The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James by Mike Dawson (Union Square Kids, 256 pages, grades 3-7). 12-year-old Geordie is dealing with a lot of anxiety, especially when he has to interact with kids at school. Being assigned a group project to help him pull up his failing science grade is a complete nightmare for him. One of the boys, Samesh, seems like he could be a friend, and he and Geordie gradually start bonding over Dominion, a world-building game Geordie loves to play. When his dad decides Geordie’s getting too much screen time, he pushes Geordie to go outdoors. Geordie eventually discovers a secret hideaway in the woods, a place where he can mysteriously excel at Dominion (he sneaks his tablet out of the house). He eventually shares his secret with Samesh, and the two spend many happy hours in the woods building their worlds together. When people from town decide to turn the woods into a nature preserve, Geordie’s happy world is destroyed. He attempts to go back to his fort one night, but gets caught in a storm, and a series of flashbacks reveals the reason for his anxieties. In the end, his dad realizes both he and Geordie need some professional help, and Geordie realizes that his project group has become a source of support for him as well.

There’s an amazing amount packed into this graphic novel; my summary didn’t even touch on Geordie’s love of animals, the mysterious runaway pig, and the devastating effect Covid had on this family. Readers will relate to many of Geordie’s struggles at school and at home and will root for him as he slowly comes to terms with all that’s going on in his life and learns to reach out to those around him.

Really Rubie by Maddie Frost (Aladdin, 240 pages, grades 3-7). Rubie’s excited for a month at summer camp with her best friend Riley. The two girls have come up with a TUCE (The Ultimate Camp Experience) Truce: a list of classic camp activities, like eating s’mores, making friendship bracelets, and having a first kiss, that they will do together. When Riley breaks her ankle and has to stay home, she makes Rubie promise she won’t do anything on the TUCE list. Rubie’s sure she’s going to have a miserable time, but she’s forced to participate in all things camp, some of which (art) are easy, and others (horseback riding) that force her way out of her comfort zone. As the weeks go by, Rubie finds herself increasingly torn between her loyalty to Riley and her desire to have the full camp experience with her new friend Eliza. No matter what, Rubie puts her own wacky spin on everything she tries, and by the end of the month she’s grown in ways she never expected and has (more or less) learned how to navigate friendships, both new and old.

Fans of Dork Diaries and Terri Libenson’s books will enjoy Rubie’s camp diary, liberally illustrated with her cartoon-style doodles. She definitely has a style all her own, and her blunders with friends and an unexpected crush will resonate with middle grade and middle school readers. Happily, this is billed as book 1, making it a perfect summer read that can segue into sequels in the upcoming school year.

Friend Group by Lisa Greenwald (HarperCollins, 352 pages, grades 4-8). Sadie and her best friend Olive are nervous about starting middle school, which in their district begins with seventh grade. Olive is shyer and reaches out to Sadie for reassurance that they’ll stay friends, while Sadie is more outgoing and interested in finding a friend group. So when she finds herself accidentally added to the most popular girls’ group chat, she knows she should get off, but she also can’t stop reading this insider’s look at what popularity looks like. She finally reveals to Olive how she’s getting her information but will only let her friend see a few of the texts. As Sadie learns how the group works, she finds herself becoming friends with some of the members, driving even more of a wedge between her and Olive. Adding to the drama is Sadie’s crush on Eli, who just so happens to be the crush of one of the popular girls. Told in chapters that alternate between Sadie’s narration and various texts, the story ends with some loose ends tied up, but also with many of the issues realistically unresolved.

I’m not going to lie, books like this are just pure brain candy for me. Lisa Greenwald does an amazing job of realistically portraying seventh graders, which meant that I didn’t always love Sadie, who could be a bit of a mean girl herself. I kept wanting Olive to stand up for herself or make some new friends, and ultimately, she did a little of both, but she also acted like a shy, uncertain seventh grader right up until the last page. This would be a great choice for reluctant middle school readers, and I’m sure they’ll be looking forward to the sequel which will focus on the boys’ group chat.

Opting Out by Maia Kobabe and Swati “Lucky” Srikumar (Graphix, 256 pages, grades 5-9). As Saachi moves through middle school, she finds herself struggling more and more with puberty and the social changes surrounding her. Getting her period is extremely upsetting, as is her need for a bra, and she hates the way kids start dating, especially when one of them is her best friend. She learns about a cousin who’s come out as transgender, but that label doesn’t feel quite right either. As she explores her identity through conversations with her parents, younger sister, and a new friend, and especially through her writing, she starts to realize that she doesn’t identify with either gender. Reading an interview with a nonbinary author inspires Saachi to write more honestly about both her struggles and her Indian heritage, and the resulting poem ends up getting accepted for publication in a magazine for teen writing, creating an opportunity to fully come out to her family.

