Books In the Middle Podcast

Send us a textThe Secret Life of Lincoln Jones by Wendelin Van DraanenCould life be any worse? Lincoln doesn't think so. I mean, how many kids have to go to their parents work after school? And how much worse that his mom works in a crazy home, or AKA – old folks home – or AKA a nursing home for dementia patients? Plus, Lincoln is having to deal with moving to a new school and a new apartment and having to deal with the school bus, which all pose their own problems.Even though Lincoln has a lot to deal with, he moves through life with a journal in his backpack and lots of stories in his head. If he can only stay out of the way of Troy (who makes his life a misery on the bus) and Kandy Kain (seriously that is her name – a girl who won't leave him alone at school) and various residents at Brookside Manor (one who periodically likes to take off her clothes!) he might be able to make it through the first months at school.Recommended for 6th grade and up. Support the show

Send us a textBetter than Revenge by Kasie WestFinley has been wanting to be a podcaster for her school since 7th grade. She is anxious and excited that the moment she has been waiting for has finally arrived. What she doesn't count on, is her boyfriend, Jensen, deciding he wants to try out for a spot too. And then, he gets it! While her world seems to be crashing down, he seems completely unfazed by it. So what is left, but revenge? The question is, what will hit him as hard as losing the podcasting position has hit her? Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Send us a textSpirit Sleuths by Gail JarrowDuring the middle of the 1800s in America, there came to be a belief that certain people had the ability to speak to the dead. They were called mediums and a whole religion sprang up around this idea. However, it turned out that everyone who claimed they could talk to the dead, when actually tested, could not. In fact, magicians could see right through all the tricks these mediums played. One famous magician, named Harry Houdini, made it part of his life's work to help expose these hoaxers and to save people from the grief they caused. Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Send us a textRunaway by Wendelin Van DraanenHolly is a runaway - from her latest foster placement. The guy gave her the creeps and they locked her in the laundry room at night, giving her very little food, so what was the point in staying? She's been homeless before with her mom, but she's never been on her own homeless. Still, she knows what it takes and she thinks she can handle it. But thinking about something and living it are two different things entirely, and as the days turn into weeks, Holly is forced to ask her self, what does the end look like? Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Send us a textBeastly Beauty by Jennifer DonnellyBeau is in a hurry to get back to his little brother. But first he has to escape the gang of thieves he has been with for many years. When the gangs latest heist goes south, they take refugee in a strange castle - it seems abandoned but has food out and plenty of things they can steal to sell. However, it also appears to have a beast prowling around and when all the men escape, except for Beau, he has to figure out what is going on in this strange castle and what is the deal with the girl at the center of it all named Arabella. Recommended for grades 8 and up. * the word bastard is used in this podcast. 

Send us a textBoy 2.0 by Tracey BaptisteCoal has just landed in another foster home. And he is upset because the last one with Tom, was a good one. Still, his "new" family seem welcoming enough, if a little loud. But when Coal goes out one afternoon to do a chalk drawing, he ends up running for his life - and it is those moment of terror that fundamentally change everything he thought he knew about himself, and send him on a journey to find out who he really is. Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Send us a textLifeboat 5 by Susan HoodLife has become unbearable for Bess in London, 1940. The Germans are bombing the city all the time, and she is scared. Plus she hates the girls at her school who have been bullying her. Maybe the way out is through the organization called Children's Overseas Reception Board. If only she and her younger brother, Louis, can get on board one of the ships that is sending children away from the war.  Luckily for her, she does! Where she meets a girl her age named Beth and they become true friends. And they will need each other when the worst happens at sea. Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Send us a textThis year has been a big one for me in terms of my library. I got a new one! Well, sort of. My library got a complete facelift and it does look totally new! And without doors, which, honestly, I'm not a fan of. I would like doors on the library. But alas, no doors look to be coming anytime soon. Regardless, I have new paint, a beautiful circulation desk, and lovely shelves. So while I can hear everything being said in the office, the hallways, and even the gym, the view is nice! :PThis is all in preparation for 6th grade students joining our school in 2026. I'm glad I've always made this podcast for 6, 7 and 8th grades, since it will work out wonderfully once we have the younger students with us. Hope everyone has a great Spring wherever you might be! 

