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Student Voices: Books and Characters We Love from Abigail D., Ranim A., Nicolle D., and Aseel H.

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Books and Characters We Love

“Books with a Meaningful Quotes and What They Mean to Me” by Abigail D., 8th grade


The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

“Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold”
What this quote means to me is that the love and care Jonny was giving to Ponyboy even when he was in his last few moments he still made sure that his last words were meant for Ponyboy. This story line has impacted me in so many ways where it’s not even describeable to explain how much this book changed me but in the best way possible.


It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

“And no matter what you do or how hard you try, you can’t stop yourself from dreaming.”
What this quote means to me is that there is always still hope and faith at the end even when it gets tough there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. You just need faith and believe in yourself that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.


Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

“Peter and Lara Jean will always tell each other the truth even if it’s hard.”
What this quote means to me is that their love is so strong and they know it may be hard but they’ll get through it together because they have earned trust in each other that makes their relationship so strong. Their bond is something unbreakable and to cherish every moment of. 


The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

“Drawing some kinds of feelings might mean mixing in both facial expressions and body language.”
What this quote means to me is that they are showing feelings in many different forms which shows creativity which I admire so much. Finding your interest through many styles is something that is hard but is something that is capable of achieving.


Guts by Raina Telgemeier

“It takes guts to face your fears.”
What this quote means to me is that you may be scared or afraid to face things you may be scared, anxious, or nervous about but you need to have faith in yourself that you can do it. Trust your gut. I believe that you never know until you try and what this book shows is that you have to trust yourself and give things a try.


Real Friends by Shannon Hale

“Growing up means things change.”
What this quote  means to me is that as you grow, things can’t always stay the same forever. Change in people’s life can be handled in multiple ways but that’s how you move forward in life. You have to take risks to know what is the right thing to do and if it ends in the other direction, you always learn from your mistakes.


When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

“Those who are lost look to the stars that lead them home.”
What this quote means to me is that home doesn’t always have to be a place, it could also be a person. Having your home as a person can mean multiple things such as family, friends, etc.


Smile by Raina Telgemeier

“Something happens when you smile at people. They smile back.”
What this quote means to me is that showing kindness to people can make someone’s whole day brighter. Having something so little just as a friendly smile can impact a lot more than you know.


Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

“Be yourself and people will like you.”
What this quote means to me is that people have to learn and acknowledge you to know the true you, not just the image you show but the other factors you have. Being your true self is a way to find people with the same interest you do.


All Summer Long by Hope Larson

“Okay, but do you know that feeling when you hear a great song, and it’s like the song knows you? That’s what music is for.”
What this quote means to me is that when I listen to something that I enjoy, it’s relaxing and makes me feel more at peace. Finding something that makes you feel so relaxed and calm is so nice, especially with music. With music you listen to a sound or beat and it’s all you can hear in the world.

“Thriller Books That Are Actually Good For Middle Schoolers” by Ranim A., 8th grade

If you think thriller books are all super scary or violent or just “ too much “, that’s not really true. There are actually a lot of thriller and mystery books that are really good for middle schoolers. They still have suspense, and plot twists, but without anything too inappropriate.

In my opinion, thriller books are some of the best books to read at this age because they keep you interested. Like, instead of forcing yourself to read something you don’t like, you actually want to know what happens next.

Why Thriller Books Are Actually Good For Middle Schoolers

Thrillers aren’t just for entertaining, they’re actually pretty helpful too.

  • They make you think and solve clues 
  • They improve problem solving skills
  • They keep you interested in reading
  • They help you understand characters and decisions

A lot of middle grade thrillers are written specifically for ages 11-14, meaning they avoid graphic content and keep things appropriate while still being exciting.

Also these types of books usually focus more on mystery, puzzles, and adventure instead of anything too intense or mature.

What Makes A Thriller “Age Appropriate?”

Before recommending books, it’s important to understand what makes them okay for middle schoolers : 

  • Language is appropriate 
  • Romance ( or if any it would be pretty limited )
  • Focuses on mostly mystery and adventure 

This is why middle grade thrillers are different from older teen thrillers. They’re exciting but not overwhelming.

Best Thriller Books For Middle Schoolers

Here are some really good options that are popular and are actually pretty enjoyable:


Framed! by James Ponti

  • About a kid who solves mysteries using observation skills
  • Feels like a detective story but fun and recent
  • Easy to read but still really interesting 

This book is great because it focuses on solving puzzles instead of anything scary or inappropriate 


Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

  • Set in a boarding school 
  • Two girls start a detective club
  • They investigate a suspicious death

Even though it sounds pretty intense, it’s written in a lighter, more “ cozy mystery “ way so it’s still appropriate for younger readers.


The Jumbies by Tracie Baptiste 

  • Super creepy but also really fun 
  • Based on Caribbean folklore
  • A girl has to face mysterious creatures 

This book is a perfect example of a thriller that’s scary but not too scary. It’s described as having “ just the right amount of scary for middle schoolers “.


Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

  • A spooky mystery involving a strange book and a creepy farm
  • Strong main character 
  • Lots of suspense 

It’s popular because it mixes mystery and horror in a way that’s still appropriate for middle school readers.


Swipe by Evan Angler

  • Set in a futuristic world 
  • Kids have to decide whether to follow a strict system 
  • Includes mystery and rebellion 

This one is more of a thriller with action and deeper ideas, but it’s still written for middle grade readers.


Mostly Ghostly series by R.L. Stine

  • About a boy who can see ghosts 
  • Mix of mystery, humor, and suspense
  • Not too scary, more fun than terrifying

This series is actually made for ages 11-14 so it’s right in the middle school range.

Why These Books Work

All of these books have something in common : 

  • They keep you guessing 
  • They’re exciting but not appropriate 
  • They focus on story not shock 

Thriller books for middle schoolers are designed to build interest in reading. They give you that feeling like “ what happens next? “ without crossing content that’s too mature.

