Casper Tock and the Everdark Wings

Casper Tock spends his days hiding from bullies at the private school he attends on scholarship thanks to his parents' jobs there.  He's so busy guarding his heart that he doesn't have friends.  One day while running from bullies, he accidentally discovers a portal to another world.

Rumblestar is one of the unmapped sky kingdoms that controls the weather on earth.  The first person Casper meets is a girl named Utterly who is convinced he is a demon.  There have been problems in the unmapped kingdoms leading to tornadoes and other extreme weather on earth, and Utterly thinks Casper is responsible.  

Utterly has always felt like an outcast.  The kids at school openly mock her, and most people think she is a failure.  She thinks this is her opportunity to prove her worth, but by the time she realizes Casper may be innocent, he's in more trouble than ever.  Now she will have to rescue him, and these two social outcasts will go on the adventure of their lives.

This series opener from Abi Elphinstone is a good fit for middle grade fantasy fans.

Every Other Weekend

Jolene's parents got divorced because her dad cheated on her mom.  Shelly, their personal trainer got close to Jolene who was neglected by her parents.  That only made things worse when she realized Shelly was just using her to get to her father.  Now her parents are always fighting, and Jolene is their pawn.  She spends every other weekend at her father's crappy apartment he's only renting to hide money from her mother.  Also, he's never there, so she ends up staying with Shelly and hiding in her bedroom.

Adam's parents are newly separated, and he blames his father.  Everything changed when Adam's oldest brother died.  His remaining brother has turned into a total jerk, and his mother is mired in her grief.  His parents were fighting and depressed, and his father decided to move out, maybe temporarily maybe not.  The only place he could find was a crappy apartment complex owned by a friend who agrees to let him stay for free while renovating the building.  Adam and his brother spend every other weekend there.  

They are both a bit jaded when they first meet, but they quickly become friends, and that friendship develops into something more.  That relationship begins to heal both of them, but it doesn't erase the rest of the challenges they face.

Abigail Johnson's realistic romance is a tearjerker about two kids with serious issues.  Adam's grief manifests as anger toward his father, and his mother's depression is so crippling, she can barely function.  But Jolene's issues are arguably worse.  Her parents are both narcissists who ignore her, and her mother is quick to take away any person who Jolene might actually care about.  This is definitely a heavy book, but it is highly readable, and still appropriate for most middle and high school readers.  There is a subplot about an older character who grooms her for an inappropriate relationship, but she is able to defend herself.  Recommended for ages 13 and up.

The Magnificent Monsters of Cedar Street

Cordelia loves working with her father, but all their work must be done in secret.  He used to be a regular veterinarian, but his work with the monsters gradually took over everything else.  Most people don't believe the monsters exist, and the ones who do fear them and want to eradicate the creatures.  

One morning she wakes to discover her father and nearly all the creatures are missing.  She frantically begins searching for clues, but all she can find is a cryptic note.  She gathers up the few creatures who are still in the house including an undersized dragon with bad lungs and sets out to find him.  

Her new friend Gregory, the first friend she's had in a long time, also joins her on her quest to find her father and the animals before they come to harm.  

This new fantasy by Lauren Oliver is should appeal to fans of her previous novels.  The subplot about immigration feels a bit forced.  The subplot about her former best friend works well though and provides some heart and comic relief.

The Only Black Girls in Town

Alberta has been the only Black girl her age in her California beach town for as long as she can remember.  She loves surfing and has spent her summer at surf camp and hanging out with her best friend Laramie.  

When Laramie starts hanging out with the popular crowd, Alberta is hurt and confused.  They've always been like sisters, and the leader of this group is Alberta's enemy.  This is the one thing Laramie has never really understood, but Nicollette shows her dislike for Alberta with all kinds of small and large actions designed to make Alberta feel like an outsider.  

When she finds out the bed and breakfast across the street has finally been sold, she hopes the new owners will have a daughter her age.  But it's better than she could ever hope. Not only is there a girl her age; she's also Black!  Alberta is sure they will become fast friends, but Edie isn't too happy with life in small town California after growing up in New York, especially since her father isn't really making an effort to maintain their relationship.

Edie finds a box of journals in her new attic bedroom, and she and Alberta begin to read and discuss them.  The author of these journals clearly has secrets, and the two girls are determined to discover her identity and the truth.  

This middle grade debut by Brandy Colbert is a perfect combination traditional middle grade tropes like changing friendships and the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) microaggressions Alberta has been trying to manage on her own.  She's been dealing with these on her own, and with no sounding board, she's been questioning herself.  The present day plot blends perfectly with the story in the journals which turns out to be a girl passing as white during segregation.  Alberta's fathers are supportive gay parents, and there is a sweet subplot involving her biological mother.  Recommended!

Black Brother, Black Brother

Donte and Trey are brothers, but they look very different.  Trey takes after their tall, athletic, European father, and Donte looks like their Black mother.  He's smaller and not really into sports, but it's his darker skin that makes him stand out at their new private school.  

When they lived in the city, Donte never felt like an outsider, but this new school is mostly white, and many of the students and even some of the teachers clearly don't like him.  After being falsely accused of a minor incident in the classroom, Donte gets angry when the principal refuses to listen to his side of this story.  This quickly escalates, and Donte finds himself arrested and booked into the police station.  

As the specter of an upcoming court date looms over him, the bullying at school intensifies.  Trey wants to protect his younger brother, but Donte knows that won't really help.  He knows he has to beat the king of the bullies at his own game.  

When Trey discovers a former champion fencer who happens to be Black living and working nearby, the brothers realize this could be their shot.  Fencing is the top sport in their prep school, and Alan, the worst of the bullies, is the captain of the fencing team.  

Donte's original goal is to defeat Alan and his friends, but in the process, he may just learn more about himself and the feeling of community that comes from working with a team.

Jewell Parker Rhodes's new book is an exploration of racism, colorism, and the school to prison pipeline.  Readers will feel Donte's frustrations at always being the scapegoat and cheer for his victories.  The heart of the book is the relationship between Donte and Trey.  Rhodes never plays them against each other even when the rest of the school tries to.  Highly recommended.