Libraries: Middle School
"Supporting critical, ethical and global thinking."
"Supporting critical, ethical and global thinking."
The Berkeley Carroll Mock Newbery Club is a reading group for students in grades 4-8, formed and
facilitated by BC Librarians in 2009. This year will mark the club’s fourteenth consecutive year as a cross-divisional, cross-grade reading group for students who enjoy taking on the challenge of reading independently with a critical eye.
The Newbery Medal is a prestigious literary award given annually to the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The BC Mock Newbery Club provides an opportunity for students to read and discuss a selection of the best children's books published in the current year with other passionate readers. Members are required to evaluate the books they read in terms of the criteria and guidelines used by the Newbery committee and nominate their favorite books - the titles that they deem distinguished. Mock Newbery members must read at least 50 pages of a book before they can reject it in favor of a new one.
This year, starting in early December, members will begin reading and meeting to discuss and evaluate the titles under consideration. They make a commitment to read at least 3 books by the end of February and are encouraged to share responses and reviews of the books they have read which will be published on this guide. Members will vote for their top choices to create a shortlist of approximately 5-7 books before Spring Break. They are encouraged to read all the books on the finalist list by mid April in preparation for the final vote which will determine the winners of BC's coveted annual Mock Newbery Medal and Honor awards!
Big Tree by
Sycamore seed siblings Merwin and Louise must use their wits and imaginations to navigate a mysterious and often dangerous world, filled with talking plants, monsters, meteors, and the fear of never finding the right conditions to set down roots and become big trees.
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The Dreamatics by
"A fantastical theatre and its troupe perform a young girl's dreams, until nightmares take over and one devoted stagehand must bring joy back into the spotlight"--.
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Eb and Flow by
In this emotional novel-in-verse, tweens De’Kari and Ebony are suspended after a fight for ten days, during which they learn to see the world with a fresh perspective.
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new windowThe Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía by
Dragged along on another magical creature hunt with their father, 12-year-old Valentina, who loves to draw the world around her, and her younger brother Julian are transported to an alternate Colombia where the legends are real.
This link opens in a new windowThe Eyes and the Impossible by
Free dog Johannes' job is to observe everything that happens in his urban park and report back to the park's three bison elders, but changes are afoot, including more humans, a new building, a boatload of goats, and a shocking revelation that changes his view of the world.
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A First Time for Everything by
In this feel-good coming-of-age memoir, the best-selling author and Caldecott Medalist shares his life-changing middle school trip to Europe during which he experiences a series of firsts, including first love.
This link opens in a new windowThe Girl from Earth's End by
"To save her father, 12-year-old Henna, a gifted gardener, attends St. Basil's Conservatory, a botanical boarding school rumored to house a legendary, long-extinct plant with miraculous healing powers, and while searching for the seeds, Henna learns to flourish with a little help from her newfound friends"--.
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Good Different by
Neurodivergent girl Selah, who always tries to keep her feelings in check — especially her anger — explodes at school one day, hitting a fellow student, and must figure out more about who she is in order to understand that different doesn’t mean damaged.
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new windowThe Labors of Hercules Beal by
Seventh-grader Hercules Beal has to figure out how to fulfill his teacher's assignment of performing the Twelve Labors of Hercules in real life, and discovers important things about friendship, community, and himself along the way.
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The Lost Year by
When his great-grandmother comes to stay with them during the pandemic, 13-year-old Matthew discovers a photo in her belongings that reveals a life-shattering family secret, in this brilliant survival story set in alternating timelines that connects the present day to 1930s Soviet Ukraine.
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The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by
"This is the tale of an exciting journey along the Silk Road with a young Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called "Seller of Dreams." The man is a scammer; his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey's life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir--furious enough to hire assassins. Monkey decides to try and save Samir from the attempts on his life--as a way to pay off his debt! If he can save Samir six times, he'll be a free man...but will they all survive that long?"--.
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Mexikid by
Pedro Martin's grown up in the U.S. hearing stories about his legendary abuelito, but during a family road trip to Mexico, he connects with his grandfather and learns more about his own Mexican identity in this moving and hilarious graphic memoir.
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The Mona Lisa Vanishes by
Transporting readers back to turn-of-the-century Paris where they will bear witness to the heist of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, which made it the most famous artwork in the world, this nonfiction thriller is shot through with stories of crime and celebrity, genius and beauty.
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Not an Easy Win by
"Expelled from school after one too many fights, Lawrence spends his days at the rec center where he learns how to play chess, making moves that change everything as he finds himself still in the game. ".
This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new windowThe One and Only Ruby by
In this novel-in-verse that picks up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob, Ruby recounts her life before the circus when her caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa comes for a visit.
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The Song of Us by
Love at first sight isn’t a myth. For seventh graders Olivia and Eden, it’s fate. Olivia is a capital-P Poet, and Eden thinks she wants to be a musician one day, but for now she’s just the new girl. And then Eden shows up to Poetry Club and everything changes.
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Iris opens her eyes to hard truths and the power of her voice when her father dies of AIDS in 1987.
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Two years after surviving a school shooting, 12-year-old Simon moves to the only place in America where the internet is banned, finally getting a chance to spin his own story with the help of a new friend.
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Sincerely Sicily by
Jordan, a Black Panamanian fashionista who rocks her braids with pride, faces prejudice both in her new school and at home, and with a little creativity, proves to herself and everyone else exactly who she is.
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The Skull by
In a big abandoned house lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla escapes from terrible danger and runs away. When she gets lost in the dark forest she finds her way to the lonely house. The skull is afraid of something too, it comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both?
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