Final Thoughts

Overall, thriller books are honestly one of the best genres for middle schoolers. They’re not boring, they’re not too childish, and they actually make reading fun.

If someone says “ they don’t like reading “ I feel like they just haven’t found the right thriller yet. Once you find a good one, it’s really hard to stop.

So yeah thrillers aren’t just for adults. There are tons of age appropriate ones out there that are exciting, interesting, and are actually worth reading.

“Ten Book Characters I Would Want to Be Friends With” by Nicolle D., 6th grade

My New Life As a Cat: A character I would want to be friends with in My New Life as a Cat is Chika because she’s so sweet she’s so gentle with Nao. And her friends seem so cool. I hundred percent want to be friends with Chika and her friend group her friends seem so cool and nice.

Phoebe And Her Unicorn In The Magic Storm: A character I would want to be friends with in Phoebe and Her Unicorn in the Magical Storm is the dragon. The reason I would want to be friends with the dragons is that the dragon was so gentle and sweet and had to have someone understand her.

Places We’ve Never Been: A character I would want to be friends with in Places We’ve Never Been. He cared for Norah so much but Norah was already interested in Skyler. Tyler helped her out so much he was so sweet. Tyler understood her and that’s a good friend even if she doesnt like him he still understood her.

Take a Chance On Me: A character I would want to be friends with in Take a Chance on Me is Poppy. Poppy was Evie’s dads ex ex-girlfriend but she cared about Evie like she was her own daughter and talked to her when things were going down for Evie and I would want to be friends with someone who will be there for me. 

Dork Diaries: I Love Paris!: A character I would want to be friends with in Dork Diaries is Nicky. I would like to be friends with Nicky so I can go to Paris with her and Nicky is very sweet so she would be nice to hangout with especially in Paris.

Ghoulfriends Forever: A character I would like to be friends with in Ghoulfriends Forever is Frankie. I would want to be friends with Frankie because she’s so cool and I would love to join her on her adventures.

Invisible: A character I would want to be friends with is all of the characters. I want to be friends with all of them because I can help them help Lisa and her mom. Plus everyone in that group is so nice.

The Dot: I would want to be friends with the girl in the end of The Dot to teach her about art in the most creative ways. She had the same story as the main character she thought she could never draw, but I could be friends with her and show her. 

Dog Man: Dog Man is a really nice guy and I would want to be friends with him because I’d love to help the world with him. He has saved so many lives and i could join him with his adventures.

Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess: I would like to be friends with the famous dog. She was such a classy girl, and I would love to gain fame. Maybe we can make an account together and post together. We could go on little trips!

“My Top 5 Books and Why” by Aseel H., 6th grade


Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson

Why I personally chose this book as my favorite of all time is because it was one of the first books that I actually really loved and couldn’t wait to keep reading and reading,  that book was probably the only thing I even wanted to do and the first book that took me only 3 days to finish and its actually rare for that but for this book I don’t even know how to describe it cause I haven’t always been a fan of books but if I can I would make all my books that I read be like this one because my actually love for this book  is crazy and shocking especially for me I mean I didn’t really expect it to be this good but it really is and I  just have no words to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book 


All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Why I like this book is because basically Grace is a complex, often nervous and, at times, unreliable narrator who is dealing with trauma, making her journey to find her mother’s killer deeply compelling and “unflinching”. The plot is full of twists and turns, often leaving readers guessing about the truth of Grace’s claims and the true nature of the characters around her. Its kinda basically A strong, eclectic group of teenagers aids in breaking down the mystery, and that’s why I love the book so much


The Miscalculations Of Lighting Girl by Stacy McAnulty

Why I like this book a lot  is because like basically its about a girl named Lucy Callanan that was struck by lighting but instead of dying she survived and also got genius level math skills, and ever since that day she has been home schooled, (I mean she’s 12 but she could actually go to college for how smart she is so yeah), and I just loved the book because of everything that happened and just the book in general, I mean I just have no wards to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book and for a fact that’s kinda rare for me to say.


Jacky Ha Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

Why I enjoyed reading this book is because I read this book in my summer before middle school and then I really had no interest in books then but that was the first book that I actually enjoyed for a long time ( that was probably the only one I enjoyed cause like i said before i had no interest )  and just me waiting to open the book without someone forcing me to is also one of the reasons I really enjoyed this book cause I wanted to open the book and read I wanted to finish it nobody made me I wanted and that is just rare for me to want that so that’s probably why I really enjoyed this book.


Dork Diaries Crush Catastrophe by Rachel Renée Russell

Why really liked this book is because like basically its like it has so many things stuff happening in the story like high-stakes romantic drama, relatable middle-school stuff and with her having to go through a love triangle and that without all this stuff in the story it wouldn’t be as good and why I choose this book out of the whole series is like that it was hard but because there’s so many stuff in the story that make the story really amazing and thats why I choose this one for the one I enjoyed a lot . 

“My Top 10 Characters and Why” by Aseel H., 6th grade


Jacky Hart

Why I choose this character as my favorite is because I like the way she lives life, her personality, her style for life and how she growing beyond her need to make others laugh, and that she’s funny, relatable , and that she learns how to be more than just the class clown and that without her I feel like the story wouldn’t be amazing.


Grace, Noah, and Alexei

Why I liked this character is because Grace isn’t a typical girl; she struggled with trauma because of her mothers death and  because she thinks it was a murder. Even though everyone around her believes she’s “ crazy “ she still tries to find the truth about her mother. She’s determined, reckless, emotionally scarred, fearless and brave and that without her the story wouldn’t be how it is.

Why I liked this character is because Noah is described as an engaging and enthusiastic person who quickly bonds with grace, and when everyone else wants to avoid grace he becomes a loyal “best friend”, even while grace is surrounded by danger and Noah is still here and always tries to cheer grace up. He is hilarious, charming, and fiercely loyal character, cheerful and supportive and without him the story wouldn’t be that good.

