Our middle grade book spotlight this week is all about Tales From the Beyond!!! We are taking a look at books that are science fiction and/or set in outer space so there is a wide variety of options this week. Science Fiction is defined as anything that could possibly happen in the future so there is anything from robots to government anarchy, and time traveling; we are exploring anything that you can possibly imagine happening in the future no matter how abstract or far fetched it may seem. We have some stand alone choices as well as a few first in a series and even a story collection! These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #youthscifi as well as on Libby and Hoopla.
The 2021 Summer Reading Program takes place from June 5th-August 11th with a new theme and badge activities every week. Make sure to watch the Middle Grade Book Spotlight book talk video for this week as it counts towards your badge activities for the week; if you read one of the titles featured or on the tagged list, that counts as another activity as well!!! Earn the weekly themed badges to get your virtual tickets which can be turned into opportunities to win prizes! For more information--such as to sign up or to sign in to your account in order to track your books and activities--visit our Summer Reading page and click “LOG IN NOW”.
Check back next week for a new middle grade book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
Sci-Fi Junior High by Scott Seegert--On Kelvin Klosmo's first day at Sci-Fi Junior High, he has a lot to learn about school in outer space. And with a mad scientist out to conquer the universe, his life is about to get a little more complicated.
Ambassador by William Alexander--One summer night Gabriel “Gabe” Fuentes is reading beneath the covers of his bed when something that looks like a purple sock puppet interrupts him. It claims it is an alien, the Envoy to be precise, and it wants 11-year-old Gabe to be Earth's ambassador to the galaxy. What boy could say no? Using a bit of quantum science, the Envoy takes Gabe to the center of the galaxy, where he learns Earth is in danger from a destructive alien force, which only he can stop. Great—now he has to save the Earth while saving his undocumented parents from deportation.
Guys Read: Other Worlds by Jon Scieszka--Presents a collection of short science fiction stories for children set on other planets. Features contributions from such authors as Shannon Hale, Eric Nylund, Rick Riordan, and Ray Bradbury.
How To Make Friends and Monsters by Ron Bates--Eager to finally have a friend of his own, Howard Boward makes a monster he calls Franklin Stein. When Franklin becomes one of the most popular kids at school, he helps Howard attain popularity as well, but leaves Howard wondering what makes a true friendship.
Sky Jumpers by Peggy Eddleman--Twelve-year-old Hope Toriella lives in the world after World War III, a world of disease and danger. Her town, White Rock, is a town of inventors, who must reach a quota of invented things every year. This year, bandits get word of valuable antibiotics in White Rock, and so raid the village, giving them an ultimatum: hand over the antibiotics, or die. However, if they lose the antibiotics, the villagers will also die. The only way to save everyone is for Hope and her friends to cliff jump into the dangerous Bomb's Breath canyon.
Geeks, Girls, and Other Secret Identities by Mike Jung--Vincent Wu's superpower is knowing the most trivia about superheroes out of anyone else in his school. He is also the leader, along with his friends Max and George, of the unofficial Captain Stupendous Fan Club. So, when Captain Stupendous, the evil Professor Mayhem, a giant indestructible robot, Vincent's parents, and Polly Winnicott-Lee--the girl Vincent has a crush on--all collide together in a big mess, it will be up to Vincent to become a real superhero and save the day.