My to-be-read pile grows daily as I discover interesting new books. This fall I’ve found some really great middle grade reads that I’m happy to share below:
A Good Kind of Trouble – by Lisa Moore Ramee -The cute girl with the bun and pearl earrings on the cover of this book had me thinking it would be a light read, and boy was I surprised. Look closer and you’ll notice her black armband and the black power fist on her girlish pink backpack, which gives you a better idea of the themes of this Black Lives Matter movement book for the middle school set. Twelve-year-old Shayla avoids trouble at all costs, preferring to spend time doing well in school, hanging with her Asian and Latinx best friends, and trying to get the attention of her crush. The shocking aftermath of a police shooting in her Los Angeles community forces her to take a stand for what’s right, while also settling into her own identity as a black young woman, and in the process she learns that sometimes getting into little bit of trouble can be a good thing.
Up for Air by Laurie Morrison – Middle schooler Annabelle feels most at home underwater, where she breaks swim team records and is placed on a summer team with high school students. Outside the pool, things aren’t so easy. Annabelle struggles to do the work at her private school, even though she gets extra time, and never feels like she fits in with her high achieving mother and stepdad. When an older boy starts giving her special attention at swim practice she is flattered and risks her parent’s trust, her friendships, and her place on the team to impress him, and in the end, moves closer toward self acceptance. I really enjoyed this sweet and relatable story and look forward to more books by this author.
Â
Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams – I had to stop reading a few times before I finished this book because some of the issues are really heavy, but it’s a story that will stay with me for years to come. Genesis and her family are being put out of yet another home, and they start a new life in a beautiful house that her alcoholic and gambling addicted father finds for them in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Things will be different this time, he promises, and Genesis “begins again” to make friends and start a new life with hopes that this time, the dream will come true. After she finds some true friends, joins the choir and gains the courage to sign up to sing in the school talent show, Genesis finds an eviction notice on the door that hints that her father may not have gotten the job promotion he claimed to have after all. Self acceptance is a big theme of this book, and Genesis actually keeps a list of the reasons she hates herself, many of them stemming from her dark skin and African American features. The scenes where she tries to alter her skin and finds out her grandma and father’s views of her appearance are heartbreaking, but there is a strong message of hope and forgiveness in the end.Â
Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the Amazon Best Selling, Readers’ Favorite “Five Star†rated Sophie Washington children’s book series, geared toward readers ages 8-12 and is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
www.tonyaduncanellis.com
Like Us on Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks
Follow Us on Twitter: @TonyaDEllis