Kids can do it all, but it's ok to ask for help! Middle grade fiction 2022
I've been a librarian now for 12 years and I was a classroom teacher for 20 years before that. As the librarian, I've made an effort to read the latest books. I've also been lucky enough to have the opportunity to read for two different book awards (which pushes you to read all the latest books) and it's really interesting to see some of the gigantic changes in children's literature over the last few years, in response to cultural changes. One of the changes is the conversation about social issues and middle grade fiction is brilliant at opening those conversations. Here are two (not brand new, but pretty new) books that you might want to read. The first one is called Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh. It's about Junie, a middle schooler, who is struggling with some big things. The first is bullying. The kids in her neighborhood and at her school bully her relentlessly. They use Asian ethnic slurs and tropes to intimidate and anger her a...