest” is not an easy read. There are a multitude of characters and lots of threads to follow. It is a good mystery, and the author keeps you guessing on which character is Abilene father. This is a book for the serious reader, there is not much humor, and its themes are more adult in nature than kid friendly.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2010	Profanity: None
Publisher: Delacorte Press	Violence: Murder
Age Level: 10-14 years	Sexual: None
AR Level: 5.3	Mature Themes:Betrayal, War, Alcohol
Pages: 351
Stars: 4 Award: 2011Newbery Medal

 

Number the Stars by Louis Lowry 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

The year is 1943 and in Copenhagen, Denmark the German troops are beginning to “relocate” the Jews. Annemarie Johansen’s best friend Ellen is Jewish and the rabbi at her synagogue has informed his congregation that the Nazis are coming for them. Annemarie’s family takes in Ellen, and they pretend that she is their daughter who died a few years earlier. As events become more dire for Ellen’s family Annemarie’s family plans to smuggle the Rosen’s out of Denmark and into Sweden.

The Courage and bravery that Annemarie’s family displays in the book is amazing. The question I always ask myself about the Holocaust is would I have the fearlessness to help, or would I sit back and watch? “Number the Stars” puts this question front and center. The suspense in the book is real along with the menacing actions of the Germans.

This book is most definitely on the must-read list for my grandchildren. With the passage of time, I hope that the horrors of the Holocaust are not forgotten. One way to keep the next generation aware is through books like “Number the Stars”.
                                                                                    
Published In: 1989
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Age Level: 9 -11 Years
AR Level: 4.5
Pages: 160
Stars: 5
Awards: 1990 Newbery Medal Winner

Mister Max The Book of Lost Things by Cynthia Voigt 🟒🟒🟒🟒🟒

Max’s parents are actors who have been offer the job of a lifetime in India. Max and his parents live in England and when Max misses the boat that was to take them to India he is separated from them. As the days pass, he does not hear from his parents, and he is left to fend for himself. Max must find a way to support himself. After finding a runaway child in the neighborhood Max becomes a finder of lost things. He turns his newfound talent into a business and starts to earn money. While still trying to figure out what happened to his parents.

Max is a wonderful character who is full of courage and guts. He has all the appropriate response you would expect from a 13-year-old boy. The mystery around his parents’ disappearance and the way he tackles each job of finding lost things is engaging. I will be getting the series of Mister Max books for my grandchildren.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2013	Profanity: None
Publisher: Knopf	Violence: None
Age Level: 8-12 years	Sexual: None
AR Level: 5.8	Mature Themes: None
Pages: 367
Stars: 5

Sing Down the Moon by Scott O'Dell 🟌🟌🟌🟌🟌

"Sing Down the Moon” is a historical novel that highlights the atrocities enacted upon the Native Americans during the 1800’ s. Bright Morning a Navajo girl and her friend are captured by Spaniards while taking care of their sheep. They are taken to a Mexican town where they are sold to work as kitchen help. The resourceful and determined girl find a way to escape. With the help of her future husband, Bright Morning finds her way back to the tribe.

Soon after Bright Morning returns to the tribe another tragic event occurs, US soldiers destroy all the tribe’s crops and livestock. The US government is purposefully starving the Navajos in order to remove them from their land. Once the tribe surrenders, they start what is called the 300-mile “Long Walk” to Ft. Sumner. Bright Morning retells this event with a very real and harrowing narrative.

O’Dell’s writing style makes it easy to visualize the land the Navajos lived on but also understand their traditions and way of life. As you read each chapter you hope the Bright Morning finds a way to keep going. When I read a novel that has such life altering experiences for its characters, I wonder would I have been up the trials that she faced. This is a great introduction for young reader to learn about the Native American history and culture. Critics of the book claim that some of the historical facts are inaccurate but the book is Historical Fiction with the emphasizes on fiction. “Sing Down on the Moon” is a book I am putting on the list of must reads for my Grandchildren.

Fun Activity: American Indians have Pow Wows in major cities across the US. These are gatherings of First Nations tribes that showcase their music, crafts, culture and heritage. Try to find one in your area to attend.

Published In: 1970
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Age Level: 10+
AR Level: 4.9
Pages: 124
Stars: 5
Award: 1971 Newbery Honor Book