"Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age" edited by Ariel Schrag

17 professional comics confess their painful memories from their time in middle school. From the inside cover - "Have you ever been called one of the following - Freak, Loser, Weirdo, Alien, Sucker, Slut, Skank, New Girl, Goth Boy, Crater Face? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have experienced the joys of middle school." These stories can help you feel that you're not alone, and most everyone has awkward moments and tries to fit in. Some stories made me crack up, others made me sad...but everyone has to go through it, whether you like it or not! Some "mature" situations and language, be warned.

"Story of a Girl" by Sara Zarr

Deanna Lambert's got a bad reputation. Her dad caught her having sex in a car when she has 13, and her supposed boyfriend, Tommy, let the entire world know about it. She tries to start over, but her small town won't let her forget it. Her family life is a mess -- her dad can't seem to get past the incident, her mom is a working zombie, and her older brother Darren had to move back home when his girlfriend got pregnant. Deanna's story is really powerful and I thought this was one of the best books I'd read in a while. Good for 9th grade and up.

"Does My Head Look Big in This?" by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Amal attends a highly prestigious prep school in Australia. She comes to the decision to wear the hijab, a Muslim head scarf, as a sign of her religion. How will Amal's friends and family react? This is a great book about friendship, faith, and coming to terms with your personal beliefs. Recommended for grades 7th and up.

"American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang

This is a great story, well, actually 3 stories in 1. Jin Wang is the only Chinese American at his school and he hates it. Then there’s the monkey king, who hates being a monkey and wants people to think of him as god. And finally there’s Chin-Kee, who is Danny’s cousin and embarrassing Danny to death at school. Great kung-fu fight scenes. This book won the Printz award!