2023 Lone Star Reading List Announced

The Lone Star Reading List is developed by public and school librarians from the Texas Library Association’s Young Adult Round Table. The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6, 7, or 8 to explore a variety of current books.

In The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls, by James Bird, 13-year-old Benjamin is sent back to the Ojibwe reservation where his family used to live after he gets in trouble for shoplifting, to live with the father he hasn’t seen for years. In Hummingbird, by Natalie Lloyd, 12-year-old homeschooled Olive longs to go to the local elementary school, despite her “brittle bone” disease. The discoveries Benjamin and Natalie make along their journeys are sure to keep middle graders entranced. These are just two examples of the stories on this list that will move, entertain and inspire middle school students.

2023 Lone Star List

Abtahi, Olivia – Perfectly Parvin

Arango, Andrea Beatriz – Iveliz Explains It All

Baptist, Kelly J. – The Swag Is in the Socks

Bird, James – The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls

Blum, Isaac – The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen

Bowling, Dusti – Across the Desert

Brown, India Hill – The Girl in the Lake

Cisneros, Ernesto – Falling Short

Clayton, Dhonielle – The Marvellers

Comrie, Courtne – Rain Rising

Faruqi, Saadi – Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero

Foulkes, Alex – Rules for Vampires

Gonzalez, Christina Diaz – Concealed

Higuera, Donna Barba – The Last Cuentista

Kagawa, Julie – Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl

Keller, Tae – Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone

Korman, Gordon – Linked

Lainoff, Lillie – One for All

Lee, Lyla – Flip the Script

Lloyd, Natalie – Hummingbird

London, Alex – Battle Dragons: City of Thieves

Olson, Jessica S. – A Forgery of Roses

Pasternack, Sofiya – Black Bird, Blue Road

Pérez, Celia C. – Tumble        

Sands, Kevin – Children of the Fox

Senf, Lora – The Clackity

Sepetys, Ruta – I Must Betray You

Steadman, A. F. – Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

Taylor, Will — The Language of Seabirds

Wendig, Chuck – Dust & Grim