Alex Gino
Ages 8–12
Rick's never questioned much. He's gone along with his best friend Jeff even when Jeff's acted like a bully and a jerk. He's let his father joke with him about which hot girls he might want to date even though that kind of talk always makes him uncomfortable. And he hasn't given his own identity much thought, because everyone else around him seemed to have figured it out.But now Rick's gotten to middle school, and new doors are opening. One of them leads to the school's Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities congregate, including Melissa, the girl who sits in front of Rick in class and seems to have her life together. Rick wants his own life to be that . . . understood. Even if it means breaking some old friendships and making some new ones.
Prices are indicative. Final price is set by the retailer at checkout.
Keep this on the shelf like it belongs there, because it does.
Ages 8-12. Rainbow families, gender-curious kids, anyone stocking a shelf that is not a debate.
How did someone in this story show who they are? Who stood with them?
Chapter break. One true sentence about what just happened. Not a summary.
Two titles that deepen the same conversation.
Ages 8–12
DramaRaina Telgemeier
Callie rides an emotional roller coaster while serving on the stage crew for a middle school production of Moon over Mississippi as various relationships start and end, and others never quite get going.
Ages 8–12
A Good Kind of TroubleLisa Moore Ramée
From debut author Lisa Moore Ramée comes this funny and big-hearted debut middle grade novel about friendship, family, and standing up for what’s right, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and the novels of Renée Watson ...
Ages 8–12
American Born ChineseGene Luen Yang
American Born Chinese is a 2006 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, an Eisner Award nominee for Best Coloring, a 2007 Bank Street Best Children's Book ...
Ages 8–12
Amina's VoiceHena Khan
"A Pakistani-American Muslim girl struggles to stay true to her family's vibrant culture while simultaneously blending in at school after tragedy strikes her community"--]cProvided by publisher.
Ages 8–12
Black Brother, Black BrotherJewell Parker Rhodes
From 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.
Ages 8–12
Class ActJerry Craft
"Eighth grader Drew Ellis recognizes that he isn't afforded the same opportunities, no matter how hard he works, that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted, and to make matters worse, Drew begins to ...
Ages 8–12
El DeafoCece Bell
The author recounts in graphic novel format her experiences with hearing loss at a young age, including using a bulky hearing aid, learning how to lip read, and determining her "superpower."
Ages 8–12
Harbor MeJacqueline Woodson
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Jacqueline Woodson's first middle-grade novel since National Book Award winner Brown Girl Dreaming celebrates the healing that can occur when a group of students share their stories.