Why I liked this character is because Alexei is fiercely protective of Grace, stemming from his loyalty to her family and their shared childhood friendship. He acts as a “sworn watcher,” keeping a close eye on her, often acting as an older brother figure. He is the charming, protective, and mysterious Russian “bad boy” who provides intense romantic tension and is very loyal to grace even though he provides a “brother-sister” bond that adds depth to their romance, and that the story wouldn’t be the same if he wasn’t in it.


Chadwick and Miles

Why I liked this character is because for chadwick in the story Blood in the Water, we didn’t really have much of him because he was murdered but while he was in the story he was really charismatic, popular, and welcoming teenage boy who helps protagonist Kaylani fit in, making his shocking death pivotal to the mystery ,  As Chadwick whose death drives the investigation, his charm is remembered throughout the story, highlighting the tragedy of the event. He is kind and welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable, and popular, and that even though he was barely in the story the parts he was in did really impact the story in a great way.

Why I liked this character is because Miles  is the brother of Chadwick and he has to navigate through trauma while giving comfort to kanlani and also that miles isn’t snobby like most of the kids at that place. Throughout all of that Miles was a heartwarming friend, relatable, resilient, supportive, emotionally deep and most importantly, a loyal friend.


Stacy

Why I liked this character is because Stacy moved to Stoneybrook from New York City but didn’t take too long of time to make friends, but other than that Stacy wasn’t a normal teenage girl, she had type 1 diabetes, but that didn’t stop her from doing the amazing stuff she did, though what i like about her is her style and that in the stories manly some new york kids are like snobby but shes not shes a really nice person . She is mature, slightly sassy, she’s someone who brings a bold, cheerful energy to the group while managing Type 1 diabetes, she also a math whiz, resilient, responsible and most importantly she’s a loyal friend.


Nikki

Why I liked this character is because Nikki isn’t your normal school girl; she’s more of a down to earth person. Nikki represents the “everygirl” who is not in the popular crowd, making her experiences with insecurity and navigating school life feel real. She often puts everything she does in her diary, although she struggled with confidence she was able to stand up for herself. While she goes through all the drama at school that goes with her bully her friends, her home  and most importantly her crush Brandon. She is highly relatable, artistic, kind, imaginative, a talented artist, self-proclaimed “dork,” over-dramatic, emotional, thoughtful, and, most importantly, a caring friend.


Nico

Why I liked this character is because Nico Pineda, one of the five kids in the book. He is a Venezuelan American boy who initially presents as a “stuck-up rich kid,” but proves to be a caring and empathetic friend.  At the beginning of the story, Nico appears to be lazy and arrogant, acting indifferent to the mandatory community service work and sometimes acting like a bully to deflect attention away from himself, though by the end He moves beyond his selfish persona to become instrumental in helping others, such as helping Celeste find a job and get necessary aid. 

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at books and characters they love!

Author Guest Post: “Mahmoud, Aunt Melodie, and the Fight Against Censorship: Including LGBTQ+ Characters in Books for Kids” by Kristine Rudolph, Author of The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar

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“Mahmoud, Aunt Melodie, and the Fight Against Censorship: Including LGBTQ+ Characters in Books for Kids”

Writing for children has always been fraught. All authors are expected to conform to their chosen genre, of course, but writing for kids adds an additional layer of convention depending on the age of the readers we’re targeting. Once the book is written, if it passes through the ever-narrowing pipeline to publication then it needs to be sold. If we want to sell it, we must market and publicize it. But the selling, marketing and publicizing are also more complicated when writing for kids because until you get into the YA space, there are middlemen between you and your reader. You need a product that will delight your core consumer, the child reader, but it must be a product of which the middlemen approve. After all, they are the ones who hold the purse strings.

It’s a maxim of writing for children, then, that if your book can’t be shelved in a school, it’s not likely to sell. And by sell, I mean get published at all. Editors know not to spend time and money on a manuscript that its targeted demographic won’t be allowed to access.

Understanding all this, I’ve worked hard over many years to develop a platform to engage parents, teachers and librarians. I’ve specifically targeted upper middle grade readers, paying close attention to the lives, developmental phases and reading interests of 10–12-year-olds, especially girls. I’ve written four manuscripts for middle grade readers featuring diverse ensemble casts encountering realistic, contemporary challenges.

So, when the Supreme Court released its decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, I was gutted.

Technically speaking, Mahmoud, decided in June 2025, held that the petitioning parents were entitled to a preliminary injunction based on their First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. The practical consequence of this decision is that parents of public school children in Maryland may request their child be removed during classroom readings that feature LGBTQ+ characters or issues.

On its face, Mahmoud is not far-reaching. The trouble comes from the chilling effect it will have on all publications for children. My fear is that despite the good intentions of authors, agents, editors, bookshop owners and librarians, Mahmoud will be a death knell for books with LGBTQ+ characters, themes or plotlines.

Remember, if a book for kids can’t be shelved in a school, it won’t sell.

The decision in Mahmoud is one of the reasons I opted to publish my debut middle grade novel, The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar, with a hybrid publisher. My manuscript benefited from the professionalism of publisher Brooke Warner and the team at SparkPress. The product is high quality. But because I was the only financial investor in the project, I didn’t have to worry that someone would ask me to change or tone down the storyline involving Aunt Melodie, my protagonist’s beloved aunt who is married to a woman.

The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar is set in the Texas Hill Country. One blogger with whom I recently spoke said the Hill Country basically serves as a character because the story is so deeply ensconced in the geography, food, architecture and culture of the area. But the Texas Hill Country is also at the heart of a statewide movement to oppose books with LGBTQ+ characters and themes. In fact, my fictional Barons Creek sits only tens of miles from two book restricting hotbeds – Llano County and New Braunfels, Texas.

Despite my fierce belief in the importance of representation and my strong desire to get my book into the hands of readers, I will admit that I cringed somewhat when a reviewer noted, “Aunt Melodie is gay and married.” It’s true! It’s important to the story! Aunt Melodie is awesome! Kids need to know people like Aunt Melodie exist! And yet, I was still struck by a moment of panic.

Chilling effect, indeed.

I am not going to stop writing books with LGBTQ+ characters, plot lines and themes. I just know too many kids who have found their truth through the pages of fiction, and I know too many families who deserve to see themselves on the pages to self-censor. I’m also not going to stop setting my tales in places I know and love, like Texas and my current home state of Georgia. But I also know the winds of change are blowing against LGBTQ+ representation in children’s fiction and that reality is taking a personal and professional toll on many.

“You know, it’s not your job to go around fixing everything that’s broken,” Aunt Melodie tells Cassaty in The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar. I hear you, Melodie. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

To learn more about the fight against book restrictions in Texas, visit Texas Freedom to Read Project.

Published June 9th, 2026 by SparkPress

About the Book: Perfect for fans of Laurie Morrison and Jenn Bishop, this lively middle-grade mystery follows a vibrant group of teens and tweens navigating grief, authenticity, and—above all—soccer, while taking an enjoyable romp through the Texas Hill Country.

Every year, spring in Texas means two very different things to sixth grader Cassaty Greene: her beloved Barons Creek High School soccer team, the Battling Billies, will contend for the state title, and the anniversary of her twin brother’s death will plunge her family into a deep, unspoken grief. But this year, the script changes when the Battling Billies’ star midfielder goes missing right before the playoffs begin. Presented with this mysterious disappearance, Cassaty seizes the chance to heroically bring the missing girl home—and hopefully, in doing so, help fill the hole her brother’s death left in her family so many years ago.

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About the Author: Kristine Rudolph lives in Atlanta, Georgia and Austin, Texas. She earned a B.A. in History and Religious Studies at Southern Methodist University, a J.D. from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law and a Graduate Certificate in Children’s Literature from Pennsylvania State University. She is a member of the Atlanta Writers Club, the Broadleaf Writers Association, SCBWI and the Children’s Literature Assembly of NCTE. She’s a Girl Scout troop leader and CASA/GAL volunteer. Her middle grade debut, The Twin Stars and the Soccer Superstar, is slated for publication in June 2026 with SparkPress. Learn more about Kristine at kristinerudolph.com.

Thank you, Kristine, for fighting for childrens’ freedom to read!

Author Guest Post: “How Fiction Provides a Safe Place for Young Readers to Explore Celebrity, Fame and Fandom” by Mima Tipper, Author of Channeling Marilyn

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“How Fiction Provides a Safe Place for Young Readers to Explore Celebrity, Fame and Fandom”

When I began writing my YA paranormal fantasy novel Channeling Marilyn, I wasn’t thinking of celebrity or how young people relate to fame and fandom. Through drafting a book that included Marilyn Monroe’s spirit as a main character, however, I grew more and more convinced that fiction could provide a safe place for young readers to explore these concepts. With fiction, young people are able to experience the lives of characters from their safe reader position. And how great for those readers to have the possibility of exploring fame and fandom from the shoes of a fictional or fictionalized celebrity in a completely made-up story? The magic of fiction, too, is that it allows those readers draw their own conclusions about whether the experience felt positive or negative.

In Channeling Marilyn, part of the inspiration behind the book was me acknowledging the fact that even though Hollywood superstar Marilyn Monroe has been dead for over 70 years, a huge number of fans are still obsessed with her and her films. That fandom spoke to me. I wanted to look more deeply at it—at the why of it. Because these Marilyn fans are not necessarily young people, I became even more interested in the possibility that focusing on a celebrity like Marilyn Monroe could be an inspired bet for a YA audience: to take a celebrity from long ago, and imagine how her persona and her fame could affect a young person, and tell that story.

My main character, seventeen-year-old Lexa, is one of those non-obsessed with Marilyn Monroe people, yet via the story—no spoilers—she becomes aware of Marilyn, and then encounters Marilyn’s well-known allure. Ultimately, Lexa is not immune to the power of Marilyn (after all, her influence on pop culture is everywhere), and that’s where Marilyn’s fame comes into play in the story. That is also the place where Lexa’s teen sensibilities reflect what I’ve come to learn are documented observations about how young people relate to the concepts of fame, celebrity and fandom.

Between social media and reality tv, everyone is obsessed with celebrity these days—their own and that of others. For most people, the fascination is merely a diversion, but let’s look more closely at some reasons young people fixate on celebrities. Common Sense Media points out, “Celebrity obsessions are a natural part of growing up. As kids enter adolescence and begin forming their identities, they begin to seek out media figures for cues on how to look and act… Tweens in today’s media environment can feast on an endless supply of information.”

This observation didn’t surprise me, or that celebrity crushes for young people are deemed by some authorities to be a natural and even potentially positive aspect of growing up. Dr. Alan Ravitz of New York’s Child Mind Institute states: “As kids individualize themselves from their parents, which is a natural part of development and growing up, they try to establish psychological and emotional independence … No matter the culture, they need somebody to look to, aside from their parents, for guidance and a model for becoming an adult. In our culture, this is often a sports figure, an actor, or a pop star.” In recent articles in both Psychology Today and at www.modernrecoveryservices.com, writers agree with Dr. Ravitz’s statement, going a step further to suggest that in our modern world, fandoms often provide a positive and inclusive community for teens.

