Recommendations based on Absolutely Almostby Lisa Graff

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Crossover

    by Kwame Alexander
    Two brothers explore the joys and struggles of adolescence through the power of basketball.

    New York Times, bestseller ∙ Newbery Medal Winner ∙, Coretta Scott King Honor Award ∙,2015 YALSA 2015 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults,∙, 2015 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers ... (Barnes & Noble)

  2. The Lions of Little Rock

    by Kristin Levine
    A 12-year-old girl faces the racial tensions of 1958 Arkansas during the Little Rock Nine integration crisis.

    Two girls separated by race form an unbreakable bond during the tumultuous integration of Little Rock schools in 1958 Twelve-year-old Marlee doesn't have many friends until she meets Liz, the new ... (Goodreads)

  3. Fish in a Tree

    by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
    A young girl discovers her own unique talents with the help of a supportive teacher.

    "Fans of R.J. Palacio’s, Wonder, will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship and unconventional smarts.” —,Kirkus Reviews, Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. Rain Reign

    by Ann M. Martin
    A young girl with Asperger's navigates her world through her love of homonyms while dealing with family issues.

    From Newbery Honor author Ann M. Martin, who wrote the Baby-sitters Club series, comes a, New York Times,-bestselling middle grade novel about a girl, her dog, and the trials of growing up in a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  5. When You Reach Me

    by Rebecca Stead
    A young girl in 1970s New York City receives mysterious notes that seem to predict the future. She must unravel the mystery before it's too late.

    Miranda is an ordinary sixth grader, until she starts receiving mysterious messages from somebody who knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her ... (Goodreads)

  6. Greenglass House

    by Kate Milford
    A mysterious house filled with puzzles and secrets, leading to a strange adventure.

    It’s wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler’s inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers’ adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on ... (Goodreads)

  7. Goodbye Stranger

    by Rebecca Stead
    Three friends navigate the challenges of growing up, including changing relationships and personal identity, in this heartwarming coming-of-age story.

    Bridge is an accident survivor who's wondering why she's still alive. Emily has new curves and an almost-boyfriend who wants a certain kind of picture. Tabitha sees through everybody's games—or so ... (Goodreads)

  8. A Snicker of Magic

    by Natalie Lloyd
    A young girl's magical journey to restore the forgotten stories of her hometown.

    Introducing an extraordinary new voice–-a magical debut that will make your skin tingle, your eyes glisten . . .and your heart sing. Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people ... (Goodreads)

  9. Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

    by Rick Riordan
    A humorous and entertaining tour of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses, exploring their adventures and misadventures.

    Percy Jackson adds his own viewpoint to the Greek myths. Here he presents an introduction to Greek mythology and the 12 major gods and goddesses. With 19 chapters, this includes a variety of stories, ... (Wikipedia)

  10. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

    by Chris Grabenstein
    A game of wit and strategy, testing knowledge and problem-solving skills to escape a library.

    Twelve-year-old Kyle Keeley is obsessed with the board games of Mr. Luigi L. Lemoncello, the world's most renowned game maker. Big news hits his town when Mr. Lemoncello transforms Alexandriaville, ... (Wikipedia)

  11. The London Eye Mystery

    by Siobhan Dowd
    When Ted's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye, Ted and his sister Kat use their unique perspectives to solve the mystery.

    The story begins with Aunt Gloria visiting Ted's family. Ted is a boy with Asperger syndrome. She is accompanied by her son Salim, a half- Asian boy who is about a year older than Ted. People with ... (Wikipedia)

  12. The One and Only Ivan

    by Katherine Applegate
    A gorilla named Ivan, who lives in a mall, finds hope and freedom through his art and the help of his friends.

    The story is placed at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall by the Video Arcade. Ivan, the gorilla, has lived in captivity at the Big Top Mall for 9,855 days by his own tally. , He lives in his domain, and is ... (Wikipedia)

  13. This Is Not My Hat

    by Jon Klassen
    A small fish steals a hat from a big fish and tries to get away with it. But can he?

    A small fish has stolen a hat from a big sleeping fish, and boasts about how easy it will be for him to get away with the theft, because the big fish will not wake up any time soon and maybe not even ... (Wikipedia)

  14. The Fourteenth Goldfish

    by Jennifer L. Holm
    A girl uses science to discover the power of family, friendship, and second chances.

    Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer. Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far? Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

    by Gabrielle Zevin
    Life of an isolated bookseller is transformed when an unexpected visitor brings unexpected joy.

    “Marvelously optimistic about the future of books and bookstores and the people who love both.”—, The Washington Post, A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories

    by R.J. Palacio
    Collection of three stories exploring empathy, kindness, and understanding.

