BOOK MARKED
MIDDLE-GRADE READERS
MIDDLE SCHOOL BITES
Written by Steven Banks, illustrated by
Mark Fearing
Looking at the start of middle school, Tom has big
plans to fly under the radar and have a quiet year.

His plans are dashed on the last day of summer
vacation when he’s bitten by a rat, a mangy dog
and a creepy Halloween decoration. He finds
himself turned into a vampire, werewolf and
zombie. In addition to navigating classes, bullies
and locker mates, he also has to deal with turning
into a wolf once a month and frequent cravings for
blood and brains!
JUST BE COOL, JENNA SAKAI
Written by Debbi Michiko Florence
Dealing with the fallout of her parents’ nasty
divorce and her own breakup, Jenna decides to
refocus on school and her goals, especially her
love of investigative journalism. But her first
assignment for newspaper club is a personal essay,
which will mean poking some emotional bruises
she’d rather pretend don’t exist. Things get even
more complicated when her recent ex is her main
competition for a journalism scholarship.

ONE KID’S TRASH
Written by Jamie Sumner
Hugo has always been teased for being small, but
his outcast status means he’s gotten very good at
observing everything around him. He’s particularly
adept at Garbology—the art of learning all about
someone by analyzing their trash. When his father
moves them across the country for a new job,
Hugo’s garbage-analyzing skills gain him popularity
for the first time, but popularity can be fickle,
especially when Hugo lets his fame go to his head.

TEENS THE TAKING OF JAKE LIVINGSTON
Written by Ryan Douglass
The teachers at Jake’s high school frequently ignore
the small and large ways he’s bullied for being one
of the only Black students at his school. In addition
to the horror that is school, Jake’s also a medium.

He sees dead people reliving and helps them move
on. One recent spirit is particularly vengeful and
wants to use Jake to finish enacting the murder
spree he started before he died. Jake is now fighting
a battle for survival on multiple planes in this
horror thriller.

HANI AND ISHU’S GUIDE
TO FAKE DATING
Written by Adiba Jaigirdar
When Hani’s friends tell her she can’t really be
bisexual because she’s only dated guys, she blurts
out that she’s dating the most unlikely girl in
school—Ishu. They’re total opposites: Hani is
popular, but Ishu is devoted to her studies. Hani is
Muslim and Ishu is an atheist Hindu. Hani is out,
and Ishu is still in the closet. Hani is Bangladeshi-
Irish, and Ishu is Indian-Irish. But Ishu could use
Hani’s popularity in her bid to become head girl,
so Ishu agrees to the ruse. But fake dating wasn’t
nearly as hard as staying together when feelings
develop between the two of them.

BOTH SIDES NOW
Written by Peyton Thomas
Finch loves debate and is hoping to get a debate
scholarship to attend college, but he struggles
with the topic for Nationals. Everyone at the
competition will be debating transgender bathroom
access, but for Finch, it isn’t an academic exercise.

He is trans and isn’t sure he can handle hearing
what feels like a debate on his right to exist in
public. Adding to his complications, he has a crush
on his debate partner who already has a boyfriend. n
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