#middle grade contemporary book

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Obie Is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar

goodreads

Obie knew his transition would have ripple effects. He has to leave his swim coach, his pool, and his best friends. But it's time for Obie to find where he truly belongs. As Obie dives into a new team, though, things are strange. Obie always felt at home in the water, but now he can't get his old coach out of his head. Even worse are the bullies that wait in the locker room and on the pool deck. Luckily, Obie has family behind him. And maybe some new friends too, including Charlie, his first crush. Obie is ready to prove he can be one of the fastest boys in the water--to his coach, his critics, and his biggest competition: himself.

Mod opinion: I haven't heard of this book before, but it sounds like it could be interesting to a young audience.

[lgbtqreads]

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy

Today on the site, I’m delighted to welcome Taylor Tracy to reveal the cover of their debut Middle Grade fabulist novel in verse, Murray Out of Water, releasing from Quill Tree/HarperCollins on May 21, 2024! Here’s the story: Twelve-year-old Murray O’Shea loves the ocean. It could be because it never asks her to be someone she’s not, something her mother refuses to do. But Murray also shares a…

[haveyoureadthispoll]

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Wonder, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others.

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

It has been a while since I've read a powerful, moving children's novel and I knew that Louder Than Hunger would scratch that itch. I would say that it firmly straddles the line between middle-grade and YA, as the protagonist is a young teen but the main subject matter (anorexia) is dark and it doesn't shy away from the graphic reality of that. It's probably best suited to readers aged 13+ and every reader should proceed with caution.

Jake loves books, musical theatre and spending time with his grandma. He hates food, mirrors and feeling enormous. He is desperate to avoid attention, so he tries his best to be as small as he possibly can be and not eating seems to be the only way to do that. How long can he possibly keep it up before he disappears?

Jake is haunted by the malevolent voice of his eating disorder, which consistently interrupts his thoughts, seemingly whenever he is otherwise having a good time. It's such an honest, accurate representation of how an eating disorder operates and makes for devastating reading that had me on edge the whole way.

Many readers will agree that there is nothing better than the smell of new books but Jake almost treats inhaling the scent as eating or consuming. This reversal of something that is so often considered to be harmless and calming was quite disturbing and just one of many examples of the damage within the mind of someone with an eating disorder.

I have never been diagnosed with an eating disorder but I definitely have an unhealthy relationship with food. I read every nutritional label, I count calories and I try my best to keep within my 'allowance'. I don't get physical symptoms when I fail to do these things but I think it does affect my mood. It's exhausting and difficult, so I can only imagine how hard it must be when it consumes your whole life.

Jake's description of how it feels when he eats and thinks about the food inside his body could only come from someone who has definitely had these thoughts before. It's so graphic and it actually made me feel queasy. I will actually go as far as to say that it caused me to be disgusted by eggs and cereal and other foods that I loved, so I would again urge precaution before encouraging young readers with disordered eating to read this book.

I think the saddest part of the book was that Jake is a strong empath and he is well aware of the worry that he is causing his family. Despite this, it's not enough for him to silence the voice, which is literally louder than his very natural hunger. He wants to eat but his mind simply won't allow him to. I think one of the book's strongest merits is the way it illustrates eating disorders as existing in the mind rather than the body. Many sufferers really want to eat and get better but their illness is just too fierce and controlling.

Louder Than Hunger is a thought-provoking, emotional read. I think I wanted Jake to build more on his friendships and for there to be a bit more of a plot. However, I have since learned that this is based on the author's own experience, which makes sense because it does read like a memoir in places. I'm really glad I read it because it's an important topic that young readers should be aware of and it's an accurate portrayal. It's authentic and hopeful but really quite raw, so take care of yourself while reading!

[sapphicbookoftheday]

The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan

Today's sapphic book of the day is The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan!

Summary: "Stevie is eleven and loves reading and sea-creatures. She lives with her mum, and she's been best friends with Andrew since forever. Stevie's mum teases her that someday they'll get married, but Stevie knows that won't ever happen. There's a girl at school that she likes more. A lot more. Actually, she's a bit confused about how much she likes her. It's nothing like the way she likes Andrew. It makes her fizz inside. That's a new feeling, one she doesn't understand. Stevie needs to find out if girls can like girls - love them, even - but it's hard to get any information, and she's too shy to ask out loud about it. But maybe she can find an answer in a book. With the help of a librarian, Stevie finds stories of girls loving girls, and builds up her courage to share the truth with her mum. Written in accessible verse 'chapters' and in a warm and reassuring style, The Deepest Breath will be of special relevance to young girls who are starting to realise that they are attracted to other girls, but it is also a story for any young reader with an open mind who wants to understand how people's emotions affect their lives."

[caribeandthebooks]

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult Fiction

Setting: USA (New York)

Description: August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face…Read more on Goodreads/Storygraph

Content Warning information can be found via the above Storygraph link.

[thedisabilitybookarchive]

'Out of My Mind'- Draper, Sharon M.

Disability Rep: Cerebral Palsy, Wheelchair User, AAC User, Non-Verbal

Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Age: Middle-Grade, Young Adult

Setting: USA

Additional Rep: N/A

For more information on summaries, content warnings and additional tropes, see here:

[bookaddict24-7]

RECO OF THE WEEK!

Starfish by Lisa Fipps

Synopsis:

“Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this debut novel-in-verse. Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules–like “no making waves,” “avoid eating in public,” and “don’t move so fast that your body jiggles.” 

