You Should See Me In a Crown by Leah Johnson

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Liz Lighty has always done her best to avoid the spotlight in her small, wealthy, and prom-obsessed midwestern high school, after all, her family is black and rather poor, especially since her mother died; instead she has concentrated on her grades and her musical ability in the hopes that it will win her a scholarship to elite Pennington College and their famous orchestra where she plans to study medicine--but when that scholarship falls through she is forced to turn to her school's scholarship for prom king and queen, which plunges her into the gauntlet of social media which she hates and leads her to discoveries about her own identity and the value of true friendships. A highly recommended read for any young person to adult.

Paul, Big and Small by David Glen Robb

Genre: Contemporary

Paul, who has been teased/bullied his whole life for how little he is, finds friendship in the most unlikely places. Big is a laid back, insightful Samoan boy, Small is ironically a very tall girl. These three characters make connections in school and out that alter the lives of all those around them. This book is about friendship, bullying, loss, acceptance, mental health, physical health, self-esteem, and family -both the one we are related to and the ones we chose. A solid read for all middle school students.

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Genre: Historical Fiction

In a country governed by isolation, fear, and a tyrannical dictator, seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. However, he decides to use his position to try to outwit his handler and undermine the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. This piece of history is important to read about and especially so with the current situation in Ukraine.