Category: Realistic Fiction

by Wesley King

Daniel is the back-up punter for the Erie Hills Elephants. Which really means he’s the water boy. He spends football practice perfectly arranging water cups—and hoping no one notices. Actually, he spends most of his time hoping no one notices his strange habits—he calls them Zaps: avoiding writing the number four, for example, or flipping a light switch on and off dozens of times over. He hopes no one notices that he’s crazy, especially his best friend Max, and Raya, the prettiest girl in school. His life gets weirder when another girl at school, who is unkindly nicknamed Psycho Sara, notices him for the first time. She doesn’t just notice him: she seems to peer through him.

Then Daniel gets a note: “I need your help,” it says, signed, Fellow Star Child—whatever that means. And suddenly Daniel, a total no one at school, is swept up in a mystery that might change everything for him.

With great voice and grand adventure, this book is about feeling different and finding those who understand.

Kelly J. Baptist

A coming-of-age tale about a boy who discovers a love of poetry after finding his late father’s journal. Adapted from a story that first appeared in Flying Lessons & Other Stories.Isaiah is now the big man of the house. But it’s a lot harder than his dad made it look. His little sister, Charlie, asks too many questions, and Mama’s gone totally silent.

Good thing Isaiah can count on his best friend, Sneaky, who always has a scheme for getting around the rules. Plus, his classmate Angel has a few good ideas of her own–once she stops hassling Isaiah.

And when things get really tough, there’s Daddy’s journal, filled with stories about the amazing Isaiah Dunn, a superhero who gets his powers from beans and rice. Isaiah wishes his dad’s tales were real. He could use those powers right about now!

Abigail Johnson

This book takes a hard look at the different ways families can exist and survive. Jolene’s parents are truly divorced. Jolene’s Dad cheated and she spends every other weekend at her Dad’s. On the other hand, Adam’s parents are separated, but not divorced. Their is no legal lawyers involved, just a mutual decision by his parents to take a break and see what happens. He goes to his Dad’s every other weekend. It just happened that they are in the same apartment buildling every two weeks for 48 hours. Every Other Weekend switches point of view between Jolene and Adam each chapter. I enjoyed watching the same situation unfold from two separate view points. There are heavier themes touched on during the story and is a true YA book.

When Adam Moynihan’s oldest brother died, his life fell apart around him. Now his mom cries constantly, he and his remaining brother can’t talk without fighting, and the father he always admired moved out when they needed him most.

Jolene Timber is used to being a pawn in her divorced parents’ war. But when she develops an unlikely friendship with a boy who spends every other weekend in the same apartment building that she does, suddenly the future seems less bleak.

Can the boy who thinks forgiveness makes him weak and the girl who thinks love is for fools find something real together? They’ll find out…every other weekend.

by Cat Patrick

Tornado Brain was a window into the experience and perspective of a student who is neurodivergent. Frankie does not always process the world in the same way others. And let’s be real, we all perceive the world differently. Some like to be left alone more than others. Some handle loud sounds better than others. Some experience emotions on a bigger level than others. We ALL are unique in how we view and relate to the world around us. Following Frankie as she searches to find her missing friend, really helped me grow aware of how to treat everyone I communicate with to be more respectful and considerate. I would recommend this book for everyone, no matter the age.

Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent. In her case, that means she can’t stand to be touched, loud noises bother her, she’s easily distracted, she hates changes in her routine, and she has to go see a therapist while other kids get to hang out at the beach. It also means Frankie has trouble making friends. She did have one–Colette–but they’re not friends anymore. It’s complicated.

Then, just weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette unexpectedly shows up at Frankie’s door. The next morning, Colette vanishes. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie’s convinced that her former best friend left clues behind that only she can decipher, so she persuades her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette’s disappearance before it’s too late.

A powerful story of friendship, sisters, and forgiveness, Tornado Brain is an achingly honest portrait of a young girl trying to find space to be herself. Inspired by her own neurodiverse child, Cat Patrick writes with authenticity and sincerity in her depiction of Frankie in what is ultimately a love letter to neurodiverse children everywhere.

by Francesca Zappia

Eliza is a high school Senior and an extreme introvert who anonymously writes & draws web comics. She prefers her computer and her online friends over the real world. As a person who spent years playing a MMORPG and whole heartedly committing to it, I can definitely relate! I was an officer for my clan (guild), organizing raid fights, and clan hunts for top level materials. It was a lot of fun and I regularly chatted with my clan members, getting to know them, and building friendships. Eliza reminded me very much of myself. The only perk for her, is her web comic is so popular, she is making a lot of money!! She can already pay for herself to go to college and live comfortably on her own. For her, it’s a true pathway to a career. Her parents though do not understand this & often try to pull her away from what she loves to do. A new student arrives at her school as well though, and actually gets it! The relationships in this book are so true and real. I thoroughly enjoyed every second reading it!

Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community.

Then Wallace Warland transfers to her school and Eliza begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.

by John Green

This book will make you ugly cry. It brings to light the harsh realities of those living with cancer while also painting the story of a first love like no other. It was just hands down a good book and while not an action or adventure story, every chapter keeps the story moving making it a hard book to put down. If I could have read it all at one time, I definitely would have.

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

by Cynthia Lord

Rules is an amazing book! It was a window for me to learn more about how people with autism process the world around them as well as the reality of what life is like not only for them, but their family. The main character is in middle school and has an autistic brother. He sees the world very “black and white”. If you say you are suppose to be home at 5 o’clock, then he expects you to be home by 5 o’clock. Catherine really loves her brother and wants to help him in life, but she also wants her own life and tries her hardest to keep her brother’s world and her “normal” world separated. Eventually though, those worlds will collide…it is inevitable. The book made me laugh and tear up all while being a thoroughly enjoyable story!

Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She’s spent years trying to teach David the rules from “a peach is not a funny-looking apple” to “keep your pants on in public” — in order to head off David’s embarrassing behaviors.But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she’s always wished for, it’s her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

by Carrie Firestone

The book shines a spotlight on schools and the dress code discussion while highlighting that no matter who you are, middle school/family/life…is tough. I really enjoyed reading this book, despite finding some of the teachers and principals in the book a little too over the top. The argument about dress code is valid for sure, and as a reader, it is very easy to connect with Molly and her experiences. It’s a book that jumps in quickly and provides readers with all the ups and downs of middle school!