These observations suggest a teen’s fascination with a celebrity is most likely harmless: Harmless until people—young or older—take their fandom too seriously. In a recent article in The Teen Mag on how fans feel about their celebrity crushes, journalist Arrohi Shah says, “When a celebrity looks like us, loves like us, or struggles like us, it validates our own experiences. It’s not just about them– it’s about what they represent to us. But we often forget that what we see is carefully constructed: behind every photo is lighting, editing, media training, or even cosmetic enhancement. If even they need help to appear that way, why do we hold ourselves to those impossible standards?” Even more harmful, the Common Sense Media article goes on to point out that a young person’s fixation on a celebrity can, “… go to extremes that have a negative impact. They may spend all their money to try to look like their favorite stars. They may engage in risky body alterations to imitate them. Or they may actually inflict physical harm on themselves … to demonstrate the depth of their feeling.” In the Modern Recovery Services article, it’s noted that, “For teens already struggling with heavy psychological burdens, being a member of a toxic fandom can intensify their trials. It can be particularly tough for fan girls, who often face more scrutiny and pressure than boys because toxic fandom communities tend to be sexist.” And, “The development of parasocial relationships—one-sided relationships in which fans feel deeply connected to a celebrity based on illusions of intimacy—is another way fandom can become unhealthy. Teens might start to believe they have a special connection with a pop-culture icon, which can lead to unrealistic expectations and crushing heartbreak when their fantasies inevitably don’t come true.”

Fandoms have always existed, but it’s perhaps due to the wealth of information now available on social media that heightens and intensifies the celebrity adoration teens experience today.

The darker sides of teens’ relationship to celebrity, fame and fandom reveal where fiction could come in, providing that safe space for young people to explore these concepts outside of social media, without the baggage of an actual celebrity crush or of belonging to a fandom community.

In Channeling Marilyn, Lexa has the opportunity to see Marilyn Monroe as a real person, not as a celebrity. To see her as a human being who makes mistakes, who has needs, who wants friendship and love. Through the fictional lens of Marilyn’s spirit coming back as a kind of fairy godmother to Lexa, the book avoids the cliché of more common storylines like: Marilyn’s rugged early years, her abuse by handlers, her physical and mental health, her lack of privacy, her dealing with fans, etc. Instead, this story is about Lexa bonding with Marilyn as a spirit, and Marilyn guiding her through a tough time. And, wonder of wonders, through the power of fiction, Lexa is able to help Marilyn’s spirit move forward on her journey, too.

Bibliography

Leno, Michele, PhD, “The Healing Power of Pop Culture Communities” www.psychologytoday.com July 17, 2024, The Healing Power of Pop Culture Communities | Psychology Today

Shah, Aarohi, “Why are we so obsessed with Celebrity Drama? The Psychology Behind our Obsession” https://www.theteenmagazine.com  May 8, 2025. Why Are We so Obsessed with Celebrity Drama? the Psychology Behind Our

“Should I be Concerned about My Kid’s Celebrity Obsession?” www.commonsensemedia.org June 4, 2020 Should I be concerned about my kid’s celebrity obsession? | Common Sense Media

“The Psychology of Fandom—Pop Culture’s Influence on Teens” www.modernrecoveryservices.com The Psychology of Fandom – Pop Culture’s Influence on Teens

“Why Teenagers Obsess Over Pop Stars?” www.childmind.org May 5, 2011, Why Teenagers Obsess Over Pop Stars – Child Mind Institute

Publishes June 1st, 2026 by She Writes Press

About the Book: Seventeen-year-old Lexa Donovan’s timid, plus-size life goes sideways when the spirit of Marilyn Monroe takes up residence in her body.

High school senior Lexa Donovan longs to be more than a bit player in her own drab life—and when she’s chosen to be part of her school’s spring production of Bus Stop, she thinks her wish has come true. But her thrill turns to panic when she’s tapped to play the leading role, sexy showgirl Cherie. One thing tall, plus-size Lexa knows for sure is that she is the exact opposite of the most famous Cherie ever: sex-goddess Marilyn Monroe.

Lexa wants out before she makes a fool of herself in front of everyone. But then something entirely unexpected happens: the spirit of Marilyn Monroe appears, ready and willing to be Lexa’s personal acting coach. Before the curtain rises on opening night, Lexa and Marilyn learn to trust their own hearts and act on what each truly needs to move forward—in life and in death.

About the Author: Half Greek, half American, Mima Tipper and her writing reflect her heritage—a little bit old-country, a little bit rock and roll: one foot wandering through the dreamy realms of myths and faerie tales, the other running on the solid ground of fast-paced, contemporary story. She earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is the award-winning author of the YA novel Kat’s Greek Summer (SparkPress, ISBN-9781684633067). Mima has also published YA fiction in Hunger Mountain and Sucker Literary Magazine. Her novel Kat’s Greek Summer was the 2025 silver medalist for YA fiction in the 2025 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, her YA short story “A Cut-out Face” received an honorable mention from Hunger Mountain’s Katherine Paterson Prize, and her work-in-progress version of Channeling Marilyn came in second place for Paranormal Romance in the Chesapeake Romance Writer’s annual Rudy contest. Beyond devoting most of her time to writing, Mima helps at Inklings Children’s Books in Waitsfield, Vermont, volunteers at her local library, and is committed to promoting literacy and supporting the writing community. Currently, Mima lives in Vermont with her family; find her at www.mimatipper.com.

Follow Mima Tipper on social media:
Facebook: @mimatipper | X/Twitter: @meemtip
Instagram: @mimatip  | Substack: @mimatipper

Thank you, Mima, for this thought-provoking look at a topic that affects many teens!

Author Guest Post: “Illness is a Part of Life. A Good Book Can Help Kids Cope.” by Priya Swaminathan, Author of Deepa M.D.

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“Illness is a Part of Life. A Good Book Can Help Kids Cope.”

“Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick,” Susan Sontag writes in her seminal 1978 essay Illness as a Metaphor. “Although we all prefer to use only the good passport, sooner or later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place.”

Disease is something every child will encounter, as Sontag eloquently points out. Yet it is often shrouded in taboo. An illness in the family might be kept a secret or buried under mysterious language. Our bodies can become scary, dangerous – even shameful – when we don’t understand how they work in sickness and in health. Avoiding the subject leaves kids ill equip to talk about discomfort, pain, and the swirl of emotions that come with it.

