Middle School

Saber-Tooth by Robin Gow – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for Saber-Tooth by Robin Gow. Features a boy digging in the ground with the skeleton of a saber-tooth tiger in the dirt below him.

Saber-Tooth by Robin Gow

  • Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
  • Publication Date: January 27, 2026
  • Reviewed from NetGalley e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781419777387

Jasper cannot believe that his older brother is ignoring him just before he leaves for college far away. His brother had promised to take him to find fossils, but they never did. Jasper loves rocks and fossils, which is why when he picked his new name, he picked Jasper. Jasper feels so angry at his brother that he dumps an entire glass of lemonade on his brother’s college laptop, ruining it. When his brother leaves for college, Jasper is still angry, now at himself as well as his brother. When Jasper starts to hear the bones of a saber-tooth tiger speaking to him from inside the ground, the voice is friendly. It urges Jasper to dig and soon Jasper is staying up all night digging a hole in his backyard. But the voice changes and soon Jasper has to face that anger even when buried can be destructive.

This book is so multi-layered that it’s nearly impossible to write a coherent summary of it. The book is written in verse, sharing Jasper’s struggles with his anger, questioning whether he is ready to grow up as an eighth grader, finding new friends, but always being drawn back to the voice in his head, the saber-tooth. Jasper is also trans, an element that is important and yet not the focus of the book. I deeply appreciate the handling of the saber-tooth in the end. It does not become a figment of Jasper’s imagination or a sign of mental illness, it is very much alive and while symbolic is also tangible. 

A verse novel with wildness, bite and rage. 

The Lionharts by Mike Lawrence – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Cover image for The Lionharts by Mike Lawrence. Features an older woman with an axe, a wizard with a long gray beard, and two boys, one with a bow and the other with daggers. A dragon looms in the darkness behind them.

The Lionharts by Mike Lawrence 

  • Publisher: Abrams
  • Publication Date: March 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9781419759970

Alder and Flynt have grown up in a family that quests and goes on adventures. Their grandparents, Grammy and Baba, were once famous but are now retired spending time baking and reading. But the family business isn’t going well for the next generation, so when a new contract comes in that will pay more, they quickly agree to take it. When their parents don’t return from the job, the boys head out on their own to rescue them. Their grandparents rescue them before they can end up in too much trouble and they all set off to find out what happened to the boys’ parents. Along the way, the boys meet many of their grandparents’ previous foes who are now friends. When they find their parents, a secret is revealed that will change their family forever.

This middle grade graphic novel has a Dungeons & Dragons flair about it. With diverse characters, including some with green skin or pointed ears, the book has an interesting and surprising cast. Readers will love the action scenes just as much as the moments of laughter and warmth as they come right after another thanks to the brisk pace. The twist at the end is a great reveal that is incredibly satisfying. 

Grab your sword and head out on this adventure. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – Book Recommendation

| Tasha
Book cover for Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Image of a girl facing a black and white horse.

Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

  • Publisher: Dial Books
  • Publication Date: March 3, 2026
  • Reviewed from NetGalley e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780593859865

When Harper discovers that her dad cheated on her mom with her best friend’s mother, her world implodes. Her parents are getting a divorce and Harper just can’t go to school where everyone seems to know what happened. Harper and her mother pack up and leave, moving to a new town and a tiny house that is part of a horse farm. Now Harper has to start all over again, but she is so sad about what has happened that she doesn’t know how to move on or change anything. Harper has never been around horses but finds that she understands them. When Phoenix is literally dumped at the farm, Harper decides to rescue him after one look in his eyes. Phoenix is underweight, underfed and had been left for dead, but with slow steps, Harper starts to rescue him and herself.

Bradley, author of award-winning books like The War That Saved My Life, shows herself to be a horse girl through and through. Readers will love the horse focus of the book, Harper discovering her love for them and how horses form a bridge forward. Among the lovely horse moments, Bradley demonstrates her writing skill as she weaves in Harper’s grief over her family’s changes, the difficulty of friendships in middle school, micro and macro aggressions, and just a touch of dog love too. Strong and confident writing as well as a deep horse-filled humanity make this a must-read.

Definitely worth the ride. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

A Kid Like Me by Norm Feuti – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

A Kid Like Me by Norm Feuti

  • Publisher: HarperAlley
  • Publication Date: February 03, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780063354111

Ethan lives in a trailer park near his best friend, Ricky. As they head to middle school, the school includes kids from wealthier neighborhoods. Ricky decides that they need a new group of friends, but Ricky’s picks of new friends are more into wrestling than what Ethan likes. Ethan loves the card game Bio Battle, something that Ricky doesn’t understand. So Ethan starts to make new friends too, but soon the differences between him and his classmates continue to create issues. Ethan can’t have a new fancy phone, his shoes and backpack are falling apart, and he gets his clothes second hand. Is there any way to bridge the differences without losing himself along the way?

In this graphic novel, Feuti sensitively captures the difficulties that living in poverty create for children. Whether it is the place you live, the car you drive, your parents’ jobs, what you wear, or the items you buy, it all becomes somehow deeper and more personal than that for the child experiencing it. Gaming is such a great opportunity for kids with like interests to meet and start being friends. I love how it is depicted and then the final moment of the book where new opportunities arise. Feuti does a great job of showing the issues and also offering a way through shame to the other side.

A middle school graphic novel full of empathy, friendships and gaming.

