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Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos (2020). Penguin Random House Juvenile Fiction Disabilities and Special Needs.

Awards:

·      NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Nominee (2020)

·      Time Best Children’s Book of 2021

For Reviews and additional information see:

· https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586118/planet-earth-is-blue-by-nicole-panteleakos/

· https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780525646600

Planet Earth is Blue is about 12-year-old Nova who is non-verbal and Autistic. Nova is eagerly awaiting the launch of the space shuttle Challenger. Nove and her sister, Bridget, are extremely close and share a love of space exploration, the one thing that gives them hope while moving between foster families (12 families in 7 years). Bridget is the one person who knows how intelligent and special Nova is, and can understand what Nova’s trying to say when she doesn’t how to express herself. When Nova is placed with a new foster family without Bridget, she doesn't know how people will understand her without her sister explaining to people that "she's a thinker, not a talker". But as Nova starts to make friends in her new class and her foster family begins to see all of her potential, she continues to countdown the days until the Challenger launch--the day Bridget promised she wouldn't miss, no matter what. I recommend this book as the protagonist has a disability, specifically Autism, which is well known in our building and for students in this class. The current classroom library has very minimal titles containing disability themes.

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The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin written by Julia Finley Mosca and illustrated by Daniel Rieley (2017). The Innovation Press children’s biography picture book.

Awards:

·      NSTA Best STEM books 2018

·      USBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.theinnovationpress.com/thegirlwhothoughtinpictures

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781943147618

The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin explores the life of an esteemed animal scientist whose early life was fraught with difficulties. As a young Boston child diagnosed with autism, she was easily overstimulated and couldn't relate to other kids or daily challenges. She didn't speak a word until she was 3 years old, but she was able to visualize thoughts and feelings through her ability to think "in pictures." Other kids were mean to her because she was "different," and she ended up getting kicked out of school for throwing a book at another student. Life wasn't easy -- until her mother sent her to live with family on a ranch out West. There she discovered she had an innate ability to connect with animals and understood their behavior in a way no one else could. For the first time in her life, she was encouraged by her talent and unique mind, and she conceived of new ways of working with livestock. She ultimately was able to harness her unique gifts, and today is a leading researcher and lecturer on animal science. I recommend this book to fill the deficit of diverse disability texts and poetry within the classroom library.

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A Walk in the Words written and illustrated by Hudson Talbott (2021). Penguin Random House children’s inclusion and disability picture book.

Awards:

·      Schneider Family Honor Book (2022)

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/548522/a-walk-in-the-words-by-hudson-talbott/

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780399548710

A Walk in the Words is a story about a young Hudson Talbott (author) who loved drawing as a little boy but had great difficulties with reading. One at a time, words weren't a problem, but long sentences were a struggle. As his friends moved on to thicker books, he kept his slow reading a secret. But that got harder every year. He felt alone, lost, and afraid in a world of too many words. Fortunately, his love of stories wouldn't let him give up. He started giving himself permission to read at his own pace, using the words he knew as stepping-stones to help draw him into a story. And he found he wasn't so alone--in fact, lots of brilliant people were slow readers, too. Learning to accept the fact that everyone does things in their own unique way, and that was okay, freed him up and ultimately helped Hudson thrive and become the fabulous storyteller he is today. I recommend this book to serve as a mirror and window for all struggling readers in the classroom as well as to fill the gap in disability diversity texts in the library.

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A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll (2021). Yearling middle-grade disability and inclusion fiction

Awards:

·      Schneider Family Book Award Honor 2022

·      Blue Peter Book Award for best story 2021

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/669051/a-kind-of-spark-by-elle-mcnicoll/9780593374283

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780593374283

This story is set in a small town just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. Addie is an 11-year old girl with Autism and has a very close relationship with her older sister who also has Autism. Despite having a great relationship with her sister, Addie greatly struggles with connecting to her peers. One day, Addie’s teacher begins discussing the historical topic of the witches that were tortured in their small town. Addie learns that she and these witches have a lot in common and they are just “different” and tortured because of it. This story is told from Addie’s point of view as she seeks to get justice for the witches through a village memorial. I recommend this book as it has a female protagonist with a disability that can serve as a mirror or window for students in the classroom. This book also fills the deficit for diversity of disabilities in theme and protagonist in the classroom library.

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Star Gazing written and illustrated by Jen Wang (2019). First Second Publishers middle-grade realistic fiction graphic novel

Awards:

·      Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children’s Literature Nominee (2020)

·      Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Children’s Literature (2020)

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.jenwang.net/stargazing

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781250183880

Star Gazing tells the unlikely friendship story of elementary schoolers Christine and Moon. Christine's friends warn her to stay away from Moon, who has a reputation for beating people up. But when Moon moves in next door to Christine, Christine finally meets someone very different from what she expected. Their friendship grows as the two girls ride to school together and start working on a talent-show routine. Moon is truly different, in many ways that Christine wishes she could be, too. So why does Christine betray Moon and draw away from her, just when a serious medical condition means Moon needs a friend more than ever? I recommend this book since it is an award-winning graphic novel with a diverse protagonist which fulfill the needs of the classroom library. The theme of friendship in this story serves as a mirror, window and sliding glass door for the various fourth grade students in the classroom.

