For kids, summer arrives with an unbridled sense of freedom and a glorious time to read, adventure, imagine, and explore. But it is also a time wrought with transition. Change is in the air! New experiences, new friends, growing and changing bodies, and the anticipation of new homes, classes, and schools. This month’s peek and picks are all about what it feels like as a kid to navigate change.

My featured peek is Rebecca Stead’s The List of Things That Will Not Change. Bea’s entire world is changing. Her parents get divorced, and everything is different - two houses, new schedules, and lots of anxious and challenging feelings. Then her dad tells her he’s getting engaged to his boyfriend, Jesse, who will also bring a new sister into her world. Young readers will identify with Bea’s honest feelings, which explore many deep emotions. Rebecca Stead is a master of middle-grade voice, and at the heart of this beautiful book is the celebration and power of family, love, and acceptance in all forms. Recommended for readers ages 8 and up.

In honor of Pride Month, I wanted to feature a book that takes an intimate look at what can happen when kids feel they aren’t accepted for who they are. Moonflower by Kacen Callender is a rare and precious gem in the middle-grade book world. In the book, 12-year-old Moon, a non-binary Black child struggling with depression and bullying, escapes each night in their sleep to the spirit world. In this fantasy world, interactions with both human and non-human characters help Moon develop emotionally and find a way to begin to love themself, value their life, and feel empathy for others. Callendar’s highly nuanced novel doesn’t talk down to kids, opening the door for important conversations about bullying, depression, and suicide ideation and the extreme importance of cherishing each individual in the world for who they are. Recommended for readers ages 9 and up.

In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, I wanted to highlight a delightful new collection of interconnected short stories by AAPI writers and edited by Ellen Oh, You Are Here: Connecting Flights. I absolutely adored this collection of stories! 📚The book explores the enduring prejudice people of Asian descent experience through the stories of twelve Asian-American kids stranded by circumstance at the international terminal of a Chicago airport. Drawing on personal experiences, the authors provide insight into what it feels like to be caught between two cultures, exploring incidents of blatant racism and microaggressions with sensitivity and nuance. Young readers will easily connect with the characters’ dilemmas and feel reassured about the power of their own voice. Recommended for readers ages 9-12.

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Authors: Traci Chee, Mike Chen, Meredith Ireland, Mike Jung, Erin Entrada Kelly, Minh Lê, Grace Lin, Ellen Oh, Linda Sue Park, Randy Ribay, Christina Soontornvat, Susan Tan.

April is National Poetry Month, so I wanted to highlight the big, bold, beautiful, and brilliant novel-in-verse Starfish by Lisa Fipps. Starfish stars 11-year-old Ellie Montgomery-Hofstien, who embarks on a personal journey to find her own voice and confront the fat-shaming bullies, not only at school but at home. Through the help of allies in her midst, the love of her father, and her therapist, Ellie learns to love herself. @authorlisafipps tells her reader, “You ARE beautiful. Now. Just as you are. You deserve to be seen, to be heard, to take up room, to be noticed. So when the world tries to make you feel small, starfish!” In true poetic form, Fipps’ novel helps young readers process the trauma and emotion of being bullied by skillfully weaving many thought-provoking truths into Ellie’s story. The book is a MUST-read for every middle-grade reader! Recommended for readers ages 9-12.

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat is one of those books that, if you missed it when it was released last April, you pick up because you want to see what all the fuss is about.  And when you do, you know why. Deserving of all of its accolades and praise, the story is a seafaring fantasy rooted in Thai culture and history, centering women and girls as leaders. The story is of 12-year-old Sai and her quest to break free from her criminal father’s corruption. Sai, who works as the assistant to legendary mapmaker Paiyoon, escapes her father and embarks on an expedition to chart the southern seas, including the fabled Sunderlands - land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond the imagination. The story explores themes of identity, class, colonialism, animal cruelty, exploitation of natural resources, integrity, and complex family relationships through the clever guise of a high-seas adventure. @csoontornvat is an absolute master of words developing a riveting world concisely and beautifully. The reader is immersed in a quest so compelling that it is almost impossible to put the book down. Recommended for readers ages 10-12.

There is so much to love about From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks! Marks’ debut novel tells the story of 12-year-old Zoe, who receives a letter from her incarcerated biological father on her birthday that propels Zoe on a quest to discover who he is and why he is in prison. The story explores the themes of truth, racial profiling, bias, friendship, advocacy, the power of words, and social justice. Zoe’s determination to discover the truth about her father becomes intertwined with her goal to prove to her parents that she is responsible enough to audition for Food Network’s Kids Bake Challenge. It is a journey young readers will find both page-turning and thought-provoking from start to finish. A truly gratifying read! Recommended for readers ages 10-12.

