Alan Cole Doesn't Dance

Alan Cole Doesn't Dance
Author: Eric Bell
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2018-10-09
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 006256708X

To heartwarming cheer, Alan Cole came out to his school. But now what? In this follow-up novel to Alan Cole Is Not a Coward, Eric Bell deftly explores with nuance and humor how the first step to complete self-acceptance may mean actually putting your feet on the dance floor. This laugh-out-loud and poignant tale is perfect for fans of Gary Schmidt and Jerry Spinelli. Alan Cole has a problem: Ron McCaughlin. Ever since Alan revealed he’s gay, Ron has been bullying Alan with relentless fury. Alan can’t tell his parents why he’s really coming home with bruises—because they still don’t know the truth about him. Yet buoyed by the support of his classmates and with his friends Zack and Madison by his side, Alan thinks he can withstand the bullying and—just maybe—break through to Ron. But all things come to a head when Alan’s father asks that he take June Harrison to the upcoming Winter Dance. Never mind that Alan has two left feet, does not like girls, and might be developing feelings for a new boy at school. This resounding tale about friendship, family, and the many meanings of bravery will leave readers rooting for Alan and his gang of proud misfits once more.

Alan Cole Is Not a Coward

Alan Cole Is Not a Coward
Author: Eric Bell
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 142
Release: 2017-09-05
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0062567055

Perfect for fans of Tim Federle and Gary Schmidt, this is a hilarious and poignant tale about the trials of middle school when you’re coming of age—and coming out. Alan Cole can’t stand up to his cruel brother, Nathan. He can’t escape the wrath of his demanding father, who thinks he’s about as exceptional as a goldfish. And—scariest of all—he can’t let the cute boy across the cafeteria know he has a crush on him. But when Nathan discovers Alan’s secret, his older brother announces a high-stakes round of Cole vs. Cole. Each brother must complete seven nearly impossible tasks; whoever finishes the most wins the game. If Alan doesn’t want to be outed to all of Evergreen Middle School, he’s got to become the most well-known kid in school, get his first kiss, and stand up to Dad. Alan’s determined to prove—to Nathan, to the world, to himself—that this goldfish can learn to swim. May the best Cole win.

If This Were a Story

If This Were a Story
Author: Beth Turley
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2019-09-03
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534420622

Ten-year-old Hannah copes with the bullies at school and trouble at home through the power of her imagination.

One Kid's Trash

One Kid's Trash
Author: Jamie Sumner
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2021-08-31
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1534457038

When his father moves them halfway across Colorado, eleven-year-old Hugo O'Donnell is surprised that his remarkable talent for garbology makes him popular for the first time in his life.

The Prettiest

The Prettiest
Author: Brigit Young
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2020-04-14
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1626729220

The Prettiest is an incisive, empowering novel by Brigit Young about standing up for yourself and those around you. “All middle school girls AND boys (especially boys!) should read this book.” —Alan Gratz, New York Times–bestselling author of Refugee THE PRETTIEST: It’s the last thing Eve Hoffmann expected to be, the only thing Sophie Kane wants to be, and something Nessa Flores-Brady knows she’ll never be . . . until a list appears online, ranking the top fifty prettiest girls in the eighth grade. Eve, ranked number one, can't ignore how everyone is suddenly talking about her looks—and her body. Sophie, always popular and put together, feels lower than ever when she's bullied for being number two. Nessa isn't on the list at all, but she doesn't care. Or does she? Eve, Nessa, and Sophie are determined to get justice—or at least revenge. But as these unlikely vigilantes become fiercely loyal friends, they discover that the real triumph isn't the takedown. It's the power that comes from lifting one another up. A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2020

Sidetracked

Sidetracked
Author: Diana Harmon Asher
Publisher: Abrams
Total Pages: 205
Release: 2017-08-22
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1683351207

If middle school were a race, Joseph Friedman wouldn’t even be in last place—he’d be on the sidelines. With an overactive mind and phobias of everything from hard-boiled eggs to gargoyles, he struggles to understand his classes, let alone his fellow classmates. So he spends most of his time avoiding school bully Charlie Kastner and hiding out in the Resource Room, a safe place for misfit kids like him. But then, on the first day of seventh grade, two important things happen. First, his Resource Room teacher encourages (i.e., practically forces) him to join the school track team, and second, he meets Heather, a crazy-fast runner who isn’t going to be pushed around by Charlie Kastner or anybody else. With a new friend and a new team, Joseph finds himself off the sidelines and in the race (quite literally) for the first time. Is he a good runner? Well, no, he’s terrible. But the funny thing about running is, once you're in the race, anything can happen.

