Finding Diverse Books 2026 | Grades 6-8

Updated January 16, 2026
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Finding Diverse Books 2026 | Grades 6-8

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Speak up, Santiago! : a Hillside Valley graphic novel
Anta, Julio
Paper Book
Welcome to Hillside Valley! 12 year-old New York city kid Santi is heading upstate, in the debut of this irresistible contemporary graphic novel series about friends, family, community and identity--just right for fans of Mexikid and the Click series! Named one of the...

A Colombian American middle schooler who doesn't speak Spanish well struggles to fit in with his fluent peers during a summer visit to his grandmother in this graphic novel exploration of identity and acceptance.

Also available as an e-book.

Rick Kotani's 400 million dollar summer
Brown, Waka T.
Paper Book
Oregon Book Award-winning author Waka T. Brown hits a home run in this middle grade novel about a baseball-obsessed twelve-year-old who moves to Oregon to help his grandfather--an elusive old man with a shrouded past--but ends up learning unexpected truths about his family and how...

A sports novel from Oregon author and OBOB favorite Waka T. Brown combines Japanese folklore with a contemporary story about a young teen who loses sight of his values after joining an ultra-competitive baseball team. Come for the sports action, stay for the exploration of one of the big questions facing young athletes: is it more important to be a good sport or win at all costs?

Faiza Is a Fighter
Dasgupta, Debasmita
Paper Book
Faiza wants to win the biggest boxing tournament in town. When the odds are stacked against her, will she be able to achieve her dream without the presence of her biggest supporter? Life in hilly northern India is not easy. Every day, Faiza has to scale the mountains to reach her school or...

A Sikh girl from Northern India overcomes challenges, both in the boxing ring and in real life, with her father's enthusiastic support. When he's unable to attend a big match due to a landslide, Faiza must learn to be her own #1 cheerleader. Inspired by a real Indian boxer and classical Indian art, this graphic novel is a great choice for athletes and artists.

Srta. Campista (Miss Camper)
Fajardo, Kat
Paper Book
¡La continuación de Srta. Quinces, la exitosa y galardonada novela gráfica para grados intermedios de Kat Fajardo! ¡Este verano Sue va al campamento El Sauce! Quiere practicar senderismo, tiro con arco y dibujar cómics al aire libre. Pero sobre todo le gustaría jugar rol en vivo,...

In the sequel to Miss Quinces, comics-loving Sue is finally off to camp with her friends--but it's nothing like she expected! Hand this graphic novel to fans of Camp by Kayla Miller or any middle schooler who loves manga, LARPing, and RPGs.

Also available as an English language book and an English language e-book.

Max in the land of lies
Gidwitz, Adam
Paper Book
Instant New York Times bestseller! USA Today bestseller! "A heartrending masterpiece of middle-grade historical fiction.″ -Booklist, starred review "The whip-smart combination of intrigue and adventure along with thought-provoking...

In the conclusion to Max in the House of Spies, an evacuated Jewish boy returns to his hometown of Berlin in 1940 as a British spy intent on infiltrating the Nazi radio propaganda machine--and a secret plan to find his missing parents. A fast-paced, kid-friendly thriller that explores what life was like in Hitler's Germany.

Also available as an e-book, a digital audiobook, and a Playaway audiobook.

Refugee : the graphic novel
Gratz, Alan
Paper Book
A USA Today bestseller! The timeless #1 New York Times bestseller Refugee is brought to life in a stunning graphic novel adaptation! JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his...

A graphic novel adaptation of Alan Gratz's wildly popular novel, which intertwines the stories of three refugees from different times and places: 1930s Germany, 1990s Cuba, and 2010s Syria. An easy sell to fans of the original book as well as striving readers.

Also available as an e-book.

Fooled
Haas, Susan
Paper Book
In this fresh, funny, and fast-paced story, chaos ensues when the kids at a down-on-its-luck middle school come to believe that fake magic is the real deal! Magic loving, wheelchair user Lil Evers wishes she could start sixth grade at a real...

A group of kids with disabilities--who cope with being sequestered from their peers in a separate Special Education classroom by roleplaying that they're at magic school instead--inadvertently trick the rest of the school into believing they can cast real spells. A fun premise that explores an important issue; hand to fans of Wonder and Harry Potter alike.

How to free a jinn
Idil, Raidah Shah
Paper Book
Aru Shah meets Aladdin in this "fast-paced...delightful" (School Library Journal, starred review) debut middle grade fantasy about a curious girl who discovers she has the power to control an all-powerful jinn. ...

A neurodiverse Australian girl discovers an ability to tame jinn's when her family moves to Malaysia to care for her ailing grandmother. A great choice for fans of the Rick Riordan Presents series and other fantasy epics inspired by world mythology.

The blossoming summer
Johnson, Anna Rose
Paper Book
When English thirteen-year-old Rosemary is evacuated to her grandmother in America at the start of World War II, she uncovers the family secret--they are Anishinaabe and passing as white. Life in England is all Rosemary has ever known. . . but as WWII changes the world, no one's...

A WWII evacuation story about a British American girl who discovers her Anishinaabe heritage when she's sent to live with her American relatives during the Blitz. With its similar theme and tone, this novel is a must-read for fans of The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

Also available as an e-book and a digital audiobook.

A world worth saving
Lukoff, Kyle
Paper Book
A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST * A groundbreaking, action-packed, and ultimately uplifting adventure that intertwines elements of Jewish mythology with an unflinching examination of the impacts of transphobia, from Newbery Honor winner Kyle Lukoff. "Rare and beautiful--a novel...

Aided by a golem made from discarded pieces of trash, a 14-year-old trans teen sets out to confront the sheyds spurring transphobia in his community. Steeped in Jewish folklore, this National Book Award finalist from past winner Kyle Lukoff is a great choice for older middle school readers.

Also available as an e-book, a digital audiobook, and a readalong book/audiobook.

Will's race for home : a western
Rhodes, Jewell Parker
Paper Book
★ Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Award! ★ ★ A New York Times bestseller! ★ ★ "Rhodes deftly captures a unique ­aspect of this historical event, with a perspective...

A twelve-year-old boy and his father team up with a former Union army officer to make it to Oklahoma in time for the 1889 Land Rush. With short sentences, clear language, and fast-paced chapters, this action-oriented Western is a great choice for striving readers. Pair with Birchbark House, Prairie Lotus, A Sky full of Song, and One Big Open Sky for a multi-faceted look at the Pioneer Era.

Also available as an e-book and a digital audiobook.

The unforgettable Leta "Lightning" Laurel
Toalson, R. L.
Paper Book
A determined girl athlete deals with food insecurity and a new rivalry challenging her feminist ideals in this "resonant" (School Library Journal, starred review) upper middle grade coming-of-age story from author of The First Magnificent Summer, R.L. Toalson. ...

A gifted middle school athlete--whose family often doesn't have enough money for food, let alone athletic gear like track spikes and sports bras--pushes herself too far when a new teammate challenges her dominance on the track. When you share this one, make sure to include info on your school's sports scholarships and food assistance resources!

Also available as an e-book.

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