dear mr. hemingway’s 2021 holiday books & pairings
Buoys With Lights & Middle Grade Delights
Blackhole Chasers: The Amazing True Story of an Astronomical Breakthrough by Anna Crowley Redding (Feiwel & Friends)
Anna Crowley Redding DID IT AGAIN with Black Hole Chasers! Her latest creation is SMART! If you are in the market for learning about Black Holes and how the first one was actually photographed…you have come to the right place. What I love about Crowley Redding’s book is that all of her research is clear, concise, and very easy to digest, especially if you are a middle-grade student. I loved this book as an adult and learned a ton.
Synopsis:
“In April 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope Team unveiled the first ever image of a super massive black hole.
This inspiring scientific breakthrough took years of hard work, innovative thinking, and a level of global cooperation never seen before. The challenge was immense. The goal was impossible. They would need a telescope as big as the earth itself. The technology simply didn’t exist. And yet, a multi-national team of scientists was able to show the world an image of something previously unseeable.
Based off extensive research and hours interviews with many of the team’s ground-breaking scientist, physicists, and mathematicians, Black Hole Chasers is a story of unique technological innovation and scientific breakthroughs, but more importantly, it’s a story of human curiosity and triumph.”
Welcome to Dweeb Club by Betsy Uhrig (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
When I find a book that my middle school kids will willingly read, I jump on it. I love the theme and the whole concept of this read. Super unique and fun!
Synopsis:
“What if a school club changed your life forever?
In the second week of seventh grade, Jason Sloan signs up for the brand-new HAIR Club. He and his friends have no idea what it’s about, but since they’re the first to sign up they figure they’ll be in charge in no time. The club turns out to be super weird: using fancy new equipment donated by a mysterious benefactor, the members are supposed to monitor school security footage. Their first assignment: find out what is stealing the cafeteria’s croutons.
Instead of the expected dark cafeteria, the computers show the club members something else entirely: actual footage of themselves as high school seniors, five years in the future! What on earth could be happening? Is it some kind of time warp, or alternate reality? Or is it just an un-funny prank? As they scramble to solve the mystery, they can’t help but notice something else—none of them like what they see five years from now. Is there any way to change the future—and their fates?”
Figuring out who you are and who you want to become has never been funnier in this laugh-out-loud romp through the perils of middle school—and beyond.”
Crashing in Love by Jennifer Richard Jacobson (Candlewick Press)
Middle-grade books keep getting better and better. Jacobson’s storyline is fresh, entertaining, and thought-provoking. Peyton is the quintessential middle schooler looking for “love”.
Synopsis:
“Since her parents divorced, twelve-year-old Peyton has known that to achieve happier outcomes in her life, she’s got to focus on eliminating her flaws—and on making sure her first boyfriend is truly right for her. Guided by her collection of inspirational quotes and her growing list of ideal boyfriend traits, Peyton is convinced that this summer will be the perfect summer, complete with the perfect boyfriend! But when she discovers a boy lying unconscious in the middle of the road, the victim of a hit-and-run, her perfect summer takes a dramatic detour. Determined to find the driver responsible, Peyton divides her time between searching her small town for clues and visiting the comatose (and cute!) boy in the hospital. When he wakes up, will he prove to be her destiny? Or does life have a few more surprises in store? With abundant warmth and gentle humor, Jennifer Richard Jacobson offers a novel about searching for perfect answers—and finding that reality is both messier and far more intriguing than anything you can dream up.”
Dear Mr. Hemingway’s 2021 Holiday Books & Pairings
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