As a child, my family talked a lot about disease. My father, a surgeon, discussed tough cases and triumphant ones at the dinner table. I remember paging through his medical textbooks and marveling at anatomical drawings of my insides. But novels like Little Women and The Secret Garden gave me a deeper understanding of the experience of illness.

While the classics have much to offer, a handful of middle-grad novels have broadened my understanding of “the kingdom of the sick,” as Sontag calls it. Reading them with my 11-year-old daughter has given us a shared language to talk about illness as a part of life.

Wink by Rob Harrell

Harrell’s semi-autobiographical novel about a 7th grader diagnosed with a rare eye cancer is hilarious, heartbreaking, and life-affirming. In other words, it’s brilliant. Harrell’s deft sense of humor invites you to examine the stigma that surrounds illness and the liberating power of art and human connection.

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Merci is a heroine for the ages. A 6th grader navigating private school as a scholarship student, her family is her rock, especially Lolo, her wise and warm grandfather.

Only Lolo’s been acting differently. An angry outburst, forgetting things, tumbling off his bike –  Merci can see Lolo changing, but no one in her family will tell her what’s going on.

Ultimately, Merci learns that her grandfather has Alzheimer’s Disease. Meg Medina offers a delicate portrait of how cognitive disorders unfold and effect families. Ultimately, Merci’s understanding of her grandfather’s condition allows her to step up and take on more responsibility. This empowering story offers a blueprint for how families can face illness together.

Dust by Dusti Bowling

In Dust, Avalyn moves to Arizona with her family in search of a climate that would prevent another asthma attack like that one that almost killed her ten years ago. Her world is thrown into chaos when dust storms kick up, coinciding with the arrival of a new student at school. Breath and the experience of having a chronic respiratory illness are at the center of this novel (at least until the source of those dust storms is revealed…no spoilers!). Bowling uses magical realism to take you inside the experience of illness in a way that will change your understanding of health.

Published May 19th, 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

About the Book: A precocious seventh grader whose cancer has recently gone into remission assists her “medical detective” uncle while readjusting to life in middle school in this heartwarming and funny middle grade debut novel that’s Front Desk meets Roll with It.

Twelve-year-old Deepa is ready to un-pause her life. After spending a year in the hospital, she’s itching for things to go back to the way they were before she got sick.

Only everything’s changed. Her parents treat her like she’s made of glass, there’s a mean girl out to get her, and her best friend Renée forgot to mention she has a whole new life now.

But when her Uncle Jai, a genius doctor that patients love to hate and the “Sherlock Holmes” of medical mysteries, needs her help with a tricky case involving a teenage patient, Deepa steps up to the plate—because she knows better than anyone what it’s like to be sick.

But why, oh why, did her first patient have to be her bully’s older brother?

As the case spirals and her illness flares up, Deepa quickly learns that if she wants to save her patient, she’ll have to diagnose what’s going on inside herself first.

About the Author: Priya Swaminathan lived the dream of making movies and TV shows for 19 years. She helped launch Higher Ground productions, Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, where she produced award-winning documentaries, films, and kids shows like Waffles + Mochi, Emmy-award winner Ada Twist, Scientist, and the NAACP award-winner We The People. Previously, she developed narrative films for Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville, George Clooney, and Bennett Miller and was the head of development at Annapurna Pictures. A few years ago, Priya decided to shake things up. She quit her job to write and go back to school. She graduates from UCLA School of Nursing in June and plans to work with oncology patients. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and hopes that someday she’ll convince her husband to get a big, fluffy dog. Deepa, M.D. is her debut middle-grade novel.

Thank you, Priya, for sharing this wonderful list and showing how books can help with tough times in kids’ lives!

Make Way for Monarchs by Carolyn Armstrong

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Make Way for Monarchs
Author: Carolyn Armstrong
Published September 12th, 2025 by Climate Kid Adventure Books

Summary: Make Way For Monarchs, the third installment in the multi-award-winning Eco Warriors series, takes readers on a climate change–themed adventure with a girl who talks to animals.

Millions of orange-and-black monarch butterflies, exhausted after their long migration from the USA and Canada, are resting in the oyamel trees in the heart of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. As tween twin sisters Sydney and Sierra explore this unique high-elevation forest habitat, the butterflies, a trio of horses, and a cute little dog warn Sydney about the bad guys who are cutting down trees and endangering the monarchs.

Naturally Sydney seeks the advice of her science-savvy sister on how to assist the monarchs here in Mexico. However, Sierra wants to focus on projects that help the butterflies once they’ve migrated back into the USA. With mysterious drones and danger around every corner, the twins must figure out how to save the butterflies’ winter home and the migration route before it’s too late.

About the Author: Carolyn Armstrong is the author of Climate Kid Adventure Books. A former educator and now an imperfect environmentalist, she blends her love of travel and animal well-being into her middle grade stories. She encourages everyone to become advocates for Planet Earth. It’s as easy as refusing a plastic drinking straw (and telling others to do the same)! Head to www.ckabooks.com for free activities, monthly newsletters, and blogs about writing, books, and sustainability.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: This title is not only written for reading; it is made for classroom/library/school use!

Just start on Carolyn Armstrong’s website!

On there, you fill find so much, starting with the MONARCH WATCH KIDS ZONE where there is so much for kids to explore, alone or in a class/library!

There are also:

After reading, I was looking for some other ideas for how to incorporate this book, and I found this fantastic lesson from Inspired Teaching called “Make Way for Monarchs.”

  • This yearlong study of monarchs is definitely cross discilinary.
    • The sties shares that the lesson covers so many standards including ELA Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening; Social Studies State Standards; Math; SEL Competencies; and, although not listed, I am sure fits science standards as well.

