Top Picks From My YA Deep Dive

This spring I embarked on a super fun and rewarding project for a course in my Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program: building a 40-item YA materials collection. The 40 items were mostly books (of course) but also included teen-focused TV shows, video games, music, and magazines. All of the materials are recently published or released, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the titles mentioned here as an adult, so don’t let the “young adult” designation scare you off. Why not give YA a try?

You can browse the entire collection on my project blog, the YA Book Loft, but I thought it would be fun to pick out a few top picks to highlight as well. Of course this turned out to be much harder than I thought it would be, and I wound up choosing a dozen titles instead of a top 10 (sorry/not sorry). Here we go!

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas - In this prequel to The Hate U Give, Maverick Carter is a 17-year-old growing up in Garden Heights. Mav has been dealing for the King Lords, using the money he makes to help out his mom. But when he finds out he’s a dad, he has a chance to go straight and decides to take it. But walking away always comes with a price.

The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre by Robin Talley - Melody McIntyre is not allowed to fall in love — not since the last time, when her girlfriend broke up with her on opening night of the school play on a live mic. But it’s cool, Melody is a calm and collected stage manager and she is going to make the spring production of Les Mis the best ever. As long as she doesn’t get distracted by senior (and rising star) Odile Rose.This #OwnVoices romantic comedy is perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli.

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha - Chuna’s mom told her they were only going to America for a vacation — but actually, they were moving to Alabama and Chuna didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her friends in Seoul. Now she has to navigate a new country with a massive language barrier — but when she signs up for a comics class, Chuna may finally be starting to carve out a place where she feels at home.

Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders - Tina Mains has grown up on Earth like a normal kid. Thing is, she’s not normal: in fact, she’s actually the secret clone of legendary Captain of the intergalactic Royal Fleet, Thaoh Argentian, disguised as a human. And the rescue beacon implanted in her chest is going to be going off anytime now, which means all kinds of aliens will be descending on Earth to try to kill her. But instead of becoming the beloved hero everyone is expecting, Tina is still just Tina, and now she’s on a spaceship in the middle of an intergalactic war.

Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram - Darius loves Star Trek, tea, and The Lord of the Rings. What he does not love? Getting bullied for his excess weight (thanks a lot, depression meds) and Persian heritage. But when he visits his grandparents in Iran for the first time — and meets his first best friend, Sohrab — the world begins to open up.

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee - When racist sentiments about Japanese Americans surge after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a group of 14 teens from San Francisco’s Japantown are forced to move into internment camps. Based on real experiences of Japanese American citizens during World War II, We Are Not Free is a powerful historical novel that reads like a set of interlocking short stories.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland - During the Civil War, when dead bodies on the battlefield begin to rise up, attacking soldiers on both sides, the North and South must work together to quell a zombie apocalypse. Now, Black teens like Jane McKeene are forced into combat schools where they are trained to fight the undead. Jane, who has learned to be lethal with a scythe at Miss Preston’s School for Combat, is approached by an old friend who desperately needs her help. Their search for a missing girl leads Jane to uncover a sinister conspiracy involving Baltimore’s powerful elite, and a remote colony called Summerland, where the too-perfect exterior is hiding a very dark secret — and it’s looking less and less likely that Jane will make it out alive.

Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moscowitz - She has rheumatoid arthritis, he has Gaucher disease: on their first not-a-date at his place she ends up taking a bath to soothe her sore joints while he takes a nap. If you’re in the mood for a swoony, starry-eyed romance…this is not it. But if you are so tired of all of the tropes and appreciate realistic characters and chronic illness representation, this could be perfect for you. And spoiler alert: they don’t die in this one.

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam - At just sixteen years old, Amal’s life is changed forever when he is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit — but even when imprisoned and beaten, Amal’s creative spirit refuses to be crushed. This powerful novel in verse is perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Nic Stone.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley - Firekeeper’s Daughter is an indigenous #OwnVoices thriller soon to be adapted for Netflix by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground. The story follows 18-year-old Daunis Fontaine, who after witnessing a murder, finds herself in the middle of an FBI investigation that threatens to upend her Ojibwe community.

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado - Charlie just wants to write, learn to love her body the way it is, and (maybe) date that cute boy from art class. But it’s not easy to be fat and happy when your mom keeps pushing weight-loss schemes, and that cute boy might actually be after your BFF.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo - San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 1950s is not a safe place for two girls falling in love. There is somewhere they don’t have to hide — it’s called The Telegraph Club. But if Lily Hu is ever seen there, she could lose everything.

