Book Review - Yes No Maybe So

📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖

Yes No Maybe So

by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

Jamie Goldberg and Maya Rehrman may not be old enough to vote in the special election. Still, they aren’t too young to get roped into canvassing for one of the candidates. Not a fan of public speaking and talking to strangers, Jamie is as thrilled about canvasing as he is giving the speech at his sister’s upcoming Bat Mitzvah. Maya is only canvasing in hopes her parents will get her the promised card, plus her summer can’t get any worse. As the pair knocks on doors together, the friendship they had as young children resurfaces. They also discover there is more to their canvasing then getting votes for their candidate.
Told in the alternating viewpoints of Jamie and Maya, this story tackles many topics without being super preachy about it. Jamie is Jewish and Maya Muslim, so culture and religion play a significant role in their stories and the story as a whole. Both characters have their annoying moments but are overall great characters. Though Jamie’s sister and grandmother both often steal the scenes in which they appear.  

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E-books - Historical Fiction

• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (Tween Friendly)
• Lovely War by Julie Berry
• Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz (Tween Friendly)
• Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse (Tween Friendly)
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

E-books - Non-Fiction

• Life Inside My Mind ed. by Jessica Burkhart
• The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming
• Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman
• The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
• We Are Displaced by Malala Yousafzai

E-books

• Becoming Kareem by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
• Courage to Soar by Simone Biles
• Also available on Hoopla
• Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton
• Knots in My Yo-Yo String by Jerry Spinelli
• I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

E-books

• North of Happy by Adi Alsaid
• Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi
• Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
• Dear Martin by Nic Stone
• Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton

E-books

• The Leaving by Tara Altebrando
• One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
• People Like Us by Dana Mele
• Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
• The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

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Peer Book Review - Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
by James Patterson
Reviewed by THMS 8th Grader Daniel P.
This is the story of a kid named Rafe. He gets into a lot of trouble in school. He does something serious and is put into jail. His mother is a great person but he lives with an irresponsible father. 

This is an okay book. Rafe isn’t a bad kid but makes bad decisions. He is a very likable person. He really makes the story although it doesn’t end well. 

Library Catalog - E-book - Downloadable Audio

E-books

• Shine! by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
• Grenade by Alan Gratz
• Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
• Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds
• My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi

E-books

• Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
• The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
• Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
• Also available on Hoopla
• Everless by Sara Holland
• Also available on Hoopla
• Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Book Theme Graphic - Author Spotlight - Tiffany D. Jackson

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Book Review - Every Other Weekend

📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖

Every Other Weekend

by Abigail Johnson

Due to the grief of losing the oldest child, Adam’s parents have separated. Adam and his brother Jeff now have to spend every other weekend with their dad at his new apartment. On those same weekends, Jolene has to spend her time there due to her parent’s messy divorce, even though he is never home. During their time spent at the building, Adam and Jolene form a friendship that helps them get through this time. Little do either of them just how important they will become to one another.

Alternating between Adam and Jolene’s perspectives, this story is told primarily during their shared time together at the apartment building. There are some snippets of time in-between though, often told through text messages. While both the main characters are forced to spend their time where they don’t want to, their circumstances for it are very different. These differences make this book great when it comes to sharing various stories. The differences in their situation make it difficult for Adam and Jolene to fully understand what the other is going through, which aids the story. 

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Teen E-books

Miss. Amanda’s Teen Reads Picks

For Grades 9-12

The library may be closed but you can check out these awesome titles as e-books.

Just download the Libby or Overdrive App to your smartphone or tablet.

Fiction:

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi

Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

Lovely War by Julie Berry

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson

The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Calling My Name by Liara Tamani

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

Non-Fiction:

Courage to Soar by Simone Biles

Life Inside My Mind by Jessica Burkhart

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Tween E-books

Miss. Amanda’s Tween E-Book Picks

For Grades 6-8

The library may be closed but you can check out these awesome titles as e-books.

Just download the Libby or Overdrive App to your smartphone or tablet.

Fiction:
The Losers Club by Andrew Clements
Shine! by J.J. Grabenstein and Chris Grabenstein
Grenade by Alan Gratz
Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald
Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
Carl Hiaasen Collection (Hoot, Flush, Scat, Chomp) by Carl Hiaasen
All We Have Left by Wendy Mills
Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts
Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds
Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
The Way to Bea by Kat Yeh
Martin McLean, Middle School Queen by Alyssa Zaczek
My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi

Non-Fiction:
The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming
Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman
We Are Displaced by Malala Yousafzai

Book Theme Graphic - More Tween Friendly

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Peer Book Review - Refugee

📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

Refugee
by Alan Gratz
Reviewed by THMS 8th Grader Daniel P.
This story tells us how three immigrants called Josef, Isabel and Mahmoud want to leave their country. They want to leave due to wars in their countries. They go across oceans in an attempt to find a better home. All go through many obstacles. 

I would highly recommend this book. It shows how our world is and how many kids have to deal with adult problems. I hope many people read this great book. 

Library Catalog - E-book - Downloadable Audio

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Book Theme Graphic - YALSA 2020 Top Ten Best Fiction for Teens

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Peer Book Review - So Done

📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

So Done
by Paula Chase

Reviewed by THMS 8th Grader Briana M.

The book So Done is very interesting. It has two points of view from best friends. This book involves secrets, life in middle school, and dance auditions. These best friends were separated during the summer, which ruined their friendship. 

So Done is perfect for kids like me. The book has many relating events; in fact, I relate with this book. Needless to say, but I believe that Paula Chase is a very creative author, and with this book, she connects with the reader. 

Library Catalog - E-book - Downloadable Audio

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