Ages 8–12
Black Brother, Black BrotherFrom NYT bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes, another poignant and gripping story about how children and families face the complexities of race and racism in today's world.
$8.99$10.99
Jason Reynolds
Ghost
Ages 8–12
"Ghost, a naturally talented runner and troublemaker, is recruited for an elite middle school track team. He must stay on track, literally and figuratively, to reach his full potential"--
$7.99$9.99
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Why this book
We keep this on the shelf for race, identity, and seeing yourself on the page — a story kids can feel, not just a lesson adults want to teach.
Who it's for
Ages 8–12. Especially helpful for new schools, new friends, and moments of feeling left out.
Conversation starter
Ask: Who in this book feels like you? Who feels new?
Try this
Classroom tip: pair a chapter with a short journal prompt — no grades, just honest noticing.
Pair with
Two titles that deepen the same conversation.
Ages 3–8
Brer Rabbit, the great tug-o-warOf course, the match ends in a dead heat, but the contestants take it all in good humour when they discover how they've been fooled. After all, as Brer Rabbit tells them, 'friendship is longer than rope'.
$17.99$19.99
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Ages 3–8
JimiBefore he became one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Jimi Hendrix was a boy who loved to paint and listen to records, and who asked himself an unusual question: could someone paint pictures with sound?
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Ages 3–8
Little Bear's Visit(Age 4-8) (Preschool to Gr 3) **Little Bear enjoys his visits with his Grandmother and Grandfather Bear. He likes Grandfather’s hat and Grandmother’s cooking. But most of all, he loves to listen to their stories!**
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Ages 8–12
LuLu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others in the climax to the New York Times bestselling and award-winning Track series from Jason Reynolds. Lu was born to be cocaptain of the Defenders.
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Ages 8–12
New KidPerfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, New Kid is a timely, honest graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real, from award-winning author-illustrator Jerry ...
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Ages 8–12
PatinaGhost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team - a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Patina, or Patty, runs like a flash. She runs for many reasons: to escape the taunts from the kids at the fancy-schmancy new school she's been sent to since she and her little sister had to stop living with their mom. She runs from the reason why she's not able to live with her 'real' mom anymore: her mom has The Sugar, and Patty is terrified that the disease that took her mom's legs will one day take her away forever. So Patty's also running for her mom, who can't. As the stress builds up, it's building up a pretty bad attitude as well.
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Ages 8–12
ReboundBut can Charlie resist when trouble comes knocking once again? From the New York Times-bestselling author Kwame Alexander, Rebound is a stunning coming-of-age novel in verse about basketball, family and staying true to yourself.
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