The Late Bloomers' Club

Vermont diner owner Nora appears to be living a dreamy life, serving up delicious pancakes in an adored community cornerstone and snapping artsy food photos on the side. And it is a good life, but it’s not necessarily the one Nora would have chosen for herself. After experiencing multiple catastrophes early in life, the protagonist of Louise Miller’s The Late Bloomers’ Club had to become the Responsible One in the family — or as her little sister Kit puts it, “Saint Nora”.

Of course Nora doesn’t feel like a saint. She feels burdened and tired after decades of looking after everyone else. When a beloved local woman dies unexpectedly and (even more unexpectedly) leaves Nora and her sister Kit joint ownership of her estate, complications quickly begin to multiply. Who really was Peggy “the Cake Lady” Johnson? Why are there sculptures hidden on her property? And where is her poor dog, Freckles? In a storyline with echoes of You’ve Got Mail, Nora and her sister must decide whether to sell the land they have inherited to a (handsome, sweet) developer who will raze the forest and put up a big box store — or keep it, and face potentially devastating financial consequences.

Miller’s portrayal of the fraught relationship between hyper-responsible Nora and her selfish kid sister could have been painted with more subtlety, though Nora’s midlife reawakening (which is satisfying to watch unfold) is helped along by the foil of her flighty, creative sibling. Another relationship that is kept mostly in the background in this novel was so interesting I found myself wishing Miller would devote more pages to their story. And while the wrapped-with-a-bow ending may not be realistic, hard-nosed realism is not the reason to read The Late Bloomers’ Club: pick this up when you need reassurance that good exists in the world.

This sweet, comforting read is perfect for curling up with on a blustery day. I put it down feeling warmer towards my fellow humans — and craving hot coffee and burnt sugar cake with maple icing (don’t worry, there’s a recipe in the back). Ideal for fans of Jenny Colgan and Gilmore Girls.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold

⭐️ In a century-old cafe in Tokyo, customers who sit in a special seat (and follow all of the rules) can travel back in time. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is Japanese playwright Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s first work translated into English, and like the strong coffee served to the time traveling patrons of the cafe, this slim novel packs a big punch. Subverting the typical time travel narrative in which a protagonist goes back in time in order to change a key event, the travelers in Kawaguchi’s story are circumscribed by a strict set of rules: the first being no matter what happens, you cannot change the present. Another rule? You must return to the present before the coffee gets cold. These and other rules and rituals surrounding time travel call to mind the formality of a Japanese tea ceremony, with the cafe itself, old and plain, yet kept meticulously clean, echoing the imperfect wabi-sabi beauty of an ancient tea house.

Although (or perhaps because) we never leave the cafe — a setting that would feel right at home on the stage of a small theater — the emotional connections between the cafe regulars and staff become more resonant; each small interaction imbued with meaning. Kawaguchi delicately weaves together the stories of this small cast of characters in a rhythm dictated by the distinctive clang-dong of a bell ringing on the cafe door. By the time we reach the final tale, we are fully invested.

As in many well done time travel stories, the experience of time travel illuminates something about our experience as humans in the here and now. As the characters face their own regrets and fears, we can’t help but ask the same questions of ourselves: Who would you want to meet? What would you say if you had the courage to tell the truth? What makes a good life?

“Before the Coffee Gets Cold” begs to be read quickly, in just a few greedy gulps. I was left wanting more in the most delicious way, like finishing an extremely satisfying meal (perhaps one specially prepared for you by the cafe chef, Nagare?) at just the right time for your stomach, though your mind is shouting for you to taste just one more bite.

The audiobook is narrated beautifully by Arina Li, and listening to this story on my daily walks was a fulfilling way to begin the new year. Highly recommend.

2021 Deep-Dive Reading Challenge

For the past several years, I’ve enjoyed picking a reading challenge to participate in — it can be a great way to bring a little excitement into your reading life, and stay motivated and engaged with a community of readers.

But as was the case for so many others, 2020 pretty much broke my reading.

I hopped from one shiny new book to another, always looking for something (anything!) capable of pulling my attention away from the endless news cycle. I knew I wanted to be more intentional about my reading in 2021, so when Anne Bogel shared her choose-your-own-adventure reading challenge, I relished the opportunity to reflect on my reading life.

What I wound up creating (initially just for myself!) is a reading challenge designed to increase focus and depth, while still allowing plenty of space for serendipitous finds and mood reading.

The 2021 Deep Dive Reading Challenge

What Is It?

I came up with 10 categories that felt inspiring and/or necessary to me, with the intention being to dive deeply into several of them over the year ahead. If none of the categories appeal to you (although I’m guessing a few will!), I’ve also included five blank bookish badges that you can use to craft your own categories.

Earn Badges!

About those badges — to make it a bit more fun, I created bookish badges (inspired by Alex at Spells and Spaceships) to go along with the challenge. If you’d like to have your own copy of the bookish badges pictured above to add to your reading journal, along with a set of reading challenge worksheets, I made some fun printable PDFs for you. :-)

What Counts as a ‘Deep Dive’?

A deep dive is more than just one book on a particular subject - it’s about following a bookish rabbit hole relating to the same theme. How many books is up to you, but if pressed, I’d say a pairing (2 books) is the minimum, with 3-5 books being a solid goal. Your deep dive might be all fiction or nonfiction, but I find it’s often the most rewarding to mix up many formats and genres to get a really rich experience.

Now on with the categories!

1. A New Hope

After 2020, isn’t this what we all need? In terms of your reading life, A New Hope deep dive might include a book on personal growth or spirituality, a compelling memoir, the biography of an inspiring figure, and the sort of fiction that restores your faith in humanity or gives you a new lease on life.

2. Love Where You Live

Inspired by one of the most impactful books I’ve read in the past decade, This Is Where You Belong, by Melody Warnick, this category is all about place-making. After a year living in a very tight circle drawn around our homes, it feels right to focus on increasing the love we have for our homes and communities this coming year.

3. Strong Sense of Place

Whether you (finally) get to travel far from home in 2021 or not, reading your way into a place can be a richly rewarding experience. To earn the Strong Sense of Place badge, choose a specific place to focus on (I’m thinking of Iran) and select a range of books set in or written about that zone of the map. For inspiration, I recommend taking a listen to the Strong Sense of Place podcast.

4. The Bard

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” feels like a particularly apt and comforting sentiment after the roller coaster year we’ve experienced. So what better time than the present to explore the world of Shakespeare? Far from being restricted to the Bard’s plays, consider looking to historical fiction, biography, and retellings to round out a satisfying Shakespearean book flight.

5. Classics

When under stress, I tend to reach for the latest shiny new book - when in fact, reading a delicious classic can be so much more satisfying. To get your Classics badge, choose your own book flight of classics: perhaps you’d like to focus on classics written by women? Or modern classics, or classics of a genre you love? For inspiration, I recommend the classics-focused Novel Pairings podcast.

6. Civics 101

Democracy, civics, politics, and the messy, complicated history of the United States are very much on my mind as we turn to a new calendar year. You, too? If so, consider going for the Civics 101 badge by reading your way through a stack of books related to any aspects of the subject that call to you. Remember, it’s always more fun to mix it up, so consider including at least one novel in your stack.

7. Through the Portal

Escapism for some may involve books with sandy beaches and flip flops on the cover, but my preferred escape hatch is way more likely to involve wizards, dragons, magic lands, spaceships, robots, aliens, time travel, or some combination thereof. If a deep-dive into the speculative fiction genre sounds delicious to you, consider tackling your Through the Portal badge this year!

8. Art School

Whether you are a former art major or just wish you were (raises hand) the Art School badge is here to give you permission to dive deep into your passion for the arts. This category can include artist monographs, biographies, art history books, art how-to books, nonfiction about the art scene, and art-related fiction.

9. Natural Wonder

One major gift of 2020 (in this household at least) was our increased connection with nature. My daily walks were a lifesaver, and our weekend hikes and camping trips became something we all looked forward to. For this category, think about fiction set in nature, compelling nonfiction about the natural world, and even local nature guides to the plants and creatures right outside your back door.

10. Just What I Needed

Part of growing as a reader is about knowing how to get yourself out of a reading slump - and knowing the types of books that hit that sweet spot for you is a great way to do that. So this challenge category is all about “milkshake books” - a genius phrase Meredith, a host of the Currently Reading podcast, came up with. To earn this badge, make it your mission to find your ultimate comfort reading.

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Ready to get started? Download your Deep Dive Reading Challenge kit! And as you read, share your progress and favorite titles by tagging me @laura_gaskill on Instagram, and using the hashtag #deepdivechallenge. I can’t wait to see what you’re reading!

My Favorite Books of 2020

If talks with friends are any indication, I’m not the only one whose reading was impacted by the pandemic. For some, reading became the ultimate comfort, devouring books by the tote bag. For others (raises hand) whole months of 2020 became readerly voids, our attention spans so completely shot it was hard to finish a single book.

