These awesome titles are full of excitement, spirit, and hope! From a girl who has to find her way back to her love of music, to a girl and a horse with an unbreakable bond, to a girl who's just trying to get back to normalcy after her parents' divorce, to a boy just finding himself after the loss of his best friend. These tales are bursting with heart.

Miracle by KAREN S. CHOW. Amie has spent her life perfectly in tune with Ba-ba, her father — she plays the violin, his favorite instrument, and she loves all his favorite foods, even if he can’t eat them during his cancer treatments. But after Ba-ba dies, Amie feels distanced from everyone close to her. More devastating still, she loses her ability to play the violin. Will Amie ever find her way back to the music she once loved?

The Flying Horse by SARAH MASLIN NIR. Trendsetter is a horse destined to fly — in more ways than one. Sarah is a horse-loving seventh grader who has a secret and a fear of losing the one thing she loves most in the world. Separated by an ocean, it is only when they find each other that the two kindred spirits find themselves. Together they learn that what’s important in life isn’t greatness — it’s being great at being you.

Home Away From Home by CYNTHIA LORD. In the midst of her parents' divorce, Mia goes to stay with her grandma, and meets the new know-it-all neighbor, Cayman. Mia becomes determined to prove him wrong about a local bird, and, in her effort to prove herself to him, she makes a decision that will change things for the town, for the bird, for Cayman, and even for herself. Can Mia stop what she’s put into motion?

Dear Mothman by ROBIN GOW. Halfway through sixth grade, Noah’s best friend and the only other trans boy in his school, Lewis, passed away in a car accident. Grieving Lewis, Noah starts writing letters to Mothman, their favorite cryptid. Strange things start to happen and even as Noah becomes sure of Mothman’s existence, his parents and teachers don’t believe him. Noah decides it’s up to him to risk everything, trek into the woods, and find Mothman himself.

Figure it Out, Henri Weldon by TANITA S. DAVIS. Seventh grader Henrietta Weldon gets to switch schools — finally! She’ll be leaving her special education school behind, and can’t wait for her new schedule, new friends, and new classes. Henri’s dyscalculia, a learning disability that makes math challenging to process and understand, is what she expects to give her problems. What she doesn’t expect is a family feud with her sister over her new friends, joining the girls’ soccer team, and discovering poetry. Will Henri be able to figure it all out?

Fantastic Middle Grade Reads!