Finding Diverse Books 2026 | Grades 6-8

Updated January 16, 2026
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
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.

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
The award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel from Alan Gratz tells the timely--and timeless--story of three different kids seeking refuge. A New York Times bestseller! JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration...

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.

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.


Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.