I still managed to finish 79 books so far (we’ve got a week left of 2020 as I type these words) and many of them were excellent. I’ve gotten exceedingly nerdy this year and tracked my reading on a spreadsheet (thank you Kaytee!) so I can tell you that 47.44% of the books I read were 5-star reads, which is pretty amazing. Among my most-loved books, these 10 are the ones I can’t stop thinking about and recommending, in reverse order.

10. The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali - Set in Tehran in 1953, this may be a love story, but what I really swooned for were the descriptions of mouth-watering Persian food, poetry, and culture.

9. The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal - This big-hearted midwestern novel is populated with women brewmasters, rad old ladies, and plenty of characters you can root for.

8. Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave - This WWII novel centers around a group of smart, witty friends in wartime England. While the language is gorgeous, and Cleave tackles some big themes, it’s the small domestic details (like a particular jar of homemade jam) that most stand out in my memory.

7. Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan - Officially a comic, now collected into graphic novel-size books, the art, sci-fi storyline, and badass girls on bikes are what catapulted this onto my favorites list. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things. Good news: it’s going to be a show on Amazon!

6. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert - I’ll just leave you with the first two sentences: “In the summer of 1940, when I was nineteen years old and an idiot, my parents sent me to live with my Aunt Peg, who owned a theater company in New York City. I had recently been excused from Vassar College, on account of never having attended classes and thereby failing every single one of my freshman exams.“ Fantastic on audio.

5. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - A lush, transportive fantasy novel about a strange book and secret doors that even non-fantasy readers will enjoy. Excellent on audio.

4. How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell - I listened to Odell’s extremely interesting and hard to pin down nonfiction book on audio while taking neighborhood walks during the pandemic, and always came home with new things to write about in my journal or look up online, from the behavior of crows to the history of old trees to unusual performance art.

3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune - Klune’s sweet fantasy novel almost reads like middle grade fiction, has all kinds of Harry Potter vibes, and was so good on audio I had to immediately re-listen to it, the second time round with my son. While shelved in the adult section, this story makes a great family listen for older tweens and up.

2. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - I put this beloved coming of age novel set in turn-of-the-century New York under the heading “books I really wish I had read as a child”. Tween Laura would have felt so seen in Francie Nolan — I literally hugged this book to my chest when I finished.

1. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - For my son to say this is “better than Harry Potter”, and for me to almost-maybe-probably agree is all you really need to know about this fantastic series from Australian author Jessica Townsend. Spectacular on audio.

What were your favorite books of 2020?

September Reading Wrap-up

This month I really felt like I was coming out of my reading slump, hooray! I ended up reading a big stack of great titles that reminded me why I love reading, and today I’m sharing 8 of my favorites. Maybe one of these will be just what you need to break out of your reading slump…

1. Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (art), and Matt Wilson (colors)

   This comic series about a group of badass time traveling paper girls from the 1980’s is perfect for fans of Stranger Things. I devoured every volume in two days.

2. The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

   Two teens get on a bus in Oakland. One goes to a big public school, the other attends a fancy private school up in the hills. Their routes only overlap for a few blocks, but one strike of a lighter changes both of their lives. Journalist Dashka Slater covers this (true) story with incredible nuance.

3. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

   My son and I are both obsessed with the Morrigan Crow books. Obsessed! This middle grade fantasy has characters you will fall in love with, loads of adventure, and is fantastic on audio. Book two is called Wundersmith, and book three, Hollowpox, releases October 27.

4. Know My Name by Chanel Miller

   Chanel Miller’s memoir swept me into her experiences so completely I literally could not put it down. A must-read for all adult humans in 2020.

5. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

   After languishing on my unread shelf for years, learning that Ready Player Two comes out on November 24 is what pushed me to finally read this — and I am so glad I did! If you’re in the mood for a propulsive story set in an all-too-believable dystopian future, this could be your next read.

6. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

   The American Civil War, now with zombies and a zombie-slaying Black teen heroine! Super satisfying, and a sequel is already on the shelves.

7. Kindred by Octavia Butler

   A modern Black woman spontaneously time travels back to the pre-Civil War South in Octavia Butler’s speculative fiction classic. Clear your schedule because you’ll want to read this in one sitting.

