Grades 6-8

When Natalie's science teacher suggests that she enter an egg drop competition, she thinks it could be the perfect solution to all of her problems. With the prize money, she can fly her botanist mother to see the miraculous Cobalt Blue Orchids--flowers with the resilience to survive against impossible odds. Her friends step up to help her and with their help, Natalie begins an unforgettable journey to discover the science of hope, love, and miracles.

We are familiar with a handful of African Americans who are mentioned in American history books, but there are also countless others who do not get recognized in mainstream media. Their actions may not have appeared shake the world, but their contributions to shifting American culture were just as groundbreaking. The achievements of Black Americans included in this book range from athletic to artistic, literary to scientific.

In this innovative middle grade novel, coding and music take center stage as new girl Emmy tries to find her place in a new school. In a new city, at a new school, twelve-year-old Emmy has never felt more out of tune. Things start to look up when she takes her first coding class, unexpectedly connecting with the material--and Abigail, a new friend--through a shared language: music.

Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas--and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win. This year is going to be more difficult than he thought with the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge. With a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the country's anger from two decades ago hasn't gone away. Can he hold onto his joy--and his friendships--in the face of heartache and prejudice?

Lucy Callahan's life was changed forever when she was struck by lightning. She doesn't remember it, but the zap gave her genius-level math skills, and she's been homeschooled ever since. Now, at 12 years old, she's technically ready for college. Lucy's grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that's not a math textbook!). Lucy's not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home. The equation of Lucy's life has already been solved. Unless there's been a miscalculation?