Send us a textBye Forever, I Guess by Jodi MeadowsIngrid is in a bit of a crisis. She doesn't think she actually wants to be best friends with her best friend anymore. Or even just plain friends. Especially after Ingrid feels she has gone too far. But even though Ingrid likes to be invisible, she doesn't want to be lonely. Thankfully she has a good friend online, but when a new person enters her life in an unexpected way, she has to figure out just how to navigate being seen!Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Send us a textThis Book Kills by Ravena GuronJess is going to school at a posh English boarding school, with super rich kids. She is not one of them though and has never felt like she belongs. Luckily, her friend Clem took her under her wing right at the beginning when Jess first arrived, so at least she has one friend. But when Clem's boyfriend is found dead in the woods around the school, and Jess wrote a short story that basically laid out how the boyfriend was killed, things gets really serious, really fast. Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Send us a textSong of a Blackbird by Maria Van LieshoutAnnick knows her grandmother, her Oma, is very sick, and she's hoping that Oma's siblings will be a bone marrow match for her. But when the test results show something surprising, it leads Annick back to a dark time in her Oma's life. A time when the Nazis controlled her country of the Netherlands and how prints that have hung on the walls of Oma's home for years, just might be the way back to that time and solving the mystery of what happened to Oma's biological family.  Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Send us a textThe Peach Rebellion by Wendelin Van DraanenGinny Rose and Peggy were great friends as young girls, but then Ginny Roses' family moved away. So, years later when Ginny Rose appears, Peggy is ready to leap right back into their friendship. But now they are older, and things that didn't matter when they were little suddenly seem important now. Will their friendship survive? Recommended for grades 7 and and up. 

Send us a textThe Judgement of Yoyo Gold by Isaac BlumYoyo feels lost for the first time in her life. Up until now, she has known exactly who she is - the sister who keeps the house running and a daughter to the Rabbi in her community. Which can come with a lot of pressure, but she has always been able to handle it. She has never questioned why she does what she does, or the rules that her Jewish Orthodox community follows. Until her best friend Esti, is sent away for breaking some of those rules. And Yoyo begins to realize that even though Esti is not the only one who has broken rules, she seems to be the communities scapegoat. Yoyo decides she wants to call attention to the hypocrisy in her community, but how? Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Send us a textSigned Sealed Dead by Cynthia Murphy Paige and her parents have just moved into her dad's old hometown of Shorehaven. But everything is new for her and her mum, because Paige was born in England and so was her mum. The new house they move into though, has a past. A past that involves a dead girl, and Paige finds something that might help lead her to the girl's killer. Or get Paige killed in the process....Recommended for grades 8 and and up. 

Send us a textGhost Boys By Jewell Parker RhodesJerome has a tough time at school, mostly because of three boys who like to bully him on a daily basis. Still, he tries to put on a brave face for his parents and grandmother. But he has a plan for how to avoid them, most of the time. However, on this particular day, a new boy comes to school, named Carlos. Right away Jerome can tell, Carlos is going to be the bullies' next victim. So, Jerome lets Carlos in on one of Jerome's favorite hiding spots. It is in that hiding spot that something new happens. Jerome makes a friend. But later on that same day, Jerome is shot, and killed by the police. Jerome never leaves though, he haunts his old apartment, seeing his family grieve and change, hoping he will be able to leave, but still he stays. Until one day he sees a boy like him, only from a different time.Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Send us a textOffline by Donna CoonerAnnie is always on Social Media. She likes to document all aspects of her life. She enjoys getting the likes and the responses. And her boyfriend, Jameson, and she make such a cute couple, why wouldn't she want to document all their moments together?! But then a video comes out showing Jameson wanting to break up with Annie, and all those likes disappear. Annie wants to take a break from it all, but does she have the strength to actually go off of Social Media?Recommended for grade 7 and up. 

Send us a textDust by Dusti BowlingAvalyn feels like she is always fighting a battle, a battle with her own lungs. She has asthma. Really bad asthma. So, when she almost died at the age of two, her parents moved her to the town of Clear Canyon City in Arizona. A place where there were virtually no allergens, just the occasional dust storm. But things are changing, regarding those dust storms. Avalyn has noticed that ever since a new boy named Adam has moved to town, dust storms, BIG dust storms are happening....a lot! And it is getting to the point where Avalyn is struggling to breath!Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Send us a textUnfriended by Rachel VailTruly was excited that her old best friend, Natasha, had invited her to the Popular Table at lunch. Honestly, she thought that Natasha had completely forgotten about her. But what Truly doesn't realize is that as she leaves her current best friend, Hazel, behind, that things will not be the same after accepting that invitation. Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Send us a textAisle Nine by Ian X. ChoLife has not been great since portals directly from Hell opened up about 2 years ago. Most people have just accepted this is how life is now - you might get killed by a demon, but if you just try to avoid the portals, you should be okay. Still, the portals are like, everywhere, including some stores. Like the store where Jasper works. Jasper had an accident a few months ago and can't remember much that happened before then. He knows his parents were killed 2 years ago, when the portals first opened, but really, nothing else. When the portal that is in his store starts acting up, Jasper and a coworker find themselves at ground zero, and not in a good way. Recommended for grades 8 and up. *Some swear words in the podcast booktalk.

Send us a textJupiter Rising by Gary D. SchmidtJack and his family are set to adopt Jupiter, the son of a former foster child named Joseph that had tragically died a few years previous. Everyone loves Jupiter. But when their case manager comes to inform them that Jupiter's grandparents now have decided they indeed want custody, Jack's world begins to implode. He can't imagine a world without Jupiter. This is a sequel to Orbiting Jupiter, which should be read first. Recommended for grade 7 and up. 

Send us a textHello All!I hope you are able to have some time off, read some good books, and otherwise recharge your batteries if you work with students. If you are a student and are looking for some great books to read, hopefully you will find some in this podcast! Enjoy!Tasha Squires

Send us a textMy Salty Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows She was devastated! How could he NOT be in love with her? She saved his life, gave up her tail for him, and he wanted to marry someone else? Mary couldn't believe it was happening to her. And why hadn't she turned into sea foam. Any Mer person that had their heartbroken always did! Mary decides to throw herself overboard, but even then, no sea foam....and she doesn't drown either. In fact, she gets picked up by a ship, and it is a pirate ship. She has a choice - join, or walk the plank. Turns out, Mary is quite the pirate!Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Send us a textIt Happened to Anna by Tehlor Kay MejiaSadie is alone - or so it feels. She has her dad, but in terms of friends, she has none, and that is just how she wants it, sort of. Because the last good friend that she had was killed, and Sadie feels for sure it was her fault. Due to the jealous ghost that lives in Sadie and has since Sadie can remember. What Sadies doesn't know is why and if she will ever be able to be free from it to live her life. Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Send us a textTig by Heather SmithTig and her older brother, Peter, have been abandoned by their mother a few months prior to them being discovered living on their own. They are taken in by their mother's brother, their Uncle Scott and his partner, Manny. The problem is, everything is too perfect, for Tig anyway. After all, people can say they love you but leave you when you are not perfect. Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Send us a textInternment by Samira AhmedThe future is here and for Muslims, like Layla, things are not good in the United States. The president has made it very clear that Muslims are to blame for everything (sound familiar - think World War II and Jewish people) and many are losing their jobs and having their lives restricted. In fact, Layla's father, a professor at a university, has lost his job and people are now burning his books - and other muslim authors and books that the president and his followers don't think are appropriate for American society to have access to read.It is in this atmosphere that Layla and her family and others find themselves in. One night when her family is taken from their home - right as night has fallen - and ordered to leave, Layla can't believe this is happening to her, an American citizen, all because of her religious beliefs.Recommended for grades 8 and up. *the word "damn" is used in this podcast

Send us a textPlaces We've Never Been by Kasie WestNorah is super excited to be heading out on an RV trip with her mom, her older brother and her mom's good friend  along with her three kids. Especially since one of those kids is Skylar, her bestie from four years before - all through elementary and part of middle school. But in the years since, Norah and Skylar have lost touch, for the most part. Still, Norah is eager to begin just where they left off.However, when Skylar shows up, he doesn't appear to want to have anything to do with Norah, let alone resume their close friendship! Norah is confused and frustrated and not a little hurt. What happened to her fun friend that she could confide anything to? Has she really changed as much as Skylar seems to be implying?Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Viveca is ready! This is her year for it all to be done and great! She is a senior and on track to be the valedictorian of her class. She has a good friend, Wren, who helps Viveca through her anxiety and helps get her out of her comfort zone, but in a good way. So, all is on track to go to the college of her dreams - the one that her mom went to for one year until she had to come back home and take care of her dad. Viveca just needs to get into the college and everything will be as she has always dreamed it would be.Enter Jamison Sharpe, a transfer student into their prep high school and he is good lucking, popular right from the get go, and seems like he can do no wrong. AND he is gunning for Viveca's spot for valedictorian. Viveca is incensed! How can he come in and just take her spot with his perfect everything???? It isn't fair!Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Warrior on the Mound By Sandra W. HeadenCato loves baseball and plans to follow in his father and big brother's footsteps to become a professional pitcher in the Negro League....just as soon as he can convince his grandfather he is old enough to head out. But there are secrets surrounding his father's death that no one wants to reveal to Cato. And when he and his teammates trespass onto a whites only ball field, some of those secrets come to light. Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Star Splitter By Matthew J. KirbyThe year is 2199 and people can visit deep space, because teleportation is  possible. Jessica is going to be with her parents for a year on a planet that has been designated Carver 1061c, to examine it for possible habitation by humans. But she isn't happy about it. She wants to stay on Earth, with her grandparents and her friends. Still, she doesn't appear to have a choice. When she wakes up though, it isn't on the ship, orbiting the planet, but it is on the planet in a lander that has crashed. And she isn't alone. Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

It Found Us by Lindsay CurrieIt started out as a harmless game of hide and seek in the local graveyard, but Hazel and her brother, Den, realize quickly, there is nothing normal about the graveyard, or maybe who is buried there. When Den's best friend disappears during the game, the race is on to figure out where he is and if they can get him back!Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey LeeWhen Jo loses her job, unexpectedly, at the milliner's hat shop, she isn't sure what she will do next for employment. After all, she and Old Gin need her wages to help them keep them going. Luckily, they don't have to worry about where they live, since they have been squatting in the basement of a printing shop for all of Jo's life. The owners of the print shop have no idea that Jo and Old Gin have been there for years, but when she hears the owners might have to move, she worries that means the end of their free living space.  Jo gets an idea for how she can help the owners of the shop stay in business - by becoming an advice columnist for their paper! Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz ArangoThis is it! A new school year full of new opportunities - like making good grades again, and maybe making some new friends even though she has a great one in her friend Amir, and this year, she will not get into any trouble at school. Well, these are all goals that Iveliz has for herself as she starts seventh grade, but having them come true is a bit harder than she ever imagined. She is struggling with the fact that her grandmother has come to live with them from Puerto Rico (PR)  and she is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, which Iveliz doesn't really know much about. And while she loves her grandmother, she doesn't understand why her Mimi keeps saying that the medicine that Iveliz takes is not necessary.Things begin to spiral at home and at school, and Iveliz thinks she can manage it all on her own, especially since she is not very close with her mother, after the incident, which is the whole reason she is having mental health issues. So where do you turn when every door seems to be closed?Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Impossible Escape by Steve SheinkinFor Rudi, escape was all he thought about. Escape and getting information about what was actually happening in the concentration camps in Europe out to the world. After all, how could people really know just how awful things were in Poland and some of the other countries where the Nazis had established these killing centers. For Greta, it was all about trying to stay out of the concentration camps, and avoid being rounded up. For both Rudi and Greta, time is running out. Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

The Canyon's Edge by Dusti BowlingWhen Nora and her father set out on a hike to a canyon they have never visited before, Nora is hopeful. After all, this year has been awful. First, to lose her mom on her birthday to a shooter has been horrific, but then to see her father change from a confident outgoing person, to someone afraid of everything, has been incredibly hard. The fact that he has removed himself from the world is bad, but he wants to remove Nora from it as well and so when she asks if she can start going back to school again, she is met with her father shutting that idea down fast.But just as fast as that conversation is over, something neither of them thought was possible or had considered happens. A flash flood...and they are in a slot canyon with high sides and no way to outrun the water!Recommended for grades 6th and up. 