The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller

  • Publisher: Philomel Books
  • Publication Date: January 13, 2026
  • Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley
  • ISBN: 9780593624555

Luna’s life is pretty normal as she starts seventh grade. She is best friends with Scott, a friend she’s had since she was very small. She loves writings and discovers a love of zines. At school, her quiet kindness leads to her being seen as the book doctor, a person who can refer just the right book to a reader to help them out. She helps one classmate with self-esteem and then everyone seems to want her help. Luna begins to create zines to help people too with Scott’s art in them and her words. Soon she gets the attention of one of the more popular girls in class and starts to hang out with that popular girl group. But what will that mean for her friendship with Scott? And how much is she willing to change to fit in?

The Newbery-Honor winning author returns with a new middle school book. She captures so tangibly the push and pull of middle school, the anxiety about the changes that inevitably come, and how you can get lost in it all. The depiction of the hierarchy of popular girls doesn’t take it too far, staying entirely relatable and realistic in their cruelty. At times joyously unique and independent and other times suffocating in its conformity, this book is middle school between two covers. Just the zine about getting your period is enough to recommend this book.

A triumph of a book about writing, middle school and staying yourself. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

The Last Ember by Lily Berlin Dodd – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

The Last Ember by Lily Berlin Dodd

  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
  • Publication Date: November 18, 2025
  • Reviewed from library copy
  • ISBN: 9780374393120

This first book in a new series starts with a fiery, war-torn tale of a city filled with wealth and poverty. Eva is a 12-year-old chemist attending a prestigious scientific school for girls. When her father gifts her the choice of anything in the jewelry store for her birthday, she selects a silvery ball that she believes is a rare element, rubibium. Meanwhile, Dusty has grown up as a foundling at St. Ichabod’s where he is now the oldest boy and headed into the military when he turns 14 from which he knows he won’t return. Dusty has become part of the Thieves Union at night and is now asked to steal that silvery ball from Eva in her dorm room. Soon Dusty and Eva find themselves of interest to the Director of Kingdom Secrets, who will stop at nothing to get his hands on what Eva has found. Could it actually be an egg from an extinct dragon-like species of lore? Fire and time will tell.

Dodd’s writing is incredibly engaging, allowing readers to understand the society and world she has built fully. Her interludes of information serve more as a friend offering insight rather than information loading. In Eva and Dusty she has created two great hero figures who are complex and interesting to spend time with. Even her secondary characters, including Eva’s roommate and Dusty’s best friend, are fully drawn and fascinating. Add in a potential dragon and you have a rollicking book filled with scientist girls, thieving boys and a dangerous government.

A great series opener, this middle-school fantasy novel is an exuberant experience. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Jose Pimienta

Publisher: Candlewick

Publication Date: Oct 7, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9781536217438

This graphic work of nonfiction for middle schoolers is superb. It tells the story of Lake Peigneur in Louisiana from the lake’s point of view. The lake tells of the misfortune that happened there when an oil rig accidentally punctured the local salt mine’s tunnels. The result was incredibly dangerous for everyone in the area since the water from the lake drained into the salt mine, forming a water vortex that could swallow barges. Boats on the surface had to fight to get to shore and then contend with the lowering water levels. The shore eroded and trees were sucked down until suddenly a geyser erupted as air escaped the mine shafts. As the disaster unfolded, people stayed calm and followed their training, resulting in no one losing their life. 

A remarkable tale that creates a book that is fast moving and incredibly gripping. Few people know of the disaster outside of Louisiana since no one lost their life. It’s a look at nature’s response to a man-made issue and the power of water itself. Brilliantly told, the book sticks with the various people in danger, from the miners to the tug boat to the gardeners on shore. The use of the lake as the narrator is clever since there were so many human perspectives. 

A thrilling look at nature and disaster. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by María Dolores Águila – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by María Dolores Águila

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Publication Date: September 16, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9781250342614

Based on a true story, this verse novel set in the 1930s tells the story of a community that refuses to be silent in the face of racism. In San Diego, Roberto is the youngest of the children in his family. When the local school board decides that the Mexican-American children must attend a different school than the white children, they build a school in a barn for them. But the majority of the families refuse to send their children there. The families form a group and stand up for themselves in court, raising money by selling goods and food items. Roberto, at age 12, is selected to be the face of the children impacted by the decision. Despite losing friends to deportation and being expelled himself, he must find the courage to give voice to his community.

Incredibly timely and impactful, this book uses poetry as a vehicle for readers to understand Roberto and his point of view. From the beauty of his community to the hatred spewed at them to the threats they endured, his emotions are bared on the page. Written with immense restraint and simplicity, Águila shares the full story of the history while humanizing it with Roberto’s voice.

Powerful and heart-wrenching. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson – Book Recommendation

| Tasha

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson 

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: July 1, 2025

Reviewed from library copy

ISBN: 9781338849912

Kaylani is not happy about spending her summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard with wealthy family friends. It means that her father won’t be able to call her from prison as easily. Kaylani knows that her father is innocent of the financial fraud he was accused of, even if the justice system didn’t agree. Now she is stuck on an island that is full of beautiful large homes, beaches and people having a great summer. She tries to enjoy herself, but the daughters of the family she is staying with don’t make it easy. When a teenager turns up dead, Kaylani sets out to figure out what happened. But as she gets closer to the truth, it may just be her own life that is turned inside out.

Jackson’s middle grade debut is incredible. She writes with such skill for this age group, never speaking down to them and giving her young protagonist agency and wisdom. Kaylani is an engaging character, looking for connection with her father while also struggling to fit with the family she is staying with and their rules. I particularly enjoyed the parts of the book where she engages with kids her age outside of the family, showing that she is the personable one as she makes friends easily and cares for them well. 

Brilliant plotting, a murder and plenty of questions make this a compelling middle grade mystery. Appropriate for ages 8-12.