A coming-of-age novel follows Modern Orthodox Milla and her best friend Honey (both white) as they prepare for their bat mitzvahs and navigate the ups and downs of a school year.
Middle Grade Fiction
A Rover’s Story
Mars rover Resilience (“Res”) is being built and tested primarily by NASA scientists Xander and Rania. Res’s understanding of the world is limited to the details in his coding and his observations of the humans around him.
Squire
When Bayt-Sajji leaders announce that young people ages 12-17 from any background are now eligible to become a squire, Aiza seizes the opportunity.
We Are Wolves
Wolfskinder, German children left to survive in East Prussia after World War II, are the lesser-known subject of this moving historical novel.
The Last Mapmaker
In a society where status comes from how far back one can trace the generations of their family, Sai has only a father who’s a thief.
The Turtle of Michigan
In this kindhearted, stand-alone companion to The Turtle of Oman, eight-year-old Aref moves from Oman to Ann Arbor, Michigan, so his parents can attend graduate school. The start of their three-year stay is buoyed by welcoming new neighbors and a summer art class that helps ease Aref’s transition.
A Song Called Home
Lou and older sister Casey’s mom is about to marry Steve, an unwelcome change that means they’ll be moving from San Francisco to the suburbs, enrolling in new schools, and living far from friends.
Caprice
Twelve-year-old Caprice, Black, is back in Newark after attending a summer program at Ainsley International School in upstate New York.
Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone
Jennifer Chan (Chinese American) is obsessed with extraterrestrial life, a fascination she shared with her late dad. Biracial (Korean/white) Mallory Moss, always worried about fitting in, may not believe in aliens from other worlds but admires her new neighbor Jennifer’s ability to be herself even as she distances herself from Jennifer once the school year begins.
The View from the Very Best House in Town
Sam, white, and Asha, Indian American, both autistic, are best friends until Sam is accepted to Castleton Academy for seventh grade. At Castleton, Sam is bullied until popular girl Prestyn takes a sudden interest in him.