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Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas (2022). HarperAlly middle-grade contemporary realistic fiction graphic novel.

Awards:

·      National Book Award (2022)

·      Harvey Award Nominee (2022)

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://johnniechristmas.com/

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780063056763

Swim Team follows the journey of young Bree, a middle-school black student who just moved from New York to Florida with her dad. Bree is excited for her first day at her new middle until she finds out that her sixth-grade elective is Swim 101. Surrounded by Surrounded by kids who have grown up around pools and the ocean, Bree is embarrassed that she doesn’t know how to swim.  All that changes one day when she accidentally falls into her apartment complex’s pool and is rescued by her neighbor, Miss Etta.  It turns out that Etta was a swimming champion, and she takes Bree under her wing and, step by step, teaches her how to swim.  To raise her Swim 101 grade, Bree agrees to try out for the swim team and to everyone’s surprise–including her own–she’s a natural. I recommend this graphic novel because of the strong black, female protagonist. This book serves as mirror, window and glass door for many students and adds another award winning graphic novel title to the classroom library.

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The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy (2020). Harper Collins Publishers middle-grade LGBTQ+ fiction.

Awards:

·      Stonewall Book Awards (2020)

·      Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Nominee (2023)

For reviews and additional information see:

· https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-best-at-it-maulik-pancholy?variant=40827379449890

· https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780062866424

The Best at It is about an Indian American boy named Rahul who struggles with his sexuality and mental health when finding a place for himself in his middle school in Indiana. I recommend this book as it adds another title with an Indian protagonist as well as themes of LGBTQ+ to fill the deficits of diverse protagonists and LGBTQ+ themed books in the library.

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The Insiders by Mark Oshiro (2022). Harper Collins Publishers middle-grade LGBTQ+ Fantasy.

Awards:

·      Ignyte Award Nominee for Best Middle Grade Novel (2022)

·      Publishers Weekly’s Best Middle Grades Book of 2021

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-insiders-mark-oshiro?variant=39874691694626

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780063008113

The Insiders is a heartfelt coming of age story about 12-year old Hector Munoz, who moves from San Diego into the suburbs when his mom gets a new teaching job. Hector who is gay must find his place in his new school, but feels very alone. Hector hides in the janitor’s closet, but when the door closes behind him he stumbles into a impossible room connecting him with two friends from different corners of the country and opens the door to a life-changing year full of magic, friendship, and adventure. I recommend this book as it adds another title with a Latin X protagonist and themes of LGBTQ+ that will fill deficits in the current classroom library.

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Rainbow Revolutionaries written by Sarah Prager and illustrated by Sarah Papworth (2020). Harper Collins Publishers Juvenille LGBTQ+ Non-Fiction.

Awards:

·      Junior Library Guild Selection (2020)

·      Lambda Literacy’s Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books of 2020

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.harpercollins.com/products/rainbow-revolutionaries-sarah-prager?variant=39651607642146

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780063091061

Rainbow Revolutionaries takes the reader on a journey through the lives of 50 revolutionary queer figures who made history in LGBTQ+ history. This middle-grade non-fiction biography celebrates the many ways these heroes have made a difference and will inspire young readers to make a difference too. I recommend this book as it adds another non-fiction title to the library with themes of LGBTQ+ themes.

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Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff (2022). Penguin Random House LGBTQ+ middle grade horror novel.

Awards:

·      National Book Award Finalist

·      Newberry Medal Honor Book (2022)

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634497/too-bright-to-see-by-kyle-lukoff/

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780593111178

Too Bright to See is a middle grade ghost novel which tells the story of Bug, a transgender boy who recently lost his uncle and lives in a haunted house, as he tries to understand a message a ghost is trying to send him. This coming-of-age and coming-out story takes a needed departure from other stories about transgender youth by illuminating the perspective of a young person who does not initially know how to identify his discomfort. I recommend this book as it add a transgender protagonist and themes of LGBTQ+ to the classroom library.

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Invisible written by Christina Diaz Gonzalez illustrated by Gabriela Epstein (2022). Scholastic Inc. middle-grade fiction graphic novel

Awards:

·      Indie Bestseller

·      ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://christinagonzalez.com/services/invisible/

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781338194548

Invisible is a graphic novel about five very different students (George – the brain, Sara – the loner, Dayara – the tough kid, Nico – the rich kid, and Miguel – the athlete) who are forced together by their school to complete community service. Although the group is sure they have nothing in common, others see them as all the same, just five Spanish speaking kids. The they meet someone who truly needs their help, and they must decide whether they are each willing to expose their own secrets to help…or if remaining invisible is the only way to survive middle school. I recommend this book because it adds another award-winning graphic novel to the classroom which will also serve as a mirror for the LatinX students in the classroom.

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Marshmallow Clouds written by Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek and illustrated by Richard Jones (2022). Candlewick Publishers middle-age non-fiction poetry.

Awards:

·      ALSC Notable Children’s Book Nominee (2023)

·      School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Selection (2022)

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=1536203033&pix=y

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781536203035

Marshmallow Clouds is a collection of thirty poems, framed by the four elements of fire, water, air, and Earth. This story isn’t necessarily the kind of book a kid will pick up voluntarily, but once inside the covers it’s hard to imagine anyone who won’t be intrigued by the imagery. It would be fun to read three or four at a time and then look around for everyday objects to personify or metaphorize. In his Afterword Ted Kooser likens imagination to a dog or cat: “playing with your imagination can keep it happy and healthy.” That’s what these poems are about, and with the slightest encouragement, they inspire further play. I recommend this book as it will add another award-winning title to the library offering students more access to poetry. This book can also be used as a mentor text during reading and writing instruction.

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Cast Away: Poems of Our Time by Naomi Shinhab Nye (2020). Greenwillow Books middle-age poetry

Awards:

·      National Book Award Finalist

·      Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Poetry (2020)

·      ALA Notable Children’s Book (2022)

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.harpercollins.com/products/cast-away-naomi-shihab-nye?variant=32126651564066

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9780062907707

Cast Away: Poems of Our Time is a collection of more than 80 poems of the things we “cast away” from plastic water bottle to those less fortunate. With poems about good wrappers, lost mittens, plastic straws, refugee children, trash talk, the environment, connection, community, responsibility to the planet, politics, immigration, time, junk mail, trash collectors, garbage trucks, all that we carry and all that we discard, this is a rich, engaging, moving, and sometimes humorous collection which will serve as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors for the variety of students in the classroom. I recommend this book to add another award-winning title to the classroom library and increase the number of poetry books available to students.

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Counting in Dog Years and Other Sassy Math Poems written by Betsy Franco illustrated by Priscilla Tey (2022). Candlewick Press middle-grade non-fiction poetry.

Awards:

·      2023 Notable Poetry Book and Verse Novel

·      National Council of Teachers of English recommendation

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/716066/counting-in-dog-years-and-other-sassy-math-poems-by-betsy-franco-illustrated-by-priscilla-tey/

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781536201161

Counting in Dog Years is a 2023 Notable Poetry Book and Verse Novel. This collection of 29 poems relates math to the daily lives of children. These poems not only relate math to real life situations for students they also are full of humor that will keep students engaged and learning. For example, the poem “How Old Am I” is a poem about a child who is eight and three quarters to the day and the author includes fun ways to share how many different ways to represent the days left until his birthday. Poems in this collection include fractions, measurement, time, multiplication, geometry, graphs and more. The illustrator, Priscilla Tey, uses quirky yet surreal images which pair perfectly with the tone of the poems. The bright, humorous images help keep the reader engaged from poem to poem. This collection of poems demonstrates the overlap among subjects which allows this text to be used across several content areas. These poems can be used to help students struggling with various mathematical concepts. I recommend this book to increase the number of award-winning and poetry titles within the classroom library.

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Star Fish by Lisa Fipps (2021). Nancy Paulsen Books middle-age free verse poetry.

Awards:

·      Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Honor Book (2022)

·      2022 International Literacy Association Notable Books for a Global Society Award Winner

·      2022 National Council of Teachers of English Charlotte Huck Award Honor Book

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://authorlisafipps.com/books/starfish/

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781984814500

Star Fish is a middle-age novel written in free verse about eleven-year-old Ellie who has been bullied about her weight since she was five-years-old. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie's weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life—by unapologetically being her own fabulous self. I recommend this book to increase the number of poetry and award-winning titles in the classroom library. This book serves as a mirror for students being bullied for their weight. This book also serves as a window and sliding-glass door for other students which will hopefully help decrease the likelihood of bullying.

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Other Boys by Damien Alexander (2021). First Second Publishing middle-grade LGBTQ+ graphic memoir.

Awards:

·      Rainbow Project Book List

For reviews and additional information see:

·      https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250222817/otherboys

·      https://www.andersonsbookshop.com/book/9781250222817

Other Boys is about Damian, the new kid at school, and he has a foolproof plan to avoid the bullying that's plagued him his whole childhood: he's going to stop talking. Starting on the first day seventh grade, he won't utter a word. If he keeps his mouth shut, the bullies will have nothing to tease him about—right? But Damian's vow of silence doesn't work—his classmates can tell there's something different about him. His family doesn't look like the kind on TV: his mother is dead, his father is gone, and he's being raised by his grandparents in a low-income household. And Damian does things that boys aren't supposed do, like play with Barbies instead of GI Joe. Kids have teased him about this his whole life, especially other boys. But if boys can be so cruel, why does Damian have a crush on one? I recommend this book because it will add another graphic novel title with a protagonist living with a financial hardship in addition to themes of LBTQ+.