Our Middle Grade book spotlight this week is focused on books that have recently been added to our collection meaning they are new!!!! New books are the best; they have a new book smell and there is just something about being one of the first people to read it. There is a great mix of fiction, novel in verse, nonfiction, and graphic novels this week; there is literally something for everyone! These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #2021youthnewbooks 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!!
Coop Knows the Scoop by Taryn Souders--Ever since thirteen-year-old Coop and his mother moved to the small town of Windy Bottom, Georgia after his father died, he has fallen in love with the small town and its kooky residents. When the local city park is renovated, a skeleton is unearthed and revealed to be that of Coop's grandmother. Coop's grandfather thought she left him, but it now appears she was murdered. Coop is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, even if it means revealing that his grandfather is the culprit.
Above the Rim by Jen Bryant--Presents a picture book biography of Hall-of-Fame basketball player, Elgin Baylor from his childhood in Washington, D.C. to his professional career. Discusses how Baylor and his teammates on the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association boycotted places that practiced segregation when traveling for away games in the 1950s and 1960s.
Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander--Cassius Clay is your typical young kid. He learns life lessons from his grandfather, hides his report card from his parents, and hangs out around Louisville with his friends. But after dealing with bullies, Cassius wants to learn how to box in order to fight back. Fortunately, his best friend Lucky always has his back no matter what. With the help of his family and friends, Cassius may just achieve more than he could have ever dreamed through boxing.
Muffled by Jennifer Gennari--When fifth-grader Amelia learns to cope with her noise sensitivity, she steps outside of her comfort zone and makes new friends.
The Boys In the Back Row by Mike Jung--Best friends Matt Park and Eric Costas are band geeks and comic nerds, which makes life at Hilltop Summit K-8 School tolerable. That is all coming to an end when this year is over--when Eric and his family are set to move away. As one last hurrah, the best friends decide to sneak out of the regional marching band competition at World of Amazement and decide to sneak into DefenderCon next door, with no cell phones, transportation, and especially with no permission, to meet their favorite comic creator. However, they have an enemy, one that wants to ruin their plans.
My Video Game Ate My Homework by Dustin Hansen--Dewey Jenkins needs to have the top science project in class to avoid summer school and win a new virtual reality video game. However, his friend Ferg accidentally breaks the console and triggers the device. Now the friends find themselves transported inside a video game with Dewey's sister, Beatrice, and her best friend, Kat. The boys and girls must work together if they want to find a way out of the video game, and still get Dewey to the science fair in time.