Discussion Questions: 

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to the author for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post: “Why Middle Grade Readers Need Gothic Stories” by Melanie Dale, Author of Girl of Lore

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“Why Middle Grade Readers Need Gothic Stories”

In second grade I discovered a new book in my school’s library, In a Dark, Dark Room. Inside this little book was a story of Jenny, who always wore a green ribbon around her neck, and spoiler alert, it ended with her taking off the ribbon. I felt a delicious shiver down my spine at the last line: “and Jenny’s head fell off.”

WHAT!

In a world of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Carolyn Keene, and The Babysitter’s Club, this was new for me, and I knew I needed more. I immediately retold the story to my friends, one of whom was named Jenny and didn’t appreciate the nightmares. I couldn’t get enough.

Through stories with ghosts and candlesticks and billowy nightgowns and grand staircases and cobwebs dangling from chandeliers I discovered the power of gothic tales to delight and terrify. While the monsters are fun and fantastical, the themes are deadly serious.

The first time I read Bram Stoker’s Dracula I remember setting down the book and wondering how his original audience, who knew nothing of vampires, would have reacted. The story had a seemingly innocent core wrapped in gore: nineteenth-century propriety blushing at the intimacy of a bedside vigil. I was mesmerized by the gruesome terror juxtaposed with the purity of good versus evil. I rooted for the heroes to work together to defeat the demon.

When my son was in middle school I gave him a copy and he gamely tried to plow through but petered off when Jonathan Harker was still trapped in the castle in Transylvania. I thought, “What if I could make this story more accessible for him? What if these characters were teens living in Georgia?” So I did. Girl of Lore introduces my favorite gothic characters to the group of readers who maybe need them most of all.

Middle grade readers need gothic stories. Perhaps no other type of story resonates more with the unease and turbulence of burgeoning adolescence, a time when the world feels strange, we question our sanity, and we struggle with the creeping suspicion that something is wrong with us. Characters in gothic literature deal with outside forces like ghosts and the undead while battling inside struggles like “what if I’m crazy” and “what if things aren’t okay.” Through the pages of gothic books, readers can process death, mortality, and the darker side of human nature in a safe, healthy way.

Gothic literature creates an atmosphere of mystery and suspense, a threatening feeling, and fear of the unknown. You know, kind of like navigating friend group drama, changing schools, test anxiety, and unrest at home. Often there’s a feeling of isolation, maybe physical isolation or internal isolation. In Girl of Lore, my main character, Mina, struggles with maintaining friendships, feeling different, and the longing to connect with family. She processes all of this in the mysterious, spooky, gothic setting of her hometown.

I had a blast creating Mina’s town of London, Georgia, and now it’s your turn!

Gothic writing exercise: turn your hometown into a gothic setting

Step one: Pick a building or area of your town and describe it like a gothic novel would.

Often you’ll hear that in gothic literature, the setting is a character in the story. The places the characters live and work can feel alive and menacing. They often are filled with decay, overgrown cemeteries, crumbling castles or estates. Architecture details are important, with gables, eaves, maybe even a turret or gargoyle. Secret passageways abound.

When I created my fictional town of London, Georgia, I spent time in the communities around where I lived, exploring cemeteries, walking around lakes and town squares, and touring Victorian houses with sprawling porches, gingerbread trim, and dormer windows. As I began to describe the setting for Girl of Lore, I pulled in shadows, draped cobwebs, and enhanced the spooky details to give London a Southern gothic feel.

“They stared at [SPOILER ALERT] from a safe distance, noticing its peeling paint and steep roof plunging down. The rickety porch looked rotted through, with weeds growing up between the spaces of the boards. The house was dark, but Mina thought she saw a curtain flutter.”

Step two: Picture the flora and fauna in your town.

Describe how the animals creep or slither, how the plants and trees decay. In what ways are they sinister or threatening?

My London for Girl of Lore is set in Georgia where I live, so I thought about how my own backyard spills into a marsh filled with wildlife like snakes and armadillos. I noticed the way vines entangle the trees, choking them. Where I live is lovely, but when I saw it through a gothic lens, it became the perfect setting for a ghoulish tale, with skittering, creeping animals and arachnids.

“Arthur let out a whimper when he nearly walked into the three-dimensional web of a massive Joro spider, her delicate legs perched in the middle of her creation, waiting for dinner.”

Step three: Add a supernatural or psychological element.

Is there a ghost lurking somewhere? A town legend? A tragic element? Is someone wailing?

Supernatural elements like ghosts, family curses, and shadowy monsters often show up in gothic stories. Sometimes the power of nature itself threatens danger. The monsters aren’t always vampires or creatures of the night. They can also come in the form of psychological trauma like mental illness, obsession, and manipulation.

“As she hurried home past the church, past the cemetery, she heard a growl in the bushes along the sidewalk. Mina turned on her phone flashlight and shined it toward the growl. Three shadows loomed in the cemetery, watching her. The hair on the back of Mina’s neck stood up.”

The concept for Girl of Lore began when I wondered what it would be like if characters from Bram Stoker’s Dracula went to high school in small town Georgia. Make your own gothic story. Turn your town into a gothic setting, add the monsters of your choice…and see what happens!

Publishing April 21st, 2026 by Aladdin

About the Book: A girl who’s used to battling the monster of her own mind discovers there’s a sinister evil lurking in her small town in this atmospheric paranormal novel that’s perfect for fans of Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater.

Stories of dark magic and even darker creatures have always swirled about Mina Murray’s town of London, Georgia. Mina knows they aren’t true—and are likely perpetuated only to drive the quirky tourist-trap ghost tours of downtown—but that doesn’t stop her from collecting the stories and drawing them in her sketchbook. Something about the possibility of real monsters helps her deal with the monster in her own head: her OCD, which convinces her danger lurks everywhere.

But when a body is found drained of blood and a classmate goes missing, Mina is thrust into a tangled web of London secrets…that she seems to be at the center of.