8. All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

   In book 16 of the Three Pines series, we travel to Paris with the Gamaches, which sets the stage for deeper character development as Armand struggles to become closer to his son Daniel. The scientific premise of one plot strand had me raising my eyebrow a bit, but that was my only quibble and it did not detract from my reading pleasure one bit.

Summer of Classics

I love fresh new books as much as the next reader, but a few years ago I started getting the feeling that by focusing too heavily on the shiny and new, I was missing out on some really satisfying reading experiences.

Whether it’s a Capital-C Classic (like The Odyssey) or a modern classic (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), it’s true that books that have stood the test of time are often worth reading. I would never turn over my entire reading life to classics because a) my taste in books is too eclectic to be satisfied with all-classics-all-the-time, and b) because it’s important to me to read authors with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences that are not well represented in the books often tapped as “classics”.

To craft a well-balanced reading life, I decided to start picking a few classics to tackle each summer. The long days and lingering heat of late summer feel just right for being transported into another place and time. I’ve been reading classics in the summer for about four years now, and I can say with confidence this works really well: After devouring a stack of beach reads, reading a classic is a welcome slowing of the pace.

Here are a few of the classics I’ve read in the last several summers:

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson

If you’ve never read The Odyssey, I strongly recommend trying out the Emily Wilson translation. This is the first time Homer’s epic has been translated by a woman, and the language is crisp, modern, and gorgeous. This is a compelling adventure story with a surprisingly page-turning narrative. Prefer audio? Claire Danes narrates the Audible audiobook!

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel of a woman’s awakening sense of social justice in an industrial mill town in the North of England. Gaskell’s Victorian heroine, Margaret Hale, feels strikingly modern, and while I wouldn’t call this fast-paced, I did find the story interesting and engaging from start to finish.

Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Emma by Jane Austen

After somehow making it to adulthood without reading a single Austen novel, I decided this had to be remedied! I started with P&P, moved on to Persuasion, and just read Emma this year.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I tackled this brick of a book (608 dense pages!) last summer. While reading, I found myself making lots of notes in the margin, discussing elements with my husband over beers on the patio, and felt very gratified that I took the time to read this Steinbeck masterwork. But…while I appreciated it, this was not a book that I loved.

It actually infuriated me, to be quite honest. When I (finally) turned the last page, I found myself wishing for a perfect pairing (hint, hint Novel Pairings Podcast) that would give me a window onto this same place and time, but from a different cultural and/or gender perspective.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was my summer 2020 classic pick, and it immediately shot to the top of my forever-favorites list. This is a coming-of-age novel centered on Francie Nolan and her family in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, during the period leading up to and during World War I. As soon as I closed the book I was tempted to start right over again from the beginning!

I’d love to hear: What is your favorite classic? And which classic is at the top of your TBR?

On Entering Library School at 40

In 2019 I decided that I want to be a librarian. So at age 40 (!) I am back in graduate school working on my MLIS degree in pursuit of that goal. I wasn’t planning on dedicating a post to this fact, but I have realized someone out there might be in just the right place to hear these words, so here we are.

Why library school? Why now?

Two perfectly reasonable questions! I’ll do my best to answer them, although the process from point A (before library school was a thought in my brain) to point B (having finished my first semester), while in hindsight seems straightforward, felt much more nebulous and meandering in real time.

The Spark

Even though my first job in high school was as a page in the local public library, even though my stepmom was a reference librarian, even though my favorite part of being a teacher was reading and recommending books, even though I’ve loved books and reading as long as I can remember, it had honestly never occurred to me — not for a second in all my 40 years — to even consider librarianship as a career.

It wasn’t until listening to Anne Bogel’s What Should I Read Next podcast that I realized this was an option for me. I don’t think there was a single episode that sparked this realization (although I remember hearing several librarians on the show) but there was a steadily increasing drumbeat pounding in my bookish heart.

Once the idea occurred to me, it rooted almost instantaneously. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t already followed this path.

At the same time, in what I see now was a bit of serendipity, I was listening to Emily P. Freeman’s podcast The Next Right Thing. Emily’s message of honing in on the next right thing was essential for me. Learning to simply take the next right step forward meant that I did not feel overwhelmed by the process of applying to graduate school. I just kept doing the next right thing, and then the next right thing after that, and pretty soon I was preparing to start grad school in January 2020.

What’s different now?

After a stressful adjustment period (doing APA-style citations isn’t exactly like riding a bike, but the skills do come back), and an even more stressful ending (with my husband and son suddenly home with me full-time as the world shut down because of the pandemic) I finished my first semester with A’s, and one professor will be using my research paper as an example for next semester’s students.

