With wet weather and winter downtime coming up, you might be looking for a good read to snuggle up with. Here are a few novels that have wowed me in the past few weeks, if you’d like to see!
Maybe He Just Likes You, by Barbara Dee (@barbaradeebooks)
I wish I’d had Mila’s story to read as I struggled with new and complicated attention from boys in middle school. This one is being called an intro to #metoo for the middle grade audience, and that’s not meant in a scary or political way – it’s important, accessible, and artfully done.
Roll With It, by Jamie Sumner (@jamiesumner_author)
“Ellie’s a girl who tells it like it is. That surprised some people, who see a kid in a wheelchair and think she’s going to be all sunshine and cuddles. The thing is, Ellie has big dreams.” Disability representation has a long way to go in kid lit, and Roll With It felt like a huge win. Get to know Ellie. You’ll be glad you did.
More to the Story, by Hena Khan (@henakhanbooks)
This modern retelling of Little Women had me nostalgic for the past and excited for the feminist future all at once. Hena Khan is the queen of relatable, realistic characters that make you cheer, cringe, laugh, and cry, and she so delivers with Jameela and her sisters in More to the Story.
Some Places More than Others, by Renee Watson (@harlemportland)
This middle grade gem explores family, identity, love, and history in such a beautiful and heartfelt way. It would make an incredible read aloud or book club, and the added materials and discussion questions at the end have me itching to bring this compelling read into my classroom and to my readers and their families!
fitzbetweentheshelves.com 