Firegirl

Blubber by Judy Blume (1974)

Judy Blume’s 1974 middle-grade novel Blubber focuses on the complex social dynamics of a fifth-grade class as they begin to mercilessly bully one of the girls among them. The story is told through first-person narrator, Jill Brenner, as she joins in on the bullying and gets wrapped up in the drama that results from it. She learns valuable lessons about people getting what they deserve and about the harm she’s helped to facilitate.

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Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick (1993)

Freak the Mighty tells the story of two boys—a slow-learning giant and a genius in a disabled body—who become friends, share adventures, and defend themselves against bullies and social rejection. The novel explores themes of bullying, friendship, and loss.

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Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (2000)

Stargirl is a young adult fiction novel published in 2000 by the American author Jerry Spinelli. In a coming-of-age narrative, shy eleventh-grader Leo falls in love with Stargirl, a free-spirited newcomer at Mica High. When his fellow students turn against Stargirl—and Leo—he pressures her to become ordinary like everyone else. Over the course of the novel, Leo learns the importance of staying true to yourself. Spinelli explores themes of individuality, kindness, and the painful consequences of nonconformity.

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Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (2010)

Sharon M. Draper’s Out of My Mind, based on her own experiences parenting a disabled child, is a New York Times Bestselling novel told from the first-person perspective of 10-year-old Melody Brooks. Melody is a fifth-grade girl who