Yay, right? But I know I’m a good student — the problem is I tend to really ramp up the pressure on myself. And at 40, one thing that’s changed is my awareness of the difference between doing well in school, and actually doing the next right thing for my life.

I’m prone to overextending myself when I feel it’s expected of me — but this is something I want to do for myself. I want to savor and reflect and be thoughtful about what I hope to gain from my time in school and what I hope to do with this degree.

So what am I going to do with my MLIS degree?

I think I want to be a youth librarian in a small public library — or even a small branch if it’s in a larger/more urban town like where I live now. But I could also see finding a lot of joy and purpose working on some kind of online diverse books project — if an opportunity for that came up I think I would jump on it. I don’t know what the future holds for libraries (or…anything, obviously), but I’m committed to savoring the journey and learning as much as I can along the way.

Books with Bix: 5 Fourth Grade Favorites

Welcome to the first edition of Books with Bix, an occasional roundup of the titles that my 10 year old (that would be Bix) has given his stamp of approval. I mean really, who better to vet and recommend middle grade books than an actual elementary school-aged kiddo? If you’re searching for fantastic fiction for a middle grade reader (think more complex chapter books & graphic novels) you’ve come to the right place.

1. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

This was our first book from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint (see quote from R. R. about the imprint below) and Bix loved it. Ancient African gods are clashing with African American folk heroes in this adventurous tale, and Tristan Strong has to keep them from destroying the world.

“Our goal is to publish great middle grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage. Over the years, I’ve gotten many questions from my fans about whether I might write about various world mythologies, but in most cases I knew I wasn’t the best person to write those books. Much better, I thought, to use my experience and my platform at Disney to put the spotlight on other great writers who are actually from those cultures and know the mythologies* better than I do. Let them tell their own stories, and I would do whatever I could to help those books find a wide audience!”

— Rick Riordan on the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint

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2. Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

Scoob, a black boy, and his white G’ma take off in her RV following in the footsteps of a trip she and Scoob’s G’pa took back in the 1960’s, using the “Travelers’ Green Book” a guide for black travelers letting them know which hotels — and even whole towns — were safe to stay in. Great conversation-starter about racism, prejudice, and privilege. But also so funny.

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3. Ghost by Jason Reynolds

We listened to Ghost on audio in the car as we rode back and forth to the skate park last week and Bix was completely sucked in from minute one. This is highly realistic middle grade fiction about a boy (nickname “Ghost”) who joins a track team for the first time. All I can say is Jason Reynolds is a national treasure. Go listen (or read) now.

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4. The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes

Another Rick Riordan Presents title, The Storm Runner centers around Zane Obisbo, his dog Rosie, his pro wrestling-loving, Hot Cheeto eating uncle … and the volcano in his backyard. Bix loved the characters and the adventure featuring Mayan gods, demigods, shape-shifters, and more.

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5. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

(Yet) another Rick Riordan Presents title that was a hit in our house, Sal and Gabi Break the Universe is something we don’t see much of in middle grade lit: realistic characters plus a sci-fi twist. The raw chicken from another dimension appearing in a bully’s locker on page one had Bix committed from the get-go.

Do you have any middle grade books you’ve been reading and loving lately? I’d love to hear!

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Links to books are from Bookshop, an online bookshop that supports independent bookstores. For no extra cost on your end, indie bookstores and I will receive a small commission instead of that online books-and-everything-else store we know all too well. I never recommend anything unless I love it and think you will, too. Thanks so much for supporting my work!

LGBTQ+ Supportive Insta-Graphics

I spent much of the first five months of 2020 researching transgender and gender non-binary youth for a library school project, and one of the (fun) culminations was the creation of this set of Instagram-ready graphics to express support & share resources. Transgender youth especially face enormous challenges* And while social media can be a source of support and inspiration, it can also become a platform for bullies and trans-phobia. If you would like to express your support for the LGBTQ+ youth community, but are not sure where to begin, please feel free to share one (or all!) of these Instagram-ready graphics:

*I won’t get deep into the research here, though if you’re interested feel free to check out my library school blog where I have shared more.

1. This post highlights the Instagram account of We Need Diverse Books, as well as the recently released book Rick by Alex Gino.

2. Quote by Zach Dishinger as interviewed for the It Gets Better Project.

3. Queer Kid Stuff creates awesome kid-friendly videos explaining LGBTQ+ topics.

4. Black Trans Lives Matter message inspired by The Trevor Project, the nation’s leading organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement.