Entering Grade 9

REALISTIC FICTION

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Everything We Never Had
by Randy Ribay
This award winner follows four generations of Filipino American boys as they grow up. Detailing their struggles with societal norms and familial ties, we learn the flaws and the strengths of each and how those traits manifest in the next generation. Enzo, living in Philadelphia in 2020 has heard all the stories and may just have the emotional tools to heal what's broken among the men in his family.
All the Noise at Once
by DeAndra Davis
This story is about football-loving brothers and their search for social justice. Aiden is a Black autistic teen who wants to play football like his older brother, but an overstimulation meltdown at tryouts keeps him off the team. Later, a spot opens and he is called up, but his new teammates are not happy about it. A fight breaks out and when his older brother steps in he gets arrested. Aiden knows something unjust happened that night and he's determined to figure it out and clear his brother's name.
The Thing Around Your Neck
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
Twelve short stories that attempt to reconcile the relationship between the twelve different storytellers' home country: Nigeria, with their new lives in the United States. 
Eleanor & Park
by Rainbow Rowell
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits, mix tapes, X-Men comics, and falling in love.  
All My Rage
by Sabaa Tahir
Dreams take a toll on the dreamer, and so it is for Misbah, Toufiq, and their teenage son Salahudin. All My Rage flips between past and present, beginning with a young Pakistani couple, looking for a fresh start, who move to a small California town and buy a hotel. Fast forward to present day, and their son, Sal, is struggling to hold it all together. The hotel which once held so much promise is now an albatross around their necks, and his parents’ lives are unravelling at the seams. 
The Firekeeper's Daughter
by Angie Thomas
Follow the journey of 18-year-old Daunis Fontaine as she finds herself living two separate lives: one as a loving daughter, and one as a confidential informant for the FBI. After witnessing a murder, she must ultimately choose between protecting the people she loves or protecting her tribal community. 
 Looking for Alaska
by John Green
Miles goes away to boarding school and falls for Alaska Young; funny, smart, & self destructive, Alaska leaves a wake of chaos behind her.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
Charlie is a "wallflower"—he observes his high school world from a distance—until he meets some new friends that change the way he (and they) see things. 
How it Went Down                       
​by Kekla Magoon
A young, unarmed black man is shot and killed by a white man. This book cycles through each of the perspectives of everyone involved; and everyone's perception is different.
The Hate U Give (or anything by this author)
by Angie Thomas
Starr Carter lives in an urban neighborhood and attends a posh suburban private school. When her childhood friend is shot by a police officer in front of her, Starr must choose to choose between remaining silent or speaking out, and both have ramifications.
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