MS Books: Realistic Fiction

Ana Maria Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle by Hilda Eunice Burgos With a new sibling (her fourth) on the way and a big piano recital on the horizon, Dominican-American Ana María Reyes tries to win a scholarship to a New York City private school

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú) reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang--violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.

Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson; Renée Watson Amara visits her father's family in Harlem for her twelfth birthday, hoping to better understand her family and herself, but New York City is not what she expected.

Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson; Ellen Hagan; Renée Watson Jasmine and Chelsea are best friends on a mission--they're sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women's Rights Club. They post their work online--poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine's response to the racial microaggressions she experiences--and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by trolls. When things escalate in real life, the principal shuts the club down. Not willing to be silenced, Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices--and those of other young women--to be heard. These two dynamic, creative young women stand up and speak out in a novel that features their compelling art and poetry along with powerful personal journeys that will inspire readers and budding poets, feminists, and activists.

President of the Whole Sixth Grade by Sherri Winston Brianna Justice, the new president of her middle school's sixth grade class, sees her efforts to fundraise for the class's field trip to Washington, D.C. get off to a rocky start and struggles to relate to her old friends.

Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee When boys in her class start touching seventh-grader Mila and making her feel uncomfortable, she does not want to tell her friends or mother until she reaches her breaking point.

Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson; Chris Tebbetts; Laura Park (Illustrator) When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the Silent," to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct.

Wink by Rob Harrell Here is the humorous journey of Ross, who is navigating middle school after a cancer diagnosis.

Love Double Dutch! by Doreen Spicer-Dannelly Kayla must salvage her double Dutch dreams after her parents' rocky relationship takes her away from Brooklyn - and her beloved team - to spend the summer in North Carolina

The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy Twelve-year-old Rahul Kapoor, an Indian-American boy growing up in small-town Indiana, struggles to come to terms with his identity, including that he may be gay.

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a white police officer, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen black boys including historical figure Emmett Til

Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan Max loves fútbol, but he must set aside his hopes of joining a team when he begins working with his dad and eventually discovers that his family are secret guardians, who take on refugees and deliver them to “Mañanaland.”

The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar Despite being detained in a cruel and inhuman deportation camp with her pregnant mother and separated from her deported papi, Betita survives by remembering she will return home like a crane in the Aztec legends her papi told her. 

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini Ambitious New York City teenager Craig Gilner is determined to succeed at life-which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job. But once Craig aces his way into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School, the pressure becomes unbearable. He stops eating and sleeping until, one night, he nearly kills himself. Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.

Allie, First at Last by Angela Cervantes Born into a family of over-achievers, Allie has never finished first in anything, but she is determined to win the Trailblazer contest with an entry about her great grandfather, her town's first Congressional Medal of Honor winner.

Santiago's Road Home by Alexandra Diaz Santiago overcomes many dangerous obstacles to cross the border from Mexico into the U.S., only to be detained by ICE. Though Santiago is used to going it alone, the brutal conditions of the youth detention center are not what he expected to find.

Lupe Wong Won't Dance by Donna Barba Higuera When a dance threatens her chance to meet pitching idol and fellow Mexinese/Chinacan Fu Li Hernandez, Lupe takes up the cause against square dancing in gym, which proves both challenging and enlightening. A 2021 Pura Belpré Children’s Author Honor Book.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks Zoe Washington shows her bravery and determination through a summer bakery internship, a fight with her best friend, and a new relationship with her wrongfully incarcerated father.

Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros When his mother is deported to Mexico, seventh-grader Efrén is the only one who can cross the border to bring her home

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes Dark-skinned Donte experiences more racism than his lighter-skinned brother at their private middle school. He finds empowerment through fencing at the local Boys and Girls Club and faces off against a racist bully.

New Kid by Jerry Craft (Illustrator) Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson; Nina Mata (Illustrator) Ryan Hart has a lot on her mind--school, self-image, and especially family. Her dad finally has a new job, but money is tight. That means some changes, like selling their second car and moving into a new (old) house. But Ryan is a girl who knows how to make sunshine out of setbacks. As her brother says when he raps about her, she's got the talent that matters most: it's a talent that can't be seen, she's nice, not mean! Ryan is all about trying to see the best in people, to be a good daughter, a good sister, a good friend. But even if her life isn't everything she would wish for, when her big brother is infuriating, her parents don't quite understand, and the unexpected happens, she always finds a way forward, with grace and wit. And plenty of sunshine.

Keep It Together, Keiko Carter by Debbi Michiko Florence Seventh grade is supposed to be a game changer. And Keiko thinks she's got it covered, especially with Audrey and Jenna by her side to shop for a new look, pick out a prime lunch spot, and even hit up that cute new bubble tea place after school. Her trio is ready to tackle life as they always have... together.But when Audrey decides they need boyfriends before Fall Ball, it looks like things may be changing in all the wrong ways. Jenna is sick of caving in to Audrey's demands, and soon Keiko's besties are barely talking, leaving her caught in the middle. While she's been dreaming about triple dates, first kisses, and a boy she really shouldn't have a crush on, the friendship she's always thought was rock-solid is beginning to crumble.Keiko feels pulled in two directions. Should she try to help her friends -- even if it means losing one of them -- or follow her heart? When it comes to flirting, friendships, and fallouts, how is Keiko supposed to keep it all together?

