Kwame Alexander
Ages 8–12
"A bolt of lightning on my kicks, the court is sizzling, my sweat is drizzling. Stop all that quivering, cuz tonight I'm delivering," raps basketball phenom Josh Bell. Thanks to his dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court, with crossovers that make even the toughest ballers cry. But Josh has more than hoops in his blood. He's got a river of rhymes flowing through him -- a sick flow that helps him find his rhythm when everything's on the line. As their winning season unfolds, things begin to change. When Jordan meets the new girl in school, the twins' tight-knit bond unravels. In this heartfelt novel, basketball and brotherhood intertwine to show Josh and Jordan that life doesn't come with a playbook, and, sometimes, it's not about winning. - Jacket flap.
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A kid who looks like this should not have to hunt the shelf.
Ages 8-12. Whoever is at your table.
What made someone in this story proud of who they are?
Chapter break. One true sentence about what just happened. Not a summary.
Two titles that deepen the same conversation.
Ages 8–12
LuJason Reynolds
Lu 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.
Ages 8–12
PatinaJason Reynolds
Ghost. 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.
Ages 8–12
As Brave As YouJason Reynolds
Genie's summer is full of surprises. The first is that he and his big brother, Ernie, are leaving Brooklyn for the very first time to spend the summer with their grandparents all the way in Virginia. The second surprise comes when Genie figures out that their grandfather is blind. Genie thinks Grandpop must be the bravest guy he's ever known, but he starts to notice that his grandfather never leaves the house. And when he finds the secret room that Grandpop is always disappearing into, he begins to wonder if his grandfather is really so brave after all.
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
Brown Girl DreamingJacqueline Woodson
A New York Times Bestseller and National Book Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson, the acclaimed author of Red at the Bone, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.
Ages 8–12
Clean GetawayNic Stone
Fasten Your Seatbelt: G'ma's never conventional, so this trip won't be either. Use the Green Book: G'ma's most treasured possession. It holds history, memories, and most important, the way home.
Ages 8–12
From the Desk of Zoe WashingtonJanae Marks
Zoe is working to prove to everyone around her that she is worthy of being on Food Network's Kid Bake Challenge. On her 12th birthday, however, she receives an unexpected letter from her father, who has been in prison for a crime. A crime he says he did not commit. With recipes and the weight of her father's confession on her mind, it is up to Zoe to search for truth as she questions assumptions and strives to do what is right - even in the face of opposition.
Ages 8–12
GhostJason Reynolds
"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"--
