Books In the Middle Podcast
Looking for booktalks for middle school students? Look no farther than this podcast. Browse through the many titles in all different genres for just the right title to get your students inspired, excited and racing to the library for a copy of the book. Looking for written reviews for more titles? Check out the blog Booksinthemiddle.Wordpress.com to expand your own library and give students more options. New episodes typically release every Monday unless it is a holiday, however during the summer months, they will release every other week or so. Enjoy!
Episodes
348 episodes
How to Tell a True Story by Tricia Springstubb (Contemporary Fiction)
How to Tell a True Story by Tricia SpringstubbAmber wakes up to an absolute nightmare when her house catches on fire. Her older brother, though, saves the day, by saving her life. Her brother, Gage, that her dad has been berating for the...
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2:42
The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson (Historical Fiction)
The Color of a Lie by Kim JohnsonWhen Calvin and his parents move to a new town in Pennsylvania, he is not pleased. It meant leaving the life he had back in Chicago, but not only that, it means he can never really BE himself...because hi...
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3:41
The Right Call by Tommy Greenwald (Sports Fiction)
The Right Call by Tommy GreenwaldCal is a talented pitcher - so talented that he has scouts from colleges that are interested in him and that can mean a lot of pressure - pressure on him and it turns out, on his parents. Cal just ...
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4:49
Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson (Mystery and Contemporary Fiction)
Murder Between Friends by Liz LawsonFor years, Grace, Ally and Henry were all the best of friends, but that all changed when Grace thought she saw Henry's older brother in the backyard of one of their teacher's. A teacher who was later f...
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3:38
Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Adventure and Historical Fiction)
Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker RhodesFor as long as he can remember, Will's father has seemed dissatisfied. Will never knows what it will take to make his father, a sharecropper in Texas, happy. Until, one day he comes back from t...
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3:56
Very Bad at Math by Hope Larson (Graphic Novel and Contemporary Fiction)
Very Bad at Math by Hope LarsonVerity, or Very, as everyone calls her, has everything going for her in 8th grade, except for Math. Even though she is the Student Council President and has tons of great ideas and plans, she can't get out ...
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3:25
Louder Than Hunger by John Schu (Novel in Verse and Historical Fiction)
Louder Than Hunger by John SchuIn 8th grade, Jake finds himself lost, except for the voice in his head, that tells him things will get better if he can just make himself small enough. As in, physically small, so no one will see him and t...
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3:44
The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming
The Enigma Girls by Candace FlemingEver wonder just how everyone communicated during World War II? And all the secrets, spies, and information that could fall into the wrong hands? Who was out there intercepting all of that "chatter"? It...
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3:28
Click'd by Tamara Ireland Stone (Contemporary)
Click'd by Tamara Ireland StoneAllie is sure her app, called Click'd that she developed over the summer at a coding camp could actually be a contender for winning a huge competition called Games for Good. But when a classmate shows his g...
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3:48
Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce (Romance)
Dating and Dragons by Kristy BoyceQuinn is happy to be in a new school - especially since her hold school has no good memories and unfortunately, no friends anymore. So when she gets invited to a new Dungeons and Dragons group, she is ex...
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3:51
Stay Dead by April Henry (Mystery and Survival)
Stay Dead by April HenryMilan's life feels like it spiraling out of control. She and her father were in a car accident 8 months ago, and he was killed, and she was left with a leg that was severally broken - and has pins in it. But after...
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3:57
Drawing Deena by Hena Khan (Contemporary)
Drawing Deena by Hena KhanIt is frustrating to Deena that her mom always seems to be fighting with her dad about money. It makes her worried that they might split up, and it makes her feel like she can never ask for anything - like the a...
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4:28
The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Septys and Steve Sheinkin (Historical Mystery)
The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Septys and Steve SheinkinJakob has a job to do for his country of Britain in their time of need. It is the beginning of World War II, and he is part of a team that is working to break the Nazis Enigma code ma...
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3:47
Blood Gone Cold by Katy Grant (Novel in Verse and Contemporary)
Blood Gone Cold by Katy GrantAs siblings who used to get alone, Abby can't figure out why she and Natalie seem to be on opposite ends of everything these days. So much so, that even their parents are tired of all the fighting. So when ne...
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3:22
All is Fair by Dee Garretson (Historical Fiction and Romance)
All is Fair by Dee GarretsonClara is shocked and terrified when she is called down to the headmistress of her boarding school's office and is given a telegram. After all, the year is 1918, she lives in England and her brother, Crispin ha...
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2:59
I Will Follow by Eireann Corrigan (Horror and Contemporary)
I Will Follow by Eireann CorriganShea Davison is an influencer and known on social media platforms for her dancing and honest look at her mother's depression after her divorce. Now things are feeling a bit complicated though. Turns out h...
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4:12
The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri (Adventure)
The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel NayeriWhen the boy was running for his life from the Monks he had been living with, because they were trying to stone him to death, it was Samir who stopped them and it was...
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3:48
Red in Tooth and Claw by Lish McBride ( Fantasy and Horror)
Red in Tooth and Claw by Lish McBrideFaolan is alone after her grandfather dies. And out on the frontier is no place for a teen girl, alone. Which is why her grandfather encouraged her to dress as a boy ever since she lost her parents. B...
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4:58
The Girl in the Lake By India Hill Brown (Mystery)
The Girl in the Lake by India Hill BrownCeleste and her younger brother are being dropped off at their grandparents place lake house for a long summer week with their two cousins. But Celeste is worried. She doesn't know how to swim, and...
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4:02
The Red Palace by June Hur (Mystery and Historical Fiction)
The Red Palace by June HurThe year is 1758, and the place is Korea. Hyeon has accomplished her dream of becoming a palace nurse. After many years of studying, she hopes to make her father proud. A father who barely even acknowledges her ...
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4:08
Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango (Novel in Verse Contemporary)
Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz ArangoLaura is confused. She thought she was doing the right thing - but it turns out that where she has ended up is not at all where she thought she would be. Living with her aunt that she doesn't e...
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3:10
Flowerheart by Catherine Bakewell (Fantasy and Romance)
Flowerheart by Catherine BakewellClara is devastated to learn that she will not be joining the Council because her magically powers are to volatile. She hasn't been able to control them since she got them, and she doesn't know why. To ad...
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2:49
The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen (Suspense Mystery)
The Steps by Wendelin Van DraanenRuby misses her best friend, Sterling. They haven't been able to communicate in anyway for a long time. And why? It isn't because they drifted apart, or had a fight, no, it is because of their Dads. Their...
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4:02
