Below are some of the best books out of the two hundred or so I read in 2024. When I teach children’s literature, I remind my students (most of whom will be teachers in a year or two) that reading is a gift from God, that reading should be fun, and that not every book is for every person. I hope you’ll find some good books in this list. But if you start reading a book and you don’t find yourself enjoying it after a few chapters, feel free to put it down and find a better one!
Best Graphic Novel for Middle School Readers
Santat, Dan. A First Time for Everything. First Second, 2023.
Opening lines: “I grew up in a small town just outside of Los Angeles. Everything I knew about the world happened in Camarillo.”
Interesting quote: “Do you know what the best part of being a teenager is? You only have to do it once” (268).
Short summary: After a rough time in middle school—bullying, ridicule, insecurity—Dan has an opportunity to go on a class trip to Europe with the same kids who made fun of him. He isn’t too optimistic about his chances of survival. But he is surprised to find himself getting to know kids he never talked to before, making new friends, having amazing experiences together, and maybe even finding his first girlfriend.
Why should I read this book? What makes nerd stories so fantastic is that they are about an underdog who feels like he has little to offer but finds out that his contributions are indispensable to his community. What makes nerd stories so wonderful is the depth of sympathy we feel for the character and the excitement we feel when the character succeeds. This isn’t a nerd revenge story—it is more about the nerdy kid growing up and the kids who were jerks to him growing up, too. This graphic memoir is a heartwarming story about what it means to discover yourself at the same time others are discovering you.
Who is this book best for? While fourth graders would have no trouble comprehending this book, the content would probably resonate best with middle school students. High school students might also enjoy it, but more in a nostalgic way. Thematically this book is certainly strong enough to be used for literature circles, and possibly for whole class study in combination with another book focusing on identity or independence or cultural experiences. It would also be a great choice for class and school libraries.
Is this book likely to be challenged? I don’t think so.
Best Nonfiction Picture Book
Walker, Sally M. Champion: The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree. Henry Holt, 2018.
Opening lines: “Have you ever climbed a tree? Have you ever breathed in the spicy scent of pine trees or looked closely at a leaf?”
Interesting quote: “You know you’ve got a good neighbor when he or she plants a tree” (99).
Short summary: American Chestnut trees, which were once the mainstay of North America’s eastern forests, were wiped out by a tree disease in the early 1900s. There were almost no trees that survived. This is the story of the scientists that have been working to restore the trees, what they are doing, their chances for success, and some indications of hope that someday the majestic American Chestnut will return.
Why should I read this book? Forestry science is not glamorous. It is a branch of science that gets overshadowed by more glamorous fields like medicine, astrophysics, and robotics. However, forestry scientists could make a huge impact by both restoring a beautiful and important tree and also educating about the disease and how we can respond to such blights in the future. Part mystery, part history, and part comeback tale, this book is surprisingly captivating and features amazing photography.
Who is this book best for? Though it is technically formatted like a picture book, the vocabulary and concepts make this book best suited to fourth grade and older. This would be an excellent book to use as a supplemental text for any unit connected with plants or genetics. Classroom libraries in upper elementary, middle school, and high school science as well as school libraries should consider it.
Is this book likely to be challenged? No.
Best Elementary Graphic Novel Series
Steinke, Aron Nels. Mr. Wolf’s Class. Scholastic, 2018. (This is the first book in a series.)
Opening lines: “Don’t let the bedbugs bite. / Night.”
Interesting quote: “I can’t wait to go back to school tomorrow! Now all I want to do is lie down and read my new book” (148).
Short summary: It is the first day of school for the fourth-grade class and their teacher, Mr. Wolf. Together they make it through the day in spite of Penny falling asleep in a box in a library, rats stealing Abdi’s lunch, another teacher stealing Mr. Wolf’s stapler, and Sampson almost not making it to the bathroom on time.
Why should I read this book? It is hard to explain. This book isn’t really plot driven. The events of the day are not particularly remarkable. But almost from the start the reader is rooting for Mr. Wolf and his class of energetic, sometimes difficult, and always interesting kids. The drawings are amazingly detailed and clear. The thing that strikes me most about this book though, is that, without seeming to, it is about hope. The kids aren’t perfect, and neither is Mr. Wolf, but they make it through the day—and it is clear that Mr. Wolf cares for his students and that his students really appreciate him as a teacher. I consider it to be a deeply comforting book to read.
Who is this book best for? Third to fifth graders will love this book (maybe sixth graders too—but they won’t admit it). This book belongs in every third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classroom library in the universe.
Is this book likely to be challenged? If it is, I am leaving this planet.
Best Mathematics and Science-Based Middle Grades Novel
Salerni, Dianne K. Jadie in Five Dimensions. Holiday House, 2021.
Opening lines: “My target holds her phone against her ear, scurrying down the sidewalk in high heels.”
Interesting quote: “The last person to come as close as you have to the mathematical truths of the universe was killed, Dr. Lowell” (153).
Short summary: Jadie Martin was rescued by alien beings from another dimension when she was abandoned by her parents as a baby. Now Jadie helps her rescuers by intervening in small events that have far-reaching consequences. The aliens teleport her to where she needs to be, then she steals someone’s plane ticket or spills water on someone’s laptop to change the events of the future. One day, however, when she swaps a mission assignment with a friend, Jadie finds herself in an apartment of a family that lost an infant child, and Jadie begins to suspect that the story of her past may not be complete. When she discovers that the aliens she works for are not the only ones trying to change the future, her life becomes much more complicated.
Why should I read this book? First of all, Jadie gets herself into and out of dangerous situations throughout the narrative, which makes for an exciting read. Second, the concepts explored in this book are fascinating. Not only the part about Jadie changing the lives of those around her through small manipulations, but also the descriptions of movement between dimensions, the physical qualities of other dimensions, and the ways in which the main characters respond will keep you turning the pages. Finally, the story resembles a detective novel in that you are trying to figure out who is trustworthy, what is the right action to take, and which characters are on the side of good. Oh, and the ending is deeply satisfying too.
Who is this book best for? High school students and middle school students who are interested in science fiction will have the easiest time connecting with the story. This would be a great choice for a classroom or school library. It would be a fun book to teach in connection with a math course.
Is this book likely to be challenged? I do not think so.
Best Graphic Novel Adaptation
Wier, Ivy Noelle, and Myisha Haynes. Anne of West Philly. Little Brown, 2022.
Opening lines: “Marilla! // Today’s the day, right? // It is. Matthew’s just gone to pick her up.”
Interesting quote: “I love to read. And because I read so much, I’m very good at understanding people” (12).
Short summary: This is the familiar story of Anne of Green Gables set in modern day Philadelphia. Sister/brother duo Marilla and Mathew Cuthbert have decided to foster a teenage girl. When Anne Shirley arrives, her passion to live life to the fullest upends the Cuthberts’ quiet lives and results in Anne getting into trouble again and again. In the end, the Cuthberts and Anne are attached to each other and their larger community by bonds of deep love. Set in West Philadelphia, the graphic novel reimagines the story if Anne and her foster parents were all people of color.
Why should I read this book? I have enjoyed Anne of Green Gables since I first read it. It is a funny, heartwarming story. This adaptation may make Anne of Green Gables accessible to those who might not normally give it a second look. Readers of color might have an easier time seeing themselves in this book, and the modern setting may make it easier for contemporary readers to connect to that story. Critics might object that the Cuthberts’ ethnicities and cultures are not an important part of the story. I am sympathetic, but it also seems to me that not every story concerning people of color needs to be centered in struggle, injustice, and ways of being different. My bottom line with this book is that it is a good story and one worth reading.
Who is this book best for? This book would work for fifth and sixth grade, middle school, and up. Fans of Anne of Green Gables might particularly enjoy it. This book would be great for a classroom or school library, but also would be interesting to study as a class in contrast with the original text. The decisions of the adapters could make for some really good discussions.
Is this book likely to be challenged? The most significant change in the adaptation is that Anne and Gilbert Blythe’s relationship becomes just a friendship because Anne is attracted to her friend Diana. While not much is made of this relationship, the hints and suggestions might be enough to cause a challenge. I would encourage you to read the book and see what you think.
Best Middle Grades Book about Community, Grieving, and Mythology
Schmidt, Gary D. The Labors of Hercules Beal. Clarion Books, 2023.
Opening lines: “Some things I need to tell you here at the beginning to get them out of the way. Everyone has stuff to get out of the way, right? So here’s the first thing. My name is Hercules Beal. I know. It’s a stupid name.”
Interesting quote: “Sometimes you need a disaster to teach you something new about life” (179).
Short summary: The best books are the hardest to summarize. I could tell you that Hercules Beal is a middle school kid who has lost his parents. His brother is working hard to keep his parents’ greenhouse business alive—so much so that he doesn’t see that Hercules needs him. When Hercules’s teacher assigns him to recreate the labors of the mythical Hercules, it turns out to be an opportunity for Hercules to discover that he is not as alone in the world as he thought.
Why should I read this book? The summary above doesn’t do this book justice. You have to read it. There is enough humor and grief and joy and community to remind you that although the world is more deeply broken than we can ever know, God’s grace shines through the people around us—often through the ones we least expect.
Who is this book best for? This book would be an excellent read aloud for fifth and sixth graders. It would also work well for literature circles in middle school. It would be a great choice for classroom and school libraries from fifth through twelfth (mostly because major characters in one of Schmidt’s books often show up as minor characters in others. Students who read Schmidt when they were in middle school often enjoy returning to him in high school or later). I should also mention that this book is a great choice for teachers who need to read something to restore their sanity after a rough semester, unit, or day.
Is this book likely to be challenged? It should not be.
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Bill Boerman-Cornell is a professor of Education at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL. Boerman-Cornell has co-written five books, three of them about using graphic novels in the classroom, most recently Using Graphic Novels in the STEM Classroom published by Bloomsbury Academic. He loves biking, reading, and writing, preferably with his family. Bill posts about the children’s literature he is reading on Instagram (@bbc_onbooks) and his book reviews can be found on bookcommercials.wordpress.com and gnclassroom.com.