In the Same Boat by Holly GreenIt is redemption time, at least that is how Sadie feels after wanting to quit the Texas River Odyssey with her dad last year. They didn't quit, but they did have to pull out after Sadie was injured during the race.  She figures that she will do better this year since she is teaming up with her older brother, Tanner, because her dad has decided that last year would be his final year of racing. Sadie is determined to do well this year, but when Tanner bails on her at the last minute, she is left without a partner - since she can't run the race solo at her age. Much to her surprise, and old friend turned enemy, named Cully, volunteers to be her partner. She can't figure out why after all these years Cully is willing to step up and work with her, but she badly wants to run the race and be successful. But can she trust the boy she once thought was her everything, after all so long?Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Once in a Blue Moon by Sharon FlakeOne night, James Henry and his mom were at the lighthouse and then something happened that made James Henry scared. Very scared. So scared that he doesn't like to leave the house because who knows what could happen to him and to other people too. He used to have no problem being outside, but now everything feels too much, including school. Luckily, his twin sister Hattie is there to help him along.But when a new girl moves to town and starts taking Hattie away from the house, James Henry feels like his one main supporter is leaving him. Hattie is convinced that a blue moon that will be coming up soon makes anything possible. If she can only get James Henry to the lighthouse the night of the blue moon, he will be fine again. However, as with any plan, things always go wrong!Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Lumara by Melissa LandersIt was supposed to be a fun trip to meet her boyfriend, Nathaniel's parents and family. After all, it was a wedding, the first one that Talia had ever been to. And she was super surprised that her dad agreed to let her go during her Fall break, since he only got to see her during her breaks from boarding school. Maybe she should have known something was up by how easily he agreed to let her go. But even she could never have imagined what was to come. Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Busted by Gina CioccaWhen Marisa catches her best friend's boyfriend cheating on her, she has to tell her. But what she doesn't expect is that others will start to think she should help them as well! It seems crazy to Marisa, but then she gets caught up in helping an old friend of hers figure out what is going on with HER boyfriend, and things start to get out of control!Recommended for mature 8th graders due to content and language. 

The Lost Year by Katherine MarshMatthew is stuck at home during Covid, just like the rest of the world. Still, it isn't too bad, except that his parents are divorced and his dad took a job assignment right before Covid hit...in Paris! So now his dad is stuck there and Matthew is stuck with his mom and his GG - his great grandmother who is 100 years old. So not a lot of excitement happening around his place.Until his mom tells him he needs to help his GG clean out the boxes that are still packed along the side of her bedroom wall from when she came from the nursing home. When he shows his GG a picture of her from when she was young, she gets very upset. It turns out that his GG went through something horrible as a child and it is up to Matthew to see if he can get the story, the true story, of what life was like in Ukraine in the 1930s from her.Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

The Island by Natasha PrestonPaisley thinks this is it! Her big break! She has been invited along with five other teenage influencers to come to an island amusement park created by a billionaire to drum up business before it does its official launch to the public. And this isn't your regular park. No, this is an exclusive resort that caters to rich people and is not designed for little kids. It has a dark, gothic theme to it, which is perfect for Paisley, since she does true crime podcasts. The others do a wide range, from make up to video games. Still they all have in common the fact that they have a large following, and it is about to get bigger with this invite.At first, it is everything Paisley and her fellow influencers could wish for. The resort is amazing, the staff - although limited in number - helpful, and Paisley finds herself surrounded by attractive guys that she has her pick of crushing on! But very quickly, something feels off. Is it the resort owner, Malcolm, who is reserved and a bit dismissive of his guests? Or his assistant, Camilla, who seems to be a shadow but always there? Before long, things go terribly, terribly wrong. And Paisley and her fellow influencers are stuck on an island with a killer on the loose.Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Shot Clock by Caron Butler and Justin A. ReynoldsTony, or Tone as most people call him, is in shock. Shock that his best friend has been shot and killed by police. And for no reason. Wrong time, wrong place, or so it seems. Because Dante had it all going for him. He was great at school with a 4.0, an amazing basketball player who was nationally ranked and already had his college picked out, even though he was only a sophomore in high school. So, why? And how is Tone or anyone else supposed to know how to move on? After all, you are told if you do everything right, you will be able to come out on top. But now Tone knows that isn't true.Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Agent Most Wanted by Sonia PurnellVirginia Hall never wanted a simple or traditional life for herself, even if that was what her mother wanted.The life of a society wife moving in high circles in Baltimore and even better if she married into money was her mother's fondest hope! But Virginia's father was always supportive of her doing what she wanted - including riding horses bareback and going hunting. So when it was time to head off to college or get married, you can guess which way Virginia decided to go. But at first, college didn't really help her adventurous spirit. It wasn't until she went to Paris to study abroad that she realized how much she loved being in France.Virginia was in Europe when things were starting to really go south in terms of the dictators who were coming to power, including Hitler. She was able to see all the politics and thought she could be helpful in the foreign office, perhaps working somehow for the state department. However, right away it became obvious that as much as she wanted to help her country, that they didn't really see the benefit of a woman working for them, other than as a secretary. Virginia became disillusioned after several posts of just doing clerical work when she knew she could do so much more.Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Snowglobe by Soyoung ParkIn the new world, after catastrophic climate change and the Warring Age, you either live in Snowglobe, or want to live in Snowglobe. After all, who really wants to live outside of the warm dome of Snowglobe, where the weather is climate controlled and there are luxuries that others can only dream about. Ever since she was little, Jeon Chobahm has wanted to be a director. After all, there are only two ways to enter into Snowglobe. Either as a director, or as an actor. Because, everyone in Snowglobe is having their lives recorded are they are either part of a show or helping to direct that show. All of Snowglobe is a reality television show for the rest of the world to watch as they sit in their small, cold houses or work to make electricity for Snowglobe.But one night, when she and her brother are coming home from working at the local power plant, Chobahm comes across a former actor in dire straights. No one can survive in the cold, and so she makes the decision to try to save the woman. Little does Chobahm know that her life is about to change in strange ways she can not even imagine.Recommended for grades 8 and up.* the word "damn" is used in this podcast.

