Middle School Nutmeg Nominees
Sign up to be a Nutmeg Reader HERE. Read the books, answer some quick questions, and earn badges. Click on the title of the book to access the quizzes. Can you collect all the badges?
Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack
Pesah has long suffered from leprosy, with his twin sister, Ziva, devoted to his care. When he has a vision that the Angel of Death is coming for him, the twins flee to find a cure. A demon promises them safety in Luz, where no one dies —if they can outrun Death itself.
Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste
With the help of his old friends and new foster family, Win “Coal” Keegan navigates the twists and turns of life as a boy who can turn invisible in this action-packed, superhero origin story.
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla
Maudie McGinn has a secret. When a wildfire upends her summer with her father and distances her from the tensions of her mother’s grasp, Maudie finds freedom and confidence for the first time. Life feels like a dream, but will Maudie’s secret shatter her safety and her sense of self?
Half Moon Summer by Elaine Vickers
Told in alternating chapters of Drew’s prose and Mia’s verse, two middle school students form a friendship over the summer as they train for a half-marathon. Each has reasons for pursuing the race as they deal with their own family struggles, but they will soon discover how much they need the support of one another.
The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
Apprenticed to a famed mapmaker, Sai joins an expedition to chart new lands and escape her past. The farther they sail, the more dangerous the journey becomes, with storms, sea monsters, and secrets lurking beneath the waves. But as the truth about their voyage is revealed, Sai must decide who she really is.
Louder than Hunger by John Schu
A 13-year-old struggles with a serious eating disorder while hiding it from friends and family until he is hospitalized. Told in a first-person diary form, we experience the inner battles that Jake faces and attempts to combat.
Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang
After an exciting vacation to Disneyland, Feng Li’s parents reveal they’re returning to Taiwan, leaving her and her siblings behind in America. As the kids grapple with living on their own, learning English, and attending school, Feng-Li must find a way to keep her family together, even when they’re miles apart.
The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett
Kemi Carter sees the world through ratios and numbers – logical explanations and mathematical rules. When an asteroid threatens Earth, Kemi’s calculations can’t soften the inevitable, no matter how hard she tries. As she builds a time capsule to preserve her family’s story, Kemi learns what truly matters can’t be determined by numbers.
Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
Malaysian teen Najwa returns to the annual Scrabble championship a year after her best friend, Trina, suddenly died. Still wrestling with anxiety and grief, Najwa hopes to honor Trina by winning the tournament. When posts from Trina’s social media account suggest foul play, Najwa launches her investigation into the mystery of Trina’s death.
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko
This is the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of 11-year-old Hank Hooperman, left home alone with his three-year-old sister, Boo when their often-absent mother disappears. Using wit and bravery, Hank must find a safe place to temporarily land.