And she’s found her safe space–her swimming pool–where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world.

In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet. 

Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life–by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.”

___

Add this book to your TBR on Goodreads here.

Check out my review here.

___

Have you read this book? Would you recommend it?

___

Happy reading!

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass

goodreads

Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning US Juvenile figure skating champion, is not a frilly dress kind of kid. So, when Ana learns that next season's program will be princess themed, doubt forms fast. Still, Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success.Once Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, thoughts about the princess program and gender identity begin to take center stage. And when Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy, Ana doesn't correct him and finds comfort in this boyish identity when he's around. As their friendship develops, Ana realizes that it's tricky juggling two different identities on one slippery sheet of ice. And with a major competition approaching, Ana must decide whether telling everyone the truth is worth risking years of hard work and sacrifice.

Mod opinion: I haven't read this book, but it sounds like it could be really cute and something younger me would have enjoyed a lot.

[lifeofafemalebibliophile]

Book Review: "The Shape of Lost Things" by Sarah Everett

“The Shape of Lost Things” by Sarah Everett (2024) Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary Fiction Page Length: 273 pages (hardcover edition) Synopsis: Skye Nickson’s world changed forever when her dad went on the run with her brother, Finn. It’s been four years without Finn’s jokes, four years without her father’s old soul music, and four years of Skye filling in as Rent-a-Finn on his MIA…

[rosepetals1984]

Review: Jaden Powers and the Inheritance Magic by Jamar J. Perry

Initial reaction: I’m steadily picking up more recommendations for reads in MG. This was a nice, full adventure of a boy named Jaden who embarks on a journey to find his missing best friend Elijah. I appreciated being able to see Jaden’s journey at a mysterious magic school, navigating power that is new to him and looking into whether or not the rumors of his best friend’s disappearance and…

[chantireviews]

The 2023 CIBAs Grand Prize Winners for Fiction!

A Huge Congratulations to all of the 2023 Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards (CIBAs) FICTION Division Grand Prize Winners! Every tier of the CIBAs is an important one, though few rise to be one of the coveted Division Grand Prize Winners. We will link to the Non-Fiction, Series, Shorts, and Overall Grand Prize lists after they post! This post has links to each of the 16 individual CIBA FICTION…

[theobviousparadox]

22 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Spring 2024

22 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Spring 2024 How are there so many great books coming out in just three months? It’s wild. I love it, but I wish I had time to read them all. Since I’m so late getting this posted, I’ve read a few of these already, and they’ve been excellent! I can’t wait to read the rest of them. The list includes a mix of contemporary and fantasy novels, graphic…

[sapphicbookoftheday]

Candidly Cline by Kathryn Ormsbee

Today's sapphic book of the day is Candidly Cline by Kathryn Ormsbee!

Summary: "A must-read for fans of Julie Murphy and Ashley Herring Blake, this queer coming-of-age story from critically acclaimed author Kathryn Ormsbee sings with heart, warmth, and hope.

Born in Paris, Kentucky, and raised on her gram’s favorite country music, Cline Alden is a girl with big dreams and a heart full of song. When she finds out about a young musicians’ workshop a few towns over, Cline sweet-talks, saves, and maybe fibs her way into her first step toward musical stardom.

But her big dreams never prepared her for the butterflies she feels surrounded by so many other talented kids—especially Sylvie, who gives Cline the type of butterflies she’s only ever heard about in love songs.

As she learns to make music of her own, Cline begins to realize how much of herself she’s been holding back. But now, there’s a new song taking shape in her heart—if only she can find her voice and sing it."

[sams-special-space]

2023 Reads: The Ship We Built by Lexie Bean

Genre: Fiction: Contemporary Age level: Middle grade Format: Novel

Summary: Rowan, a young trans boy who knows who he is but doesn't know who to tell, writes letters to help him feel less lonely. The book follows each letter he writes before sending them off via balloon in the hopes that someone will hear him.

Thoughts: This is one of those books that sticks to you like glue. I think this is probably one of my favorite middle grade books I've ever read- it's touchingly heartfelt, and captures the voice of a scared trans kid so well that it made me cry lmao!! As a transmasc, I'm always looking for more transmasc rep, and this one especially touched me. I really do recommend it!

I do, however, wonder if this is the type of book that would connect with the middle grade audience. I very much enjoyed it, but it was one of those things where I couldn't really imagine my younger siblings reading. I guess this isn't the biggest problem in the world, but it does make me wonder who the audience is. I'd be willing to go out on a branch and say it's more for trans young adults and older? But I don't know! I'd be eager to hear anyone's thoughts on this :0

But it is lovely! 100% this will be going on my favorites list at the end of the year.

My rating: 5/5 Trigger warnings: Child abuse, CSA, a Black child experiencing the incarceration of a parent, transphobia, homophobia, suicidal thoughts / ideation, vague portrayal of conversion therapy.  Representation: Trans boy + queer MC, selectively mute MC(?), Black SC.

[booksteacupandreviews]

Simi Stands Tall by Arti Sonthalia - middle-grade fiction about dealing with change

Simi Stands Tall is lovely, heartwarming, and realistic middle-grade fiction about dealing with change in life and facing it with courage that all kids can relate to. Simi Stands Tall by Arti Sonthalia Publication Date : June 26, 2023 Publisher : Puffin Read Date : June 30, 2023 Genre : Middle Grade (8+) Pages : 118 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5. Disclaimer – Many thanks to the publisher for…