Muffled by Jennifer Gennari is a tremendously sweet story about 11-year-old Amelia, who is trying to cope with her sound sensitivity. Amelia is used to wearing noise-canceling headphones, but now that she is starting 5th grade, her counselor and parents feel it is time she stops wearing them. Amelia’s Dad, who also has sound sensitivity, gives her a pair of purple ear muffs to help with the adjustment. But are they enough to help Amelia cope with squeaky sneakers, subway brakes, loud classmates, and music class? This is a terrific book for any young reader to start the new year because it is all about the challenges of trying to make a change, fitting into social norms, and finding your own path. It is beautiful and heartfelt from start to finish. Recommended for readers ages 10-12.

If you haven’t treated yourself or your child to a Jason Reynold book yet, the holidays are a perfect time! His novel As Brave as You is a joy to read from start to finish. 11-year-old Genie from Brooklyn has lots of questions about everything! When he and his older brother Ernie are sent by their parents to live with their grandparents in Virginia for the summer, the reader is taken on a delightful journey of self-discovery. It is a story of the pleasures of day-to-day life, getting to know your relatives, and getting to know yourself. The novel skillfully explores some heavy issues, including the death of a family member, long-term grief, mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, discussion of an elderly relative's blindness, divorce, and gun use. Yet, as a masterful storyteller, Reynolds leans on the lighthearted and honest nature of youth to allow young people the opportunity to grapple with these realities.  Recommended for readers ages 10-12.

A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée is a funny and heartwarming look at one girl’s struggle to do what is right according to herself, her parents, her teachers, and her peers. 12-year-old Shayla is literally allergic to trouble and likes to follow the rules. But in middle school, it seems like all the rules have changed. As a young Black girl facing a shifting social landscape both at school and home while trying to understand her feelings about the Black Lives Matter protests, Shayla’s authentic voice will resonate with young readers. A Good Kind of Trouble is full of heart, laughter, and truth. Recommended for readers ages 9-12.

**Also worth checking out is the newly released Mapmaker by Lisa Moore Ramée. As Ramée’s first middle-grade fantasy novel, it is an imaginative adventure about a Black boy who has the magical ability to bring maps to life.

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McNulty takes a heartfelt and honest look at feeling like an outsider as a kid. Lucy Callahan doesn’t remember being struck by lightning but faces the day-to-day challenges of being a math genius ready for college who now has to go to middle school after being homeschooled since 2nd grade. Young readers will easily empathize with Lucy and her classmates as they navigate school, friendship, and social expectations while also learning about what it means to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The direct narrative, gentle humor, and unique premise make for a delightfully satisfying middle-grade read. Recommended for readers ages 8-12.

In honor of Banned Books Week, I decided to do a deep dive into middle-grade books that have been banned, removed, or challenged in the last five years. Acclaimed award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson is sadly no stranger to being the target of book bans. This month’s #AngiesPeeks celebrates her novel in verse Before the Ever After (banned in 2020). The book is a deeply moving and personal account of 12-year-old ZJ’s struggle to understand the recent changes in his father’s behavior. ZJ’s “Daddy” has been long celebrated in his community as a football star and hero. But after too many concussions, his father struggles with intense headaches, pain, memory loss, and anger. Woodson’s novel brilliantly and empathetically takes young readers on a journey with ZJ to try to understand and help, as he wishes everything would just go back to the way it was before. It is such an important story illuminating how all kids face adult behaviors they don’t understand, and all families encounter challenges that impel its members to adapt. Beautifully written, this short book is sure to pack a powerful punch and bring young readers all the feels. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

In honor of new beginnings, I wanted to feature a book I read earlier this year and absolutely loved, Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly. The story centers around the arrival of a new student, Orchid Mason, in a town and community that rarely sees change. The reader is taken on a beautiful journey of how new perspectives and new people can inspire us to view ourselves and those around us in new ways. When Orchid arrives, the twelve seventh graders who have been together their entire lives are challenged to imagine and do things differently. Entrada Kelly cleverly explores the all too real social dynamics of middle school, how hard it can be to step out of your comfort zone and embrace your true self, and all the challenges of being “new” to any group. The story is an honest, heartfelt, and captivating read for any young person facing something new or struggling with the old.  Recommended for readers ages 8 and up.