Untamed (Shapevine)

Untamed (Shapevine)
Author: Alan Hirsch
Publisher: Baker Books
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2010-02-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1441207511

Discipleship is costly. Are we willing to critique and even challenge much we've been taught for the sake of the kingdom? For this is the radical nature of the discipleship to which Jesus calls us. He did not allow the outside culture to hold him captive; instead he established the kingdom of God and turned the world on its head. Jesus was untamed, and he calls his church to be the same. In this provocative and compelling book, internationally known missiologists Alan and Debra Hirsch overthrow culturized understandings of theology and culture, and cast a vision for a distinctly mission-shaped way of living the Christian life. Written for any Christian serious about issue of discipleship, Untamed covers such topics as church, humans as bearers of the image of God, family life, culture, and sexuality. Through it all they seek to answer the question, how are we to think and live day to day as followers of Jesus? Each chapter ends with suggested practices to help readers begin to live out the book's principles as well as questions for group discussion.

This Is Our Rainbow

This Is Our Rainbow
Author: Katherine Locke
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2021-10-19
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0593303962

The first LGBTQA+ anthology for middle-graders featuring stories for every letter of the acronym, including realistic, fantasy, and sci-fi stories by authors like Justina Ireland, Marieke Nijkamp, Alex Gino, and more! A boyband fandom becomes a conduit to coming out. A former bully becomes a first-kiss prospect. One nonbinary kid searches for an inclusive athletic community after quitting gymnastics. Another nonbinary kid, who happens to be a pirate, makes a wish that comes true--but not how they thought it would. A tween girl navigates a crush on her friend's mom. A young witch turns herself into a puppy to win over a new neighbor. A trans girl empowers her online bestie to come out. From wind-breathing dragons to first crushes, This Is Our Rainbow features story after story of joyful, proud LGBTQA+ representation. You will fall in love with this insightful, poignant anthology of queer fantasy, historical, and contemporary stories from authors including: Eric Bell, Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Ashley Herring Blake, Lisa Bunker, Alex Gino, Justina Ireland, Shing Yin Khor, Katherine Locke, Mariama J. Lockington, Nicole Melleby, Marieke Nijkamp, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, Molly Knox Ostertag, Aisa Salazar, and AJ Sass.

Don't Kiss the Bride

Don't Kiss the Bride
Author: Carian Cole
Publisher: Carian Cole
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2021-01-31
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 9781959194118

Carian Cole delivers a sweet but sexy slow burn, age gap, marriage of convenience romance with major swoony feels!I guess you could say I was a damsel in distress, and he was my knight in shining armor. But more accurately, I was a girl with a lot of bad luck, and he was a guy with a lot of muscles and tattoos.Jude "Lucky" Lucketti wasn't just a sexy, brooding construction worker. He was my own personal hero who seemed to be in all the right places at the right times. Like when my car broke down and I needed a ride home, and when I face planted on the sidewalk right in front of him and had to be taken to the emergency room.Those weren't exactly my best moments, but they were his.We became friends, and it didn't matter that he was sixteen years older than me. We had a lot in common-like our love of old rock music and vintage fast cars, and our aversion to relationships. When he approached me with a crazy idea to help me out, I couldn't say no.The arrangement was supposed to be temporary. A marriage on paper and nothing else.It should've been easy, but it wasn't. Because here I am, eighteen years old, still in high school, and married to a man I was never supposed to fall in love with.We had just one rule-no kissing the bride. But we broke that rule, and it sealed our fate forever.

Halfway Normal

Halfway Normal
Author: Barbara Dee
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2017-09-05
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1481478532

“A lovely, heartbreaking, warm, funny, and ultimately hopeful map of the way back home.” —Jordan Sonnenblick, author of Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie A cancer survivor must readjust to “normal” middle school life in this “powerful story about surviving and thriving” (School Library Journal, starred review) from the author of Star-Crossed and Truth or Dare. Norah Levy has just completed two years of treatment for leukemia and is ready to go back to the “real world” of middle school. She knows it’ll be tricky—but like the Greek mythological characters she read about while she was sick, Norah’s up for any challenge. But seventh grade turns out to be harder than she thought. Norah’s classmates don’t know what to make of her. Her best friend, Harper, tries to be there for her, but she doesn’t get it, really—and is hanging out with a new group of girls. Norah’s other good friend, Silas, is avoiding her. What’s that about, anyway? When Norah is placed with the eighth graders for math and science, she meets Griffin, a cute boy who encourages her love of Greek mythology and art. And Norah decides not to tell him her secret—that she was “that girl” who had cancer. But when something happens to make secret-keeping impossible, Norah must figure out a way to share her story. But how do you explain something to others that you can’t explain to yourself? Can Nora take her cue from her favorite Greek myth? And then, once she finds the words, can she move forward with a whole new “normal?”