Accepting Challenges

One of the best things about middle grade literature is the way that authors include social issues as part of their story lines.  These are topics that kids are typically trying to navigate in one way or another and even if they aren't, kids around them are.  These are stories are excellent opportunities to talk about how some people solve these challenges as well as how we might do things differently or maybe it's such a genius way they did it, we should copy them!    Here are two great ones you might really like! 

The first one is from one of my favorite authors-Pablo Cartaya-he's from Miami, close to me and he's an amazing storyteller.  He's written books like "Marcus Vega doesn't speak Spanish" and "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" He has such a gift for writing characters voices.  This one is no exception.  It's science fiction with a side of dystopian future and  it's called the Last Beekeeper.  When you start reading, you'll be thinking "Bees?  Huh?"  It's about two girls, Yolanda and Camelia (Yoli and Cami) who live in a fictional, dystopian future kind of place called Silo.  Cami and Yoli make a living selling strawberries, except the strawberries are not very good-they're not ripe or sweet but they are strawberry shaped and they keep hoping that they'll be able to sell so that Yoli can finish her schooling.  Their parents have been exiled so Cami has been taking care of Yoli for the last six years and Yoli is really starting to resent Cami's secrets and overprotection.  Yoli needs one more online class to finish her studies and when the Mayor comes and offers her a scholarship, Yoli wants to jump at the chance.  Cami says they should make sure they read the contract carefully but Yoli impulsively signs up.  It turns out that the contract includes a clause that will require Yoli to go to the Reserve to pay off the debt.  The Reserve is a place where people are sent to scavenge parts in very dangerous conditions.  Many people, including Cami, come back badly injured.  Cami tries to negotiate a way around the contract and ends up in big trouble.  The girls are trying to figure out a plan and Yoli decides to take a walk in the woods and stumbles on something big-a beehive that their grandmother cultivated and hid from the authorities.  With the help of Yoli's best friend, Arelis, they make some big changes to the town.   What's great about this book is the idea that science actually ISN'T the answer to the problems-nature is.  The conversations around pollinators and food production and technology will be amazing.  The characters are terrific and the resolution of the conflicts is great.  EXCEPT for the totally cliff hanger ending.  Urrghhh.  There had better be another one of these.  This is going to be a terrific book for middle graders, especially Spanish bilingual kids, who will enjoy the Spanish words (don't worry if you're only an English speaker because it's easy enough to figure out what the words mean).  I can't wait to put this one in my library.

The second one is also about climate change.  It's called The First Rule of Climate Club and it's written by Carrie Firestone.  It's about Mary Kate who is a seventh grader in a small town in Vermont.  She lives with her parents and has two siblings who are considerably older than she is.  In fact, Mary Kate just became an aunt.  Mary Kate likes school (as much as any middle schooler does) and in 6th grade, she was part of a group that advocated for a dress code change, which many of our students would identify with.  The science teacher, Mr. Lu, starts a club to help solve climate change, which Mary Kate and her friends join.  Mary Kate is also struggling.  Her best friend has been sick and hasn't been able to come to school.  Mary Kate misses her terribly and is looking to help her find answers.  It also turns out the the English teacher is running for mayor and happens to be Mary Kate's big sister's best friend.  This is a complex story with lots of different themes including climate change, political change, racism, medical care, and mental health care.  Mary Kate is an interesting main character that I wanted to be friends with-she's kind and caring, perceptive and a real go-getter.  The characters around her are nuanced and interesting as well and I think this would be a terrific book for any middle school library.  It just came out, so make sure you look for it!