The BBS 2012 Summer Reading List — Chapter Books & Middle Grades

Here are some chapter books and middle grade titles written by black authors of various cultures.  This diverse list includes something of interest for every kind of reader!

 

NEWER TITLES (2010-2012)

Anna Hibiscus” Series

Author:  Atinuke

Publisher:  Walker (2011)

Genre:  CB

 

No. 1 Car Spotter

Author:  Atinuke

Publisher:  Walker (2010)

Genre:  CB

 

8th Grade Super Zero

Author:  Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Publisher:  Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic (2010)

Genre:  MG

 

Dork Diaries 3 1/2, How to Dork Your Diary

Author:  Rachel Renee Russell

Publisher:  Aladdin (2011)

Genre:  MG

 

How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won A Bubba-Sized Trophy

Author:  Crystal Allen

Publisher:  Balzer & Bray/HarperCollins (2011)

Genre:  MG

 

Meet Cecile

Author:  Denise Lewis Patrick

Illustrator:  Christine Kornacki

Publisher:  American Girl (2011)

Genre:  MG

 

The Mighty Miss Malone

Author:  Christopher Paul Curtis

Publisher:  Wendy Lamb Books/Random House (2012)

Genre:  MG

 

My Holy Bible for African-American Children

Authors:  Cheryl Hudson and Wade Hudson

Publisher:  Zondervan (2010)

Genre:  MG

 

One Crazy Summer

Author:  Rita Williams-Garcia

Publisher:  Amistad/HarperCollins (2010)

Genre:  MG

 

Out of My Mind

Author:  Sharon Draper

Publisher:  Atheneum Books for Young Readers (2012)

Genre:  MG

 

What Mama Left Me

Author:  Renee Watson

Publisher:  Bloomsbury USA (2012)

Genre:  MG


NOTABLE TITLES

Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel

Author:  Nikki Grimes

Illustrator:  R. Gregory Christie

Publisher:  Putnam Juvenille (2009)

Genre:  CB

 

Nikki & Deja

Author:  Karen English

Illustrator:  Laura Freeman

Publisher:  Clarion (2007)

Genre:  CB

 

Ruby Booker and the Boys: Brand New School, Brave New Ruby

Author:  Derrick Barnes

Illustrator:  Vanessa Brantley Newton

Publisher:  Scholastic (2008)

Genre:  CB

 

Sassy: Little Sister is Not My Name

Author:  Sharon M. Draper

Publisher: Scholastic (2009)

Genre:  CB

 

Blue Mountain Trouble

Author:  Martin Mordecai

Publisher:  Arthur A. Levine (2009)

Genre:  MG

 

Celeste’s Harlem Renaissance

Author:  Eleanora E. Tate

Publisher:  Little, Brown (2007)

Genre:  MG/Historical

 

Heaven

Author:  Angela Johnson

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (1998)

Genre:  MG

 

The Rock and The River

Author:  Kekla Magoon

Publisher:  Aladdin (2009)

Genre:  MG

 

Sacred Mountain: Everest

Author:  Christine Taylor-Butler

Publisher:  Lee & Low Books (2009)

Genre:  MG/Non-Fiction

 

The Skin I’m In

Author:  Sharon G. Flake

Publisher:  Scholastic (1998)

Genre: MG

 

Some Friend

Author:  Marie Bradby

Publisher:  Atheneum (2003)

Genre:  MG

6 thoughts on “The BBS 2012 Summer Reading List — Chapter Books & Middle Grades

  1. I’m feeling really good about this list because I’ve heard of or read almost everything on it! Didn’t know I was so into MG books. I really like No. 1 Car Spotter.

  2. I’m feeling good about this list, too. One Crazy Summer is one crazy good book. Rita is a wonderful novelist and a beautiful person. I wonder if our children are ready to come to terms with Katrina now. After years of writing for adults, Katrina sparked my first middle-grade novel, NINTH WARD, and the voice of a child was so strong. Thanks for all the issues you do tackle in your summer reading list.

    laneshasays.com

  3. So thrilled to discover Anna Hibiscus from this list! My daughter and I have flown through the books — I bought three of them in a week! I would love to know of some other gentle books (my daughter is a sensitive child) which are older than picture books but younger than middle grades?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *