2025 Middle School Nutmeg Nominees

Updated April 29, 2024
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African Town /
Latham, Irene.
Chronicling the story of the last Africans brought illegally to America in 1860, African Town is a powerful and stunning novel-in-verse. In 1860, long after the United States outlawed the importation of enslaved laborers, 110 men, women and children from Benin and Nigeria...
Bloom /
Oppel, Kenneth,
"The perfect book right now for young readers searching for hope, strength, inspiration -- and just a little horticultural havoc."--New York Times   The first book in a can't-put-it-down, can't-read-it-fast-enough action-thriller trilogy that's part Hatchet, part...
Elatsoe /
Little Badger, Darcie,
Locus Award Winner--Best First Novel A National Indie Bestseller Nebula Award Finalist Lodestar Award Finalist Ignyte Award Finalist TIME's Best 100 Fantasy Books of All Time NPR Best of the Year Booklist's...
Invisible /
Gonzalez, Christina Diaz,
A USA TODAY and Indie Bestseller! For fans of New Kidand Allergic, a must-have graphic novel about five very different students who are forced together by their school to complete community service... and may just have more in common than they thought. ...
Iveliz explains it all /
Arango, Andrea Beatriz.
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER * In this timely and moving novel in verse, a preteen girl navigates seventh grade while facing mental health challenges. A hopeful, poetic story about learning to advocate for the help and understanding you deserve. "Powerful." --Lisa Fipps,...
King and the dragon flies /
Callender, Kacen.
A 2021 Coretta Scott King Honor Book! Winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Young People's Literature! Winner of the 2020 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry! In a small but turbulent Louisiana town, one boy's grief takes him...
Obie is man enough /
Bailar, Schuyler.
A coming-of-age story about transgender tween Obie, who didn't think being himself would cause such a splash. For fans of Alex Gino's George and Lisa Bunker's Felix Yz. Obie knew his transition would have ripple effects. He has to leave his swim coach, his pool, and...
Starfish /
Fipps, Lisa
A Printz Honor winner! Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this poignant debut novel-in-verse. Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she...
Troublemaker /
Cho, John,
An instant New York Times bestseller! An Indiebound bestseller! An Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book! Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan...
Year of the Reaper
Lucier, Makiia.
"I love the magic Lucier weaves through this dark yet hopeful tale. I devoured it in one sitting!" --Kristin Cashore, author of the New York Times bestselling Graceling Realm books "A beautifully crafted novel containing everything I love in an epic fantasy: complex characters and...

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