    WONDER, IS NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING JULIA ROBERTS AND JACOB TREMBLAY!,Over 8 million people have read the #1, New York Times, bestseller, Wonder, and have fallen in love with Auggie ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. Whistling Past the Graveyard

    by Susan Crandall
    A young girl's journey of self-discovery, overcoming challenges on a journey to be reunited with her family.

    The summer of 1963 begins like any other for nine-year-old Starla Claudelle. Born to teenage parents in Mississippi, Starla is being raised by a strict paternal grandmother, Mamie, whose worst fear ... (Goodreads)

  18. A Year Down Yonder

    by Richard Peck
    Young girl moves to her grandmother's for a year, discovering life's hard lessons and unexpected joys.

    The year is 1938, and the Great Depression has hit the Dowdel family hard. 15-year-old Mary Alice is sent downstate to live with Grandma Dowdel while her mother and father remain in Chicago. Her ... (Wikipedia)

  19. The Wednesday Wars

    by Gary D. Schmidt
    A coming-of-age story of a student facing the challenges of the Vietnam War era.

    In this Newbery Honor-winning novel, Gary D. Schmidt offers an unforgettable antihero. The Wednesday Wars is a wonderfully witty and compelling story about a teenage boy’s mishaps and adventures over ... (Goodreads)

  20. Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

    by Kate DiCamillo
    A squirrel with superpowers and a young girl team up to save the world. Heartwarming and humorous, with charming illustrations.

    Flora Belle Buckman, a self-proclaimed cynic, spends her time reading comic books and struggling to understand her parents’ recent divorce . She is jolted into action when the neighbor runs over a ... (Wikipedia)

  21. Defending Jacob

    by William Landay
    A father must defend his son who is accused of murder, unraveling the truth of a complex crime.

    Andy Barber is an assistant district attorney in Newton , Massachusetts. He is investigating the murder of a 14-year-old boy, Ben Rifkin, who was a classmate of his son Jacob and was found stabbed to ... (Wikipedia)

  22. The View from Saturday

    by E.L. Konigsburg
    Four sixth graders and their teacher compete in a trivia contest, revealing their unique stories and bond.

    How has Mrs. Olinski chosen her sixth-grade Academic Bowl team? She had a number of answers. But were any of them true? How had she really chosen Noah and Nadia and Ethan and Julian? And why did they ... (Goodreads)

  23. The Summer of the Swans

    by Betsy Byars
    A young girl searches for her missing brother while navigating the challenges of adolescence and family dynamics.

    Sometimes you don't know what you love—until you almost lose it. Sara's fourteenth summer was turning out to be the most confusing time of her life. Up until then, things had flowed smoothly, like ... (Goodreads)

  24. Finally

    by Wendy Mass
    Rory's life is turned upside down when she discovers she's been granted a wish, but with a catch - it's her last wish ever.

    A humorous look at what it means to FINALLY turn twelve years old. You can pierce your ears when you're twelve. You can go to the mall with your friends when you're twelve. You can babysit little ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963

    by Christopher Paul Curtis
    The Watson family travels from Michigan to Alabama during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, experiencing racism and tragedy.

    The Newbery Honor-winning American classic, The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 , celebrates 20 years with this anniversary edition featuring a special letter from Christopher Paul Curtis and an ... (Goodreads)

  26. Small Great Things

    by Jodi Picoult
    A gripping story of racism and justice, exploring the intersections of power and privilege.

    #1, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • With richly layered characters and a gripping moral dilemma that will lead readers to question everything they know about privilege, power, and race,, Small Great ... (Barnes & Noble)

  27. Paperboy

    by Vince Vawter
    A young boy with a stutter takes over his friend's paper route for a month, facing racial tensions and personal challenges along the way.

    The story takes place in 1959 in Memphis. "Little Man" Victor, an eleven-year-old boy who stutters, takes over his best friend Rat's paper route while Rat is visiting his grandparents. Little Man has ... (Wikipedia)

  28. Book Scavenger

    by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
    A book-loving girl and her new friend solve puzzles to uncover hidden books and a literary mystery.

    A, New York Times, bestseller! For twelve-year-old Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it's the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator ... (Barnes & Noble)

  29. Smile

    by Raina Telgemeier
    A young girl navigates the challenges of middle school and braces, overcoming obstacles with the help of her friends.

    For fans both new and old, Smile is now available with fifteen pages of never-before-seen content exclusively at B&N. Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. The Lion and the Mouse

    by Jerry Pinkney
    A fable of unlikely friendship that teaches the importance of kindness and helping others.

    In a book where the only words are the sounds made by the animals, the story begins at dawn. A mouse escapes several predators before coming upon a lion. The lion lets the mouse go. Later, some ... (Wikipedia)