On The Books-Middle-School Matchmaking!

My love of reading began at a very young age, and while there was nothing that compared to Harry Potter at that time, there were some gems that are worth noting. And worth remembering.

Here I have gathered some contemporary reading recommendations that pair with nostalgic picks that still hold a place in the heart and memory of many.

SCORPIONS – WALTER DEAN MYERS

Pushed by a bully to fight and nagged by his principal, Jamal is having a difficult time staying in school. His home life is not much better, with his mother working her fingers to the bone to try to earn the money for an appeal for Jamal's jailed older brother, Randy.

The Scorpions are a gun-toting Harlem gang, and Jamal Hicks is about to become tragically involved with them in this authentic tale of the sacrifice of innocence and the struggle to steer clear of violence.

Nostalgic Match…The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Heroic classic coming age story of friendship and belonging from the perspective of a boy on the outskirts of “regular” society.

If you liked…Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, Dear Martin by Nic Stone

SAMMY KEYES & THE HOTEL THIEF – WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN

Sammy Keyes must be a magnet for trouble...

I mean it's bad enough that she has to live illegally in a seniors-only building with her grandmother while her mother tries to make it as a move star. And worse that she witnessed a burglary in progress, and that the thief saw her. And worse still that nosy neighbor Mrs. Graybill is onto her, and that the thief is after her. But on top of all that, she also manages to make an enemy of the queen of mean at her new school and get suspended on the first day.

Nostalgic Match…Harriet The Spy by Lois Fitzhugh. Harriet writes everything down in her notebook, when she loses it, it ends up in the wrong hands with the pages laid bare for all to see.

If you liked…Pages & Co: Tilly & The Bookwanderers by Anna James, Miscalculations Of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty, Framed by James Ponti

THE INSIDERS – MARK OSHIRO

San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone.

Most days, he just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. Yes, he sees the irony. But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country and opens the door to a life-changing year full of friendship, adventure, and just a little bit of magic.

Nostalgic Match…Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Francie is growing up poor but her imagination and creativity are rich beyond imagining. A poignant and stark portrayal of a childhood that comes with struggles.

If you liked…Clean Getaway by Nic Stone, Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams, New Kid by Jerry Craft

THE UNTEACHABLES – GORDON KORMAN

The Unteachables are a medley of wayward characters: Parker the dyslexic farm boy; Aldo, in need of anger management classes; Elaine, rhymes with pain; Barnstorm the jock; Rahim the sleep-deprived artist; Mateo, lost in fantasy worlds and Kiana, who is just in town visiting her dad and isn’t even registered with the school. Not to mention their teacher, who remains in disgrace after a 25-year-old cheating scandal and is just killing time, doing crossword puzzles, and waiting to take early retirement at the end of the year. They are about to become an unlikely group of heroes.

Nostalgic Match…Charlie & The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Five children are lucky enough to be invited to the opening of Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory. They are unaware of what awaits them.

If you liked…Millionaire’s For The Month by Stacy McAnulty, Elephant In The Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan, Tales Of A Fourth Grade Nothing