About the Author: Before embracing her love of monsters and sneaking into Mina’s fictional world, Melanie Dale published a bunch of nonfiction books, shambled around as a zombie on TV, and survived cancer. She’s written episodes for the anthology horror television series Creepshow and over a decade of essays for Coffee + Crumbs. While she has won no awards for literature, she won a Halloween costume contest one time and still feels pretty stoked about it. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga or battling her own brain. She lives in the Atlanta area.

Thank you, Melanie, for this wonderful writing activity as well as the plea for middle school dark(er) books–I know many of my middle schoolers would agree with you!

Author Guest Post: “What Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Can Teach Us about Humanity, Resilience, and Critical Thinking” by Magda Mizzi, Author of Tyranny of Tomorrow and Dawn in Ruins

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“What Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Can Teach Us About Humanity, Resilience, and Critical Thinking”

Post-apocalyptic fiction often gets dismissed as “just survival stories,” but in fact, stories like The Tyranny
of Tomorrow and Dawn in Ruins offer rich opportunities for deep classroom discussion and learning.
Whether students are in middle school, high school, or a reading group, these narratives invite readers
to explore crucial skills: ethical thinking, empathy, resilience, and critical analysis.

1. Exploring What It Means to Be Human

At the heart of these novels is the question: What does it mean to be human when the structures of
society fall apart? In the ruins of Sydney, young protagonists must make choices that test their values
and force them to consider the humanity in themselves and others — even when “others” are different or
damaged.

In the classroom, teachers can use post-apocalyptic scenes as prompts for discussions or essays on
compassion, judgment, and identity:
● When is survival instinct, and when is it moral compromise?
● How do characters define who is worthy of help?

These questions help students connect literature to empathy and ethical reasoning.

2. Resilience as a Skill, Not Just a Theme

Resilience isn’t something characters just “have.” It’s something they develop particularly through loss,
failure, connection, and re-engagement with their world. Students read about how Madeline in The
Tyranny of Tomorrow pushes through grief and fear to protect those she loves — and they see resilience
modeled in action.

Classroom activity idea: Resilience Journals

After reading a chapter, students write about a time they faced difficulty and identify the traits that helped
them persevere. This connects the text to students’ own lives, encouraging self-reflection and growth.

3. Critical Thinking Through World-Building Analysis

Post-apocalyptic worlds require readers to question “Why this world?” and “What caused this collapse?”
In Dawn in Ruins, the mystery of the virus and its effects on characters like Jude pushes readers to think
beyond plot into cause/effect, systems, and unintended consequences.

Teachers can ask:
● How does the author build tension through setting?
● What real-world issues echo in the fictional collapse?

This develops analytical skills crucial for literature and other subjects like science or social studies.

4. Empathy Through Others’ Perspectives

Stories about survival inevitably involve diverse types of people reacting in different ways. Through
character comparisons and point-of-view exercises students can deepen their empathy and
understanding of motivation.

Classroom discussion prompt:
How might you respond differently than Annie, Jude, or Michael in a crisis? What does your answer reveal about your values?

Post-apocalyptic fiction isn’t just about the end of the world; it’s about the survival of ideas, hope, and
connection. When teachers bring texts like The Tyranny of Tomorrow and Dawn in Ruins into their
curriculum, they give students a space to consider ethics, resilience, and critical thinking in a way that is
both imaginative and deeply relevant to real life.

About the Book: In the heart of Sydney’s Western Suburbs, a devastating virus has unleashed a wave of unprecedented violence, leaving the town in chaos.

As the government struggles to regain control, the contagion spreads with alarming speed, triggering a global crisis. Amid the turmoil, Madeline, a quiet teenage girl, and Michael, the boy who captures her heart, are unexpectedly thrust together.

Now they must navigate the treacherous landscape, racing against time to secure a safe haven for their families and friends. Faced with the relentless onslaught of the virus, they’ll have to rely on their wits, courage, and the unbreakable bonds they forge in this high-stakes race for survival. `

The Tyranny of Tomorrow’ is a fast-paced and thrilling first instalment in a gripping series that explores the resilience of youth, the imposition of responsibility and the meaning of humanity in the face of an unravelling world.

About the Book: The world ended in silence. The fight for what’s left will not.

Ten months after the collapse, teenager Annie’s world has shattered, and with it, everything she once believed about monsters. They don’t always lurk in shadows. Sometimes they wear uniforms. Sometimes they wear the faces of those you love.

In the ruins of Sydney, Annie finds an unlikely ally in Jude—a half-infected boy marked by virus and twisted science. His strange, dangerous abilities make him both a threat and their best hope. But the line between abomination and saviour is thinner than either imagined.

Haunted by what was done to him, Jude carries scars deeper than flesh. Meanwhile, Annie’s younger brother, Lucas, remains a prisoner, infected and altered. If she doesn’t reach him soon, Lucas will face the same fate that nearly destroyed Jude—experiments that don’t just scar flesh but twist what it means to be human.

As secrets unravel and the origin of the virus comes to light, Jude learns a devastating truth: his connection to the outbreak is deeper, darker, and far more personal than he ever imagined.

Together, Annie and Jude race through a city where every shadow hides a threat. When they are torn apart, survival becomes more than a mission—it becomes a promise: to endure, to protect, and to bring each other back from whatever hell awaits.

From the shattered edges of the Fractured Reality universe comes a story of desperate hope and fierce loyalty—because in a world this ruined, some things are lost forever. But some are worth risking everything to save.

About the Author: .Magda Mizzi spins tales of shattered worlds and fierce survivors. A lifelong fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, she sets her stories in the haunting beauty of Western Sydney’s riverbanks and the rugged Blue Mountains—landscapes she grew up exploring.

When she’s not teaching English or encouraging young writers, she’s crafting her next dystopian twist.

Thank you, Magda, for this insight into how post-apocalyptic stories can help lead our students to critical thinking!