This honest and engaging graphic novel is an important contribution to LGBTQ+ literature, but will also be embraced by all sorts of adolescent readers struggling with identity and fitting in. Saachi’s family, especially her dad, are models of accepting and openly communicative parents. The story and the art also pay homage to the family’s Indian heritage and Hindi religion. Maia Kobabe is the author-illustrator of Gender Queer, one of the most banned books in America, so be prepared for some challenges to this one

The Brainstormerz: Money Talks by Kwame Alexander and Cassidy Dyce, illustrated by Rashad Doucet (Little, Brown Ink, 248 pages, grades 3-6). Electric (Lex) is excited about his upcoming tenth birthday and his parents’ promise to buy him a phone. Unfortunately, they refuse to buy the expensive model he wants, so he and his two best friends decide to start a business to make up the difference. Dog walking turns out to be a disaster, and a magic show results in a failed Houdini-style stunt that leaves Lex locked in a locker. The kids finally get it right by designing greeting cards using Lex’s love of words and his friend DJ’s artistic talents. But when Lex discovers that his parents are on the verge of losing the bookstore that’s also the family home, Lex decides he’d rather use his money elsewhere. His parents reassure him that they’ve got the situation in hand, and after a happy birthday celebration, the action moves forward a few months when things appear to have been resolved.

This series starter graphic novel is sure to win a lot of fans with a winning team of three friends who each have a very distinct personality and set of talents, but who work together and always have each others’ backs. The story has both humor and heart, as Lex struggles with wanting both a fancy phone and to help his close-knit family.

A Fishboy Named Sashimi by Dan Santat (Roaring Brook Press, 160 pages, grades 2-6). “You know those stories that no one believes? Stories so wild you think they couldn’t be real? Stories that some kid heard from another kid? And THAT kid heard it from their cousin?” This is one of those stories, and that introduction plays over panels showing a small creature emerging from the sea during a thunderstorm and sneaking into a school. By the time the real story begins, this creature has gotten some clothes and is being introduced as Sashimi, the new kid in sixth grade. While others are put off by his sweaty appearance, bulging eyes, and fishy smell, new kid Joey is desperate enough for a friend to give Sashimi a chance. As events unfold, readers learn that Sashimi is fish on the top and human on the bottom (the opposite of the mermaids who raised him), a unique combination that makes him feel alone in the world. He’s heard rumors about the Beast of Barnacle Bay, who may be a relative, but his search for the Beast runs into some snags when he meets Joey’s grandpa, who claims to have once met the Beast and has sworn to hunt him down. Sashimi runs into enough difficulties to consider returning to his watery home, but Joey’s friendship keeps him on track to stick around. Book 2 is advertised at the end.

Who doesn’t enjoy a good fish-out-of water story? Kids will appreciate the humor of Dan Santat’s story and the illustrations about a couple of lovable outcast and will be eagerly awaiting book 2. This would make a good intro to graphic novel chapter books for readers ready to step up a notch from Narwhal and Jelly or Pizza and Taco.

Brady Mason’s Perfect Fit by Nicole Melleby (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 336 pages, grades 4-7). Being a foster kid all her life has given Brady a tough exterior, but inside she still feels uncertain, especially about the crush she has on her best friend. When another girl at her New Jersey group home notices Brady’s resemblance to fashion superstar Elena Lavigne, she creates a Tik Tok that goes viral. In no time at all, Brady has been discovered as Elena’s long-lost daughter and whisked away to a ritzy townhouse in Manhattan. Brady finds herself navigating a world of high fashion, a snobby preppy school, media attention, and, of course, getting to know the mother who gave her up for adoption to pursue a high-powered career. Brady tries to fit in, but she can only be herself, and she and her mom navigate a bumpy road to greater acceptance of each other. By the end of the story, the two have come to accept each other and are on their way to being a unique but loving family.

Fans of The Devil Wears Prada will enjoy this slightly unrealistic but always fun Cinderella tale. Elena gives Miranda Priestly vibes at first, but eventually reveals herself to be a kinder, gentler version who still feels uncertain about her own unconventional path to success. Brady is a spunky protagonist who must deal with an enormous change just as she is entering adolescence and coming to terms with the fact that she’s gay. She and Elena provide some good role models for learning how to be part of an unconventional family.

Midsummer Sisters by Niki Smith (Graphix, 272 pages, grades 4-8). Stepsisters Kenzie and Quinn can’t remember a time that they weren’t part of the same family after their parents married when they were very young. Now their parents’ marriage seems to be falling apart, which is even more stressful due to the threat of losing each other as sisters. Their grandmother steps in to take them for the summer to her home in the Outer Banks, where she works as a veterinarian at the Wild Horse Foundation. While the girls still worry about their family falling apart, they’re able to enjoy the beach, the kayaks, the horses, and the peace of Gramma’s small house. Kenzie gets excited about adding the fossilized shark teeth she finds at the beach to her extensive rock collection, while Quinn spends her spare time on her phone with the girl she has a crush on. When the end of the summer arrives, the girls find out the fate of their family, but they know that no matter what, they will always be sisters.

This emotionally wrenching graphic novel will speak to readers going through difficult times. Each girl has a distinctive look and personality–Kenzie is quieter, more scientifically minded, with long brown hair and a port wine stain on her forehead, while Quinn is redheaded, prone to sunburn, and more easily moved by her emotions. This would make a great beach read, with its compelling story line and striking depictions of the Outer Banks.