BLOGS > OCTOBER 10, 2024
Looking to stock up on the hottest titles? Our team of licensed librarians and educators have hand-selected 100 of the best new fiction and 100 nonfiction books by grade range for your library!
View the Top 5 most popular new middle school titles in the Book Collection below and see the full list here:
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1. Hot Mess (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 19)
By Jeff Kinney
When the Heffleys agree to spend summer break with Mom's and Dad's relatives at the same time, they have to figure out how to be in two places at once. With Greg caught in the middle, can the Heffleys pull off the ultimate scheme? Or will their vacation turn into a hilarious hot mess?
By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
During World War II, 12-year old Miriam secretly spirits other Jewish people out of Nazi-occupied France after being separated from her family and forced into hiding. Includes bibliographical references.
"Historical fiction at its finest. [A] masterpiece . . . Readers will be wholeheartedly rewarded." – SLJ (starred review)
By Sharon M. Draper
Chosen to be a U.S. spokesperson at an international symposium for kids with different abilities, Melody arrives in London where she meets like-minded kids who want to make the world more equal, no matter the unusual challenges they face, and hopes her words can make an impact.
“Through strong characterization and powerful storytelling, Draper once again successfully brings readers into Melody’s mind, allowing them to see the world through her eyes. A warm and beautifully told narrative featuring a beloved character.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
By John Schu
Jake volunteers at a nursing home because he likes helping people. He likes skating and singing, playing bingo and Name That Tune, and reading mysteries and comics aloud to his teachers. He also likes avoiding people his own age…and the cruelty of mirrors…and food. Jake has read about kids like him in books – the weird one, the outsider – and would do anything not to be that kid, including shrink himself down to nothing. But the less he eats, the bigger he feels. How long can Jake punish himself before he truly disappears? A fictionalized account of the author's experiences and emotions living in residential treatment facilities as a young teen with an eating disorder.
“This heart-wrenching verse novel – inspired by the author’s experiences, as discussed in an end note by Schu (This Is a Story) – is an unflinching depiction of resistance and disordered eating recovery. Clever use of negative space and onomatopoeic phrases emphasize Jake’s feelings of anger, grief, shame, and vulnerability, while musical theater lyrics and letters from Jake’s grandmother gently buoy this raw read.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
By Lisa Fipps
A gripping new novel in verse by the author of the Printz Honor-winning Starfish, featuring a poverty-stricken boy who bravely rides out all the storms life keeps throwing at him.
“A big, bold, engaging, and important story.” – Kirkus Reviews
Do you need help with finding books to support your ELA Curricula?
The Follett Content team can help you discover the best collections for core literacy programs, phonics instruction, classroom libraries, and top-selling novels to help your students meet their literacy goals.
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What Can Comics Do? Tapping Into Empathy and Flexibility
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When I write the word comics, many images and ideas might spring to mind for the reader. Maybe it is first the action figure or bombastic film that occupies a child’s life that you know, or maybe a stack of...
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High-Interest Books: Maximize Them!
May 1, 2025
As educators we recognize that we have reluctant readers no matter what grade we teach. In our hearts we desperately want those students to enjoy reading and not see it as a daunting task. A reluctant reader is not always...
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5 Ways to Bring Kwame Alexander Bookfest to Your School Library
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One of my favorite parts of being a librarian is helping our students find and connect to books. This happens in the library, within classrooms, in the lunchroom, at after-school events, and even walking down the hallway. Discovery and connection can...
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Celebrating 100 Years of The Great Gatsby
April 22, 2025
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby recently marked its 100th anniversary on April 10, with festivities held around the globe – from St. Paul, Minnesota, where Fitzgerald was born, to the French Riviera, where he completed his iconic novel. But...
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What We're Reading - May 2025 Edition
April 22, 2025
Each month, What We’re Reading features reflections on current reads from Follett Content team members. It’s a blog where our collective lifelong love of reading takes center stage! This month, we’re highlighting three amazing team members who help you analyze your...
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History, Part 4: Putting the Maker into Our [Library] Space!
April 16, 2025
Steve Gagnon, DLS, and Ashley Healey, LMS, are the dynamic duo of Stratham Memorial School’s newly rolled out “Learning Commons Program.” With a combined 45 years in education, they have seen the evolution of Makerspace culture and have dabbled with...
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