A beautiful and simply written novel-in-verse about the day Pearl Habour was bombed and the day Hiroshima was bombed from the perspective of two kids, and how the meeting of these two people many years brought their stories together.

This fun sci-fi/ fantasynovel would be a great addition to classroom libraries. Caitlin is a misfit at school and in life. After a big story she rescues an unusual creature off a nearby beach. She bring him (Perigee) home and helps him recover but little does she know the worldwide disasters this will cause.

Alan Gratz does it again with this fabulous book. WWll through the eyes of the son of an Irish spy family in Germany, who works his way into the Hitler Youth to gain information for the Allies. Adventure and high suspense will draw in many Middle Grades readers. I also love that the reader always learns so much about history, and some of the lesser known details of history, from his stories.

Melody is back and showing the world once again all that she can do. In this wonderful sequel, Melody is off to summer camp and discovers a whole bunch of new things that she can do. Love this book!

Loved this historical fiction novel about Hanna and her dad moving from LA to the Dakota territory in 1890. Being half-Chinese causes Hanna to face racism and intolerance every day in her new home. Hanna's perspective of this time in history is one I haven't read before and I learned a lot about what they faced while trying to find a place to call home.

Another beautiful novel-in-verse for middle grade readers. Reha is an American-born Indian girl who struggles with what she feels are her two separate worlds- her American friends in her American school and her family time which is steeped in Indian culture and traditions. She often wonders if she can ever combine these worlds so that she can be both more easily. Reha loves her mom but sometimes finds that she hinders her wants with her American friends.
Devastating news hits her family and Reha is left doubting her wants for her American life and reeling from the sadness that surrounds her in her home life.
Eloquently told from Reha’s perspective, the reader is witness to Reha’s turmoil and discovery that the two parts of her life are actually one.

Middle Gradesr, Melody, has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak or walk. She is, however, far more capable than the people around her realise. Luckily for her she has parents and babysitter who are staunch advocates for her and discover new technology that allows her to communicate after so many years of being unable to. Melody is a captivating character who teaches empathy, acceptance and understanding not only to the other characters in the book, but to the reader as well. I have read this book a few times and students have always been enthralled by Melody and the lessons she teaches us along the way.

What a book! Alan Gratz has an amazing ability to draw middle-grade students into history in captivating ways. This story of a Jewish boy during WWII in Germany and his years in concentration camps is both haunting and horrifying, however, it is done in a way that is accessible to Middle Grades students.

This book still sits on my list of best books I have ever read. I have read it to numerous groups of kids and every time it has been a bonding experience as we read this book. The collective gasps and tears as we read the stories of Josef (Germany 1939), Isabel (Cuba 1994) and Mahmood (Syria 2015) and their escapes and hope for better lives is something I won't soon forget.