Middle School Books Trending

Balliet, B. (2013). Hold Fast. New York: Scholastic Press.

            Early Pearl’s story is the ingenious story of mystery and mayhem, which one innocent simple family encounters after their dad, Dash, disappears suddenly.  This is not your normal family of a broken home; this is a family that reads together, sticks together.

Early, her mom, Summer, and little brother, Jubilation

 are suddenly in a shelter and learning about life in a

hard way.  Summer reads to the children in the shelter

to pass the time and Early is on the hunt to find answers

 and people to help.  All the while, being bullied and torn over the grief of losing her father.  She dreams of

him, and hears his distant voice giving her clues to what happened.  The police are swiftly investigating her

father as if he was a criminal, when he has only worked for the library in the History and Social Science

section for years.  Her father loved his job and family.  But where did he go?  Where did that money come

 from?  Why is there rare diamonds on their floor?  Who broke in, trashed the house, took the money, and

what were they looking for in their peaceful home full of books and words? 

            This book is written with incredibly clear talent by Blue Balliett.  The poetry and metaphors woven throughout the chapters are as clever as verses and hymns sung in another time.  This author has a rhythm and symmetry in her word choice, which captures the reader’s imagination.  Hold Fast will be a cherished book; some may real aloud in class, or share in a literature circle.  Although this story may be for upper elementary students, the poetry and symbolism streams through the paragraphs like a rushing rapids.  Readers can take small parts from this story and build their own creative links if needed, because of the great quotes from Langston Hughes, the poems and classic stories along the way, are great hints for Early to finds the answers to why and what happened to her dad.

Myracle, L. (2013). The life of Ty-Penguin problems. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.

            A ‘boy’ books that will make you realize its ok to have a heart and be helpful in this glorious world of ours.   This book will make boys giggle and maybe tear up if they get real close. Lauren Myracle has given readers Winnie Perry for girls and now this is her little brother’s first book.  Ty is a normal boy with big plans that make up his creative world and help him entertain others around him as well as himself. Ty is a schemer and tries to save and help other characters in the story. Ty visits the hospital for his friend, they discuss the mole on a nurse’s face and gum by the foot. Ty decides he won’t take a bath until his friend gets out of the hospital much to others dismay.  They make a pact and the adventure is on.  But each chapter is filled with funny actions of Ty and his thoughts and friends.  He tries to stay out of trouble but ya know sometimes that just follows certain people around.  Read this book to your little brothers but prepare to warn them of all the fun they will have and try not to giggle aloud.

Northrop, M. (2013) Rotten. New York:  Scholastic Press.

            This simple saga jumps out and grabs your heart as the boy falls in love with his abused new pet. Protagonist Jimmer, learns to be accepting of the mistakes we make in life and how he can grow by owning up to those mistakes in this book.  Jimmer has returned from a summer in “juvie” and no one knows why or where he has been. His mom has a new pet and he is a little bit scared of it since it is so big and mostly the dog is scared of him too.  But his friends are not the best and the dog knows it.  So when one trys to jump his fence the dog bites him and that leads Jimmer into more trouble once again. But will he tell where he has been and face the consequences or will his friends tell the truth?  Is he headed back to juvie? So the story of visiting his “aunt” is getting real old to his ‘besties’ that sooner or later, he knows he must tell someone the truth.  But what will that cost him and will that one girl ever look his way again if she knew.  When his new friend, the dog, gets into trouble will Jimmer risk it all to save a dog on death row, or will he just throw him away like everyone else has in the past.