It’s been another crazy year of reading, with my current total at 343. Much of that has been kids/teens reading through homeschooling and Cybils Awards first round panelist reading. So, like last year, I’m not picking favorites but highlighting my 5 star reads by category. Here are the 12 nonfiction and 2 fiction middle school books that I rated 5 * on Goodreads.

Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out by Muzoon Almellehan with Weandy Pearlman. 299 pages. 2023

What happened to Muzoon, age 14, and her family when the civil war in Syria started to hit too close to home? An escape that leaves the reality of ‘home’ a question. I think this will appeal to a lot of middle schoolers as well as teens. We need more Muzoons as role models for our kids (and even for adults like me!). Inspiring.  (Amazon)

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Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment by Allison Matulli with Clelia Castro-Malaspina, illustrator Carmelle Kendall. 192 pages. 2023

Do you have a political or current events kid? This is a visually inviting non-partisan book full of excellent information about the things Americans hold dear; freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition. Told in a conversational manner with fun examples. (Amazon)

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Plague-Busters!: Medicine’s Battles with History’s Deadliest Diseases by Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal. 176 pages. 2023

Do you have that kid that enjoys gross stories or interesting facts? This is sure to please. Full of fantastic illustrations and written with great humor and fun. It will teach them loads of history without them even realizing it! (Amazon)

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Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adam’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki. 132 pages. 2022

A gorgeously illustrated book about the Japanese American incarceration during WWII, a terrible time in this country’s history. The photos and art make this feel like a graphic novel. While this is a middle school book, older teens would probably appreciate it more. (Amazon)

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Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life by Jerry Pinkney. 160 pages. 2023

I ❤️ illustrator Jerry Pinkney and any fan of his over 100 children’s books is going to want to pick up this memoir. The copy was almost done, but only sketches of the final artwork were done before he died in 2021. The sketches were used in the book. This is for the artist in your life. (Amazon)

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Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport by Caren Stelson, illustrator Selina Alko. 40 pages. 2023

The story of the children put on trains by their parents to escape Nazi controlled homelands. The Kindertransport movement took almost 10,000 children to Britain at the outbreak of WWII. Most of them never see their families again. An important book. This is a picture book, but the content is best for middle schoolers. (Amazon)

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The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Eugene Yelchin. 208 pages. 2021

A perfectly illustrated memoir about growing up in Cold War Russia. His observations on communism and his experience as a Jewish boy in Russia during the 1980s make this a compelling read. Told with great humor. (Amazon)

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Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet by Laura Gehl. 72 pages. 2023

Timely. Important, Inspiring. Tackled big things with approachable ways to make a difference at home. Science is always evolving and it’s imperative that we all stay up to date. For that kiddo who loves science or is interested on conservation. Colorful layouts make it fun. (Amazon)

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Cities: How Humans Live Together by Megan Clendenan, illustrator Suharu Ogawa. 96 pages. 2023

A fascinating look at the old, the new and everything in between. It’s an oversized picture book, but with lots of reading on each page with huge pictures and graphics. This covers things like mapping out a city, getting around, water, electric, food, at different points in history.  (Amazon)

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Rebel Girls Rock: 25 Tales of Women in Music. 68 pages. 2023

I loved the mix of women in this book! Most I’d heard of, but not all. I also loved the full page drawing of each. An entertaining and well laid out book sure to hold your musical middle schooler’s attention. (Amazon)

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Astonishing and Extinct Professions: 89 Jobs You Will Never Do by Markus Rottmann, illustrator Michael Meister, translated by Ashley Curtis. 88 pages, 2023

This oversized, illustrated picture book was SO MUCH FUN. The professions start with the oldest and end with a job that Jason had when he was a teen, sadly extinct now. And, no, it wasn’t a professional fartist, walking toilet, or ornamental hermit, althought those are all in here! Buy it for a kid, but make sure you read it yourself first. (Amazon)

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Benjamin Franklin’s Wise Words: How To Work Smart, Play Well, and Make Real Friends by KM Kostyal, illustrator Fred Harper. 127 pages. 2017

Presents 50 quotes from Poor Richard’s Almanac with a bit of history. I loved the full page illustrations. An appealing book that has bite-sized life lessons. (Amazon)

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A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. 237 pages. 2011

This book was so good I didn’t even mind that it made me cry twice. Not just tears in my eyes, but having to close the book and grab some tissues.

Conor’s mom has been sick awhile and he’s having trouble at school. When a monster appears he’s scared, but nothing can be as scary as his nightly nightmare. The monster tells his stories and Conor’s life continues to get worse.

This is the illustrated version and it’s so good! This is a kids book, but it goes to dark places. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s so much to say! 

This is a middle school book, but with teen issues. (Amazon)

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Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. 137 pages. 1989

Ann-Marie and her best friend Ellen are making the best of growing up with Nazis on every corner of their town, until one night the unthinkable happens at the local Jewish synagogue and now the Nazis have a list of Jews.  Ellen’s parents leave her with Ann-Marie’s family as they flee and what happens next is so emotional and horrifying that I became attached very quickly.  Ann-Marie and her family take extraordinary risks to do the right thing.

Historical fiction at it’s finest. This is was a Newbery Award Winner for a reason. (Amazon)