The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio Lou Bulosan-Nelson has the ultimate summer DIY project. She's going to build her own "tiny house," 100 square feet all her own. She shares a room with her mom in her grandmother's house, and longs for a place where she can escape her crazy but lovable extended Filipino family. Lou enjoys her woodshop class and creating projects, and she plans to build the house on land she inherited from her dad, who died before she was born. But then she finds out that the land may not be hers for much longer. Lou discovers it's not easy to save her land, or to build a house. But she won't give up; with the help of friends and relatives, her dream begins to take shape, and she learns the deeper meaning of home and family.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú) reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang--violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time-- and has massive shoes to fill. She's been labeled a hoodlum at school, and the fridge at home is empty after her mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral -- for all the wrong reasons. Portrayed by the media as a menace, Bri makes a choice-- and becomes the very thing the public has made her out to be. The odds are stacked against her, and freedom of speech isn't always free. -- adapted from jacket.

The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert Alberta is sure she will be friends with new girl Edie, but she soon realizes they are from two different worlds. Alberta struggles to voice how her family and race dynamics make her feel, but the two Black girls come together to discover a collection of hidden journals that reveal a secret to the past.

Three Keys by Kelly Yang Mia Tang and her family work to save the hotel they recently bought in the face of a looming immigration law that threatens the safety of Mia’s friends and, if passed, could send her and her family back to China.

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Sisters Della and Suki rely on each other to move forward after years of abuse from their mother’s boyfriend. They find their own voices beyond the trauma through resilience and the bond of sisterhood. A 2021 Newbery Honor Book.

Amina's Voice by Hena Khan Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except now that she’s in middle school everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the “cool” girls in the class, and even talking about changing her name to something more “American.” Does Amina need to start changing too? Or hiding who she is to fit in? While Amina grapples with these questions, she is devastated when her local mosque is vandalized.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon Natasha is a girl who believes in science and facts. Daniel has always been a good son and good student. But when he sees Natasha he forgets all that and believes there is something extraordinary in store for both of them

The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson; Ryan Andrews (Illustrator) Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover, a budding comic-book artist, is still reeling from the shooting death of his friend Abe when he stumbles across an article about a former mill town giving away homes for just one dollar. It not only seems like the perfect escape from the city and all of the awful memories associated with it, but an opportunity for his mum to run her very own business. But is the Dollar Program too good to be true? The homes are in horrible shape, and the locals are less than welcoming. Will the Grovers find they’ve traded one set of problems for another? From the author of Small as an Elephant and Paper Things comes a heart-tugging novel about guilt and grief, family and friendship, and, above all, community.

The Turnover by Mike Lupica When a young basketball star decides to research his grandfather--and coach--for a school project, he uncovers a decades-old scandal that changes everything he thought he knew about his grandfather

Booked by Kwame Alexander Nick Hall is the star player on the soccer team until a bombshell announcement shatters his world.

Heat by Mike Lupica Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball because rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof.

Gymnastics Jitters by Jake Maddox; Margaret Gurevich (Contribution by); Katie Wood (Illustrator) Dana and the rest of the Raiders gymnastics team believe that hard work and practice are the way to win--so how will they fare against the Superiors, a team with a reputation for dirty play and cheating?

Fast Break by Mike Lupica Living on his own since his mothers death, twelve-year-old Jayson has focused on basketball and avoiding foster care, but when his deception is discovered, he is placed with an affluent foster family and must learn to adjust to his new life.

Miracle at the Plate by Matt Christopher Skeeter is the best batter in the league but seems to be all thumbs when fielding or trying to make friends.

Hot Hand by Mike Lupica In the wake of his parents' separation, ten-year-old Billy seems to have continual conflicts with his father, who is also his basketball coach, but his quiet, younger brother Ben, a piano prodigy, is having even more trouble adjusting, and only Billy seems to notice.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine Ten-year-old Caitlin, who has Asperger's Syndrome, struggles to understand emotions, show empathy, and make friends at school, while at home she seeks closure by working on a project with her father.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.

What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau Fourteen-year-old Clara Luna spends the summer with her grandparents in the tiny, remote village of Yucuyoo, Mexico, learning about her grandmother's life as a healer, her father's decision to leave home for the United States, and her own place in the world.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng Eleven-year-old Alex Petroski, along with his dog, Carl Sagan, make big discoveries about his family on a road trip and he records it all on a golden iPod he intends to launch into space

White Bird: a Wonder Story by R. J. Palacio Tells the story of Julian's Grandmère's childhood as she, a Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied French village during World War II and how the boy she once shunned became her savior and best friend.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Ally's greatest fear is that everyone will find out she is as dumb as they think she is because she still doesn't know how to read.

Ugly by Robert Hoge Robert Hoge was born with a tumor the size of a tennis ball in the middle of his face and short, twisted legs, but he refused to let what made him different stand in the way of leading a happy, successful life. This is the true story of how he embraced his circumstances and never let his 'ugly' stop him from focusing on what truly mattered

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Ra�f When quiet, nine-year-old Ahmet arrives in their classroom, a boy and his friends fail to draw him out but try a new plan after learning he is a Syrian refugee.

What Stars Are Made Of by Sarah Allen Libby, a young girl with Turner’s Syndrome who is fascinated by science, sets out to win a science contest and support her pregnant sister’s family with the prize money.