Jules Machias, author of Indie Next List Pick Both Can Be True, delivers another inspiring story about how an unexpected friendship transforms the lives of two middle schoolers.

 Avery Hart lives for the thrill and speed of her dirt bike and the pounding thump of her drum kit. But after she’s diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disease that affects her joints, Avery splits her time between endless physical therapy and worrying that her fun and independence are over for good.

 Sarah Bell is familiar with worry, too. For months, she’s been having intense panic attacks. No matter how much she pours her anxiety into making art, she can’t seem to get a grip on it, and she’s starting to wonder if she’ll be this way forever.

 Just as both girls are reaching peak fear about what their futures hold, their present takes a terrifying turn when their school is seemingly attacked by gunmen. Though they later learn it was an active shooter drill, the traumatic experience bonds the girls together in a friendship that will change the way they view their perceived weaknesses—and help them find strength, and more, in each other.

Fight + Flight

Unhappy Camper

A heartfelt debut novel about a boy&#8217;s attempt to find himself in the history he loves&#8212;perfect for fans of Dear Sweet Pea and From the Desk of Zoe Washington.Amos Abernathy lives for history. Literally. He&#8217;s been a historical reenactor nearly all his life. But when a cute new volunteer arrives at his Living History Park, Amos finds himself wondering if there&#8217;s something missing from history: someone like the two of them.Amos is sure there must have been LGBTQ+ people in nineteenth-century Illinois. His search turns up Albert D. J. Cashier, a Civil War soldier who might have identified as a trans man if he&#8217;d lived today. Soon Amos starts confiding in his newfound friend by writing letters in his journal&#8212;and hatches a plan to share Albert&#8217;s story with his divided twenty-first century town. It may be an uphill battle, but it&#8217;s one that Amos is ready to fight.Told in an earnest, hilarious voice, this love letter to history, first crushes, and LGBTQ+ community will delight readers of Ashley Herring Blake, Alex Gino, or Maulik Pancholy.&#160;

The Civil War of Amos Abernathy

Pick-your-own path and puzzle-packed mystery collide in the fourth book in Lauren Magaziner&#8217;s hilarious and interactive middle grade series as Las Pistas Detective Agency gets its first international case at an archaeological dig in Greece. In this wildly entertaining and interactive adventure, YOU pick which suspects to interview, which questions to ask, and which clues to follow. You pick the path&#8212;you crack the case!Carlos and Eliza may be going on separate paths, but their end goal is the same&#8212;keep the booby traps from taking their detective agency out! But with tricky puzzles and dozens of impossible choices, they need your help! Can you help Carlos and his friend find the lost treasure . . . and can you protect it from the culprit trying to steal it?Can you help Carlos and his friends unravel the mystery before it&#8217;s too late? Or will it be case closed?Middle grade readers will enjoy all four books in this favorite series: Mystery in the Mansion (#1), Stolen from the Studio (#2), Haunting at the Hotel (#3), and Danger on the Dig (#4)!

Case Closed #4: Danger on the Dig

This debut novel is a poignant exploration of grief, change, and hope, perfect for fans of Lisa Graff and Lindsey Stoddard. After Kitty&#8217;s mother dies on an inappropriately sunny Tuesday, all Kitty wants is for her life to go back to &#8220;normal&#8221;&#8212;whatever that will mean without her mum. Instead, her dad announces that he, Kitty, and her sister are moving from their home in London to New York City, and Kitty will need to say goodbye to the places and people that help keep her mother&#8217;s memory alive. New York is every bit as big and bustling as Kitty&#8217;s heard, and as she adjusts to life there and befriends a blue-haired boy,&#160; she starts to wonder if her memories of her mum don&#8217;t need to stay in one place&#8212;if there&#8217;s a way for them to be with Kitty every day, everywhere.

Glitter Gets Everywhere

Case Closed #4

FINALIST FOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARDFINALIST FOR THE OLA SILVER BIRCH AWARDThe literary scavenger hunt of a lifetime, starring an endlessly endearing non-binary tweenZed Watson loves a few things: their name (which they chose themself!), their big rambunctious family, and&#8212;oh yeah&#8212;monsters. When Zed discovered the mystery surrounding an unpublished novel called The Monster&#8217;s Castle, they were completely hooked. Now Zed is a member of a small but dedicated legion devoted to finding the long-buried text.When a breakthrough discovery leads Zed to the route that they are sure will take them to the treasure, they know it&#8217;s time for a road trip. And with the help of their shy, flora-loving neighbour, Gabe, and his sister, Sam, a geologist who is driving back to college in Arizona, Zed and company are soon off on a wild adventure following cryptic clues.But it&#8217;s not all fun and games. Gabe doesn&#8217;t like Zed&#8217;s snacks, Sam is a bossy driver with total command of the ancient Impreza&#8217;s stereo, and Zed is often misgendered. It&#8217;s a good thing they also encounter kind strangers, potato-themed dance-offs and lots and lots of ice cream along the way. If Zed and Gabe can combine their strengths, survive Sam&#8217;s wrath and best the greedy historian who&#8217;s also hot on the book&#8217;s trail, they just might find the greatest treasure of all.Co-authored by child-parent duo Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester, this is a vibrant and enormous-hearted story about friendship, identity and belonging. It features illustrations by celebrated author and illustrator Kevin Sylvester, and an Own Voices perspective based on Basil&#8217;s experience.

The Fabulous Zed Watson!

&#8220;Combines wonderful characters and history to create a story that will make you want to dive right in!&#8221; JERRY CRAFT, author of the Newbery Medal&#8211;winning New KidA splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas!Bree can&#8217;t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees&#8212;until she&#8217;s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she&#8217;s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former&#160;swim team captain, is willing to help.With Etta&#8217;s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school&#8217;s failing team around. But that&#8217;s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake.Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap&#8212;for good?Praise for SWIM TEAM:&#8220;A revelation! You&#8217;ll root for Swim Team&#8212;the water is just right.&#8221; &#8212;JOHN JENNINGS, New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award&#8211;winning creator&#8220;Swim Team is a beautiful story about trying new things. Johnnie Christmas is a fantastic storyteller and artist.&#8221; &#8212;KAZU KIBUISHI, author of Amulet&#8220;Full of charm, heart, and pulse-pounding races. A winner!&#8221; &#8212;GENE LUEN YANG, author of American Born Chinese and Dragon Hoops

The Shelf Stuff Library