Books for Kids Who Love Wonder

When Ross is diagnosed with a rare lacrimal gland cancer (in his eye), it’s like a new trial for his seventh-grade existence. Add to that the fact that his mom died from cancer years before, he’s going blind in one eye, his best friend is moving away soon, and mean kids at school are making terrible memes about his illness, and you have a dumpster fire of a year waiting to happen. Or is it? This is a brilliant, funny, and thoughtful middle grade book about navigating a cancer diagnosis in 7th grade. Ages 9+

Twelve-year-old Ellie is a sassy, determined baker. It just so happens that she also has cerebral palsy and has to use a wheelchair. When Ellie’s grandfather’s Alzheimer’s takes a turn for the worse, Ellie and her mom move into her grandparents’ trailer in Oklahoma to help out for six months. There, Ellie is once again a new kid, navigating the struggles that many people with disabilities face. This is a heartwarming and inspiring debut about a girl with an unbreakable spirit. Ages 9+

Starfish features Ellie, a fat girl who has been bullied for her weight since she wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash in the pool. Even her older brother and sister make fun of her weight. Her mom controls her diet, monitoring her portions and choosing lackluster “healthy” alternatives. Ellie is feeling more disheartened because her friend Viv, who is also plus-sized, is moving away. Thankfully, after Viv moves, Ellie finds a friend in her new neighbor, Catalina, and her family. The family loves food and welcomes Ellie with open arms, never judging her for her weight. At school, bullying intensifies when a chair breaks after Ellie sits on it. Her mom is also pushing for gastric bypass surgery for Ellie. This is a powerful, fat-positive middle grade verse novel about a girl who is learning that she deserves to take up space. Ages 9+

Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again. Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms. Ages 9+

Nat has been paralyzed from the waist down since an accident when she was two and is obsessed with Broadway and Hamilton, although she has never actually been in a musical. Upon auditioning, she scores a role in the play and begins to bond with The Boulders, the group’s self-given name. Nat faces several challenges due to the way some people treat her during the musical, but when the show has to be canceled after a fire in the theater, the kids must find a way to get things up and running again. While this sparkling debut highlights several challenges that wheelchair users face, from accessibility to minimal face-to-face interaction with their peers, it is at its heart a book about a love for the stage. Ages 9+

This is a touching story about 13-year-old Charity, who has nonverbal autism and faces plenty of discrimination from schoolmates and even extended family. When she’s introduced to assisted typing, a new world opens to her, and Charity can now share her thoughts, show off her math skills, and even support other friends who are being bullied. It’s phenomenal on audio and perfect for fans of Draper’s Out of My Mind. Ages 10+

Many kids love Sharon Draper’s classic about Melody, a girl with cerebral palsy who finds her voice after years of not having a say. I enjoyed this story and, like many readers, rooted for Melody every step of the way. Readers were thrilled when Draper released a sequel over 10 years later. Ages 10+

Tillie is living with chronic pain from an accident years ago and now finds comfort in photography. Her keen eye for observation leads her classmates to come to her for help finding things they’ve lost. Still, no one is more surprised than Tillie when popular boy, Jake, asks for her help finding his father. I loved this middle grade novel exploring guilt, friendship, and family issues! Very complex characters, and interesting dialogue in this one. Highly recommend! Ages 8+

Ada has one clubbed foot and has been hidden inside their London apartment all her life by her abusive mother. But when the war begins, and kids in England get sent to the countryside, Ada and her brother join the children without their mother’s knowledge. There, staying with a loving adult for the first time, the kids bond together and with Susan, their foster parent. But what happens when it’s time to go back? This is a heartwarming tale for readers who enjoyed A Place to Hang the Moon. Ages 10+

I enjoyed this book so much, which says a lot for a Math hater! Lucy acquires savant-level math skills after being struck by lightning as a child. She also becomes obsessive-compulsive and reclusive after the incident. So her grandmother insists she goes to middle school for at least a year, in addition to other social requirements. The narration of this book is so well done! I can’t recommend it enough for math lovers, but everyone will enjoy following Lucy’s social miscalculations and her journey to seeing how much having people in your life can enrich it. Ages 9+