ALSC Notable Children's Books - 2023 (Middle Grade)Like this list

28 items

• Aviva Vs. the Dybbuk

  Lowe, Mari,

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  Haunted by a mischievous dybbuk, Aviva rekindles an old friendship, finds support in her Orthodox Jewish community, and begins to come to terms with a repressed traumatic memory.

• Black Bird, Blue Road

  Pasternack, Sofiya,

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  Ziva will do anything, even bargain with the Angel of Death, to cure her twin brother’s leprosy in this spiritual adventure set in the Khazarian Jewish Empire.

• Choosing Brave

  How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement

  Joy, Angela, 1975-

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  Accompanied by striking cut-paper illustrations, this moving picture book biography illuminates Mamie Till-Mobley’s life and the ways in which the murder of her son affected her activism during the civil rights era. (A 2023 Caldecott and Sibert…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Concrete

  From the Ground Up

  Theule, Larissa,

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  Informative and humorous, this picture book offers a fascinating introduction to the history, characteristics, and uses of a ubiquitous building material: concrete.

• Dragonfly Eyes

  Cao, Wenxuan, 1954-

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  In a story spanning three generations, a family, whose wealth brings them great honor, becomes a target for abuse and persecution during China’s Cultural Revolution due to their mixed heritage and possessions. (A 2023 Batchelder Honor Book)

• Freewater

  Luqman-Dawson, Amina,

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  A lyrical narrative tells the story of several children who escape slavery to discover freedom among a community of formerly enslaved Black people living in the Great Dismal Swamp. (The 2023 Newbery Award winner)

• Frizzy

  Ortega, Claribel A.,

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  Tired of getting her hair straightened at the salon, Dominican American Marlene goes to her aunt for affirmation and hair care tips. This graphic novel challenges societal beauty standards while celebrating naturally curly hair. (The 2023 Pura…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone

  Keller, Tae,

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  When UFO-obsessed Jennifer Chan disappears after “the Incident,” Mallory feels partly responsible and begins to search for her in this sensitive examination of the complex social dynamics of middle-school bullying.

• Just a Girl

  a True Story of World War II

  Levi, Lia, 1931-

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  During Mussolini’s reign, Lia and her family leave their home because of the persecution of Jews. Based on her adult memoir, Levi retells her story through the eyes of a child experiencing racism and hatred of Jews during the period. (The 2023…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Last Mapmaker

  Soontornvat, Christina,

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  A mapmaker’s apprentice, Sai joins a group of explorers on a journey to map unexplored territories. Filled with secrets and double-crossing, this seafaring adventure follows Sai as she charts a new path to her destiny. (A 2023 Newbery Honor Book)

• Love in the Library

  Tokuda-Hall, Maggie,

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  Tokuda-Hall draws upon her grandparents’ experiences during WWII in this tender picture book, which sees Tama and George fall in love while imprisoned in a Japanese American incarceration camp.

• Maizy Chen's Last Chance

  Yee, Lisa,

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  As Maizy gets to know her ailing grandfather and helps run the family’s Chinese restaurant during an unplanned summer in Minnesota, she also discovers her family history and fights racial prejudice. (A 2023 Newbery Honor Book)

• Odder

  Applegate, Katherine,

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  Inspired by true events, this novel in verse tells of a curious sea otter who is rehabilitated after nearly dying. Unfit for life in the wild, she begins to foster orphaned otter pups.

• The Ogress and the Orphans

  Barnhill, Kelly Regan,

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  An ogress joins forces with a group of orphans to bring love and compassion back to their town after years of apathy left a devastating mark.

• On the Move

  Home Is Where You Find It

  Rosen, Michael, 1946-

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  In this poetic meditation on human migration, Rosen connects his Polish Jewish family's history of loss and escape during the Holocaust with contemporary refugee and migrant experiences.

• Phenomenal AOC

  the Roots and Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

  Denise, Anika,

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  Tracing her journey from the Bronx to the Capitol Building, this inspiring biography of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the country’s youngest congresswoman, reminds readers of their own ability to make a difference. (A 2023 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• A River's Gifts

  the Mighty Elwha River Reborn

  Newman, Patricia, 1958-

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  A century after the damming of the Elwha River, members of the negatively impacted Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and activists joined forces to remove the dams and restore the local ecosystem.

• A Rover's Story

  Warga, Jasmine,

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  Told through multiple viewpoints, this tale of emotional rover Resilience’s mission to Mars will keep readers with an interest in STEM will be on the edge of their seats.

• The Secret Battle of Evan Pao

  Shang, Wendy Wan Long,

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  When Evan Pao moves to a Virginia town where everyone is obsessed with the Civil War, his research into Chinese American history sparks classroom conversations surrounding systemic racism.

• Seeking Freedom

  the Untold Story of Fortress Monroe and the Ending of Slavery in America

  Castrovilla, Selene, 1966-

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  This little-known Civil War story celebrates formerly enslaved fugitive George Scott, whose courageous acts helped the Union army defeat Confederate soldiers at Fortress Monroe.