6th Grade – Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Amal, though only 12 years old has a dream to become a teacher. She lives in a quaint Pakistani village with her family, and her life is going great until she is struck with the terrible news…she has to stay home from school to take care of her family while her mom recovers from childbirth. Of course, Amal loves her family, but she was stuck on the fact that her educational goals would be put on hold. But one thing about Amal is that she is determined and will continue learning and persevere through this setback. Now even worse, she is separated from her family when she insults a member of her village’s ruling family. At this time Amal truly struggled, because now she did not only lose her education but her family, too. What will she need to accomplish or realize in order to stand up to the injustice she is facing? Amal Unbound tells an important story about bravery and will inspire anyone who reads it. You can find this novel at the CMS Library Media Center or at the Westport Library.

7th Grade – The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Josh Bell and his twin Jordan are kings on the basketball court with amazing crossovers but things change when Jordan meets the new girl. Due to this change in Jordan’s life, the brothers’ bond loosens. Josh and Jordan both have confident, similar personalities that struggle to react to this change in a mature way. They begin arguing rather than sticking together as they fail to realize life isn’t a competition nor does it always have a set path. Josh and Jordan’s story is not only relatable for siblings but is a perfect read for someone who likes basketball and loves stories with character development. This book can also be found at the CMS Library Media Center or at the Westport Library.

8th Grade – Scythe by Neal Shusterman

A world with no diseases. No conflict. No death. No problems.  Scythes have one of the most important roles, to regulate population size. You might be wondering how they do this if death has been conquered, but the answer is simple, gleanings. Teenagers Citra and Rowan are selected to apprentice a Scythe — though they didn’t have much of a choice. Essentially, the two must master the art of killing, knowing that the consequence of failing at their task will be just as worse. In the dystopian world Citra and Rowan live in, humans have conquered everything that once made life tough, or so it seems. Scythe is one book in particular that changed my view of the world. It is recommended to anyone who loves dystopia and unique plots. Of course, this book can be found at the CMS Library Media Center or at the Westport Library.