The Wager: A tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David GrannThis is an adult nonfiction book, but for students who love a good real life adventure story, this is it! Follow the main characters in this real drama on what ship life was like during the late 1700s, chasing ships carrying gold, being away from families for years and even having to deal with that mystery that turns out to be a lack of vitamin C! Fascinating look at a real shipwreck and the amazing story of those who actually survived!Recommended for 8th grade and up simply due to length and complexity of the story. 

The Secret Battle of Evan Pao by Wendy Wan-Long ShangEvan, his sister and his mother are all traveling across the country to run away from something that Evan's dad did. Something that the people back home are super upset about, and so are Evan and his family. But the new place they move to, isn't exactly like their old place. Here, Evan is the only Chinese American in his school and he is just trying to get along with everyone. Unfortunately, there is one boy at his school who seemed determined to make a big deal about Evan, and not in a good way. Sometimes though, it takes getting to really know a person before you know what is a big deal and what isn't. Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Royal Blood by Aimee CarterSo it turns out that Evan is actually of royal blood. As in, she is the child of the reigning King of England. But she is a secret child, because he father had an affair. Yikes. How can you be a secret royal? Well, Evan finds out it is really hard to be one, especially once it comes out! And then someone dies and things start to get really messy!Recommended for grades 8 and up. * The word "hell" is read in this podcast. 

Heroes by Alan GratzFrank worries constantly about all the bad things that could happen to him. To is family, to his friends, and everywhere he looks he sees potential disaster just waiting to happen. Until a real disaster does happen. Frank and his best friend, Stanley, find themselves in the middle of the attack on Pearl Harbor and Frank is left wondering if he can ever step up and do the right thing when it counts the most. Recommended for grades 7 and up. 

Girl Forgotten by April HenryIt all started out as a new podcast on an old unsolved mystery involving a girl who was murdered. But what Piper doesn't realize is that by digging into the past, some people in the present take notice and don't like where her digging might lead. Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

This Golden State by Marit WeisenbergPoppy and her family are on the run, from something, or someone? Maybe the police? Poppy honestly doesn't know. She's never known. All she does know is she and her family have been running since, well, forever. Her whole life at least. So when they pack up and leave again, while it isn't great, she isn't surprised. Just surprised that she keeps making the mistake of thinking her life could be a bit normal, if just for long enough to graduate from high school. But this latest move, things are different. Her mom especially seems different. The house is different and Poppy realizes that if she is going to get answers, she is going to have to start looking more closely than she has ever done before. Recommended for 8th grade and up due to some mature content. 

Six of Crows by Leigh BardugoWelcome to the world of the Grisha, where magical powers are real, everyday occurrences, even if some people don't think they should be! Inej is part of the Dreggs, which is a gang that runs part of Ketterdam, but not all of it, since a bunch of other groups are vying for it as well. Still when Kaz - the second in command of the Dreggs, for lack of a better term, gets the opportunity to pull off the heist of a lifetime, with just as great a reward, he can't say no. And neither can some of his most trusted members. But it is a job that could very well get them all killed. Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea SedotiFive teens went into the woods for an overnight camping experience. But it turns out, one of them has an agenda that hasn't been shared. The night ends in terror for all of them, and a possible death for one of them. As the four who make it out of the woods begin to tell their story to law enforcement, some of what they say matches, and some of it takes a turn.Recommended for 8th grade and up.