Our middle grade book spotlight this week is on books that are all about families!! Let’s face it, love ‘em or hate ‘em, where would we be without our families? One of the amazing things about books is that there are so many different kinds and types within the collection and when it comes to books that feature families and family life, it is no exception plus sometimes it is very interesting reading about someone else’s family and then comparing yours (and realizing how lucky you may just be!). These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #youthmusicalstories as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new middle grade book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis--The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.
The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller--When Natalie's teacher, Mr. Neely, says that everyone in class must answer an important question using the scientific process, Natalie's question is "how do you grow a miracle?" in the hopes of helping her botanist mother, who is suffering from depression. When Mr. Neely suggests that Natalie enter an egg drop competition, Natalie hopes to use the prize money to fly her mother to see the Cobalt Blue Orchids, flowers that survive against impossible odds, to help her mother love life again. As Natalie and her friends develop their plans for the competition, she discovers that the only way to solve problems is to talk about them.
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan--Twelve-year-old Willow Chance knows she's different from other kids her age, and not just because she's the adopted, mixed-race child of white parents. In addition to being abnormally intelligent, Willow also possesses some distinct personal interests that set her apart--such as her fascination with disease and the number seven. When her parents die suddenly in a car accident, Willow's uncertain fate becomes intertwined with those around her, such as her friend, Mai, and Dell Duke, her school's unmotivated guidance counselor.
List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead--Despite her parents' divorce, her father's coming out as gay, and his plans to marry his boyfriend, ten-year-old Bea is reassured by her parents' unconditional love, excited about getting a stepsister, and haunted by something she did last summer at her father's lake house.
The Year We Fell from Space by A.S. King--Liberty, 12, struggles with a crumbling home environment with her parents divorcing, her sister succumbing to crippling anxiety, and former friends who've turned into bullies. Even her obsession with maps of stars seem inadequate. She then learns her father is dating, and, desperate to get her family back together, Liberty uses magical thinking to beseech the stars to help bring her father back home.
Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes by Mary Lambert--Seventh-grader Annabelle tries to hide that her mother is a hoarder, but when a pile of newspapers falls on her younger sister, causing a horrific fight between her parents, Annabelle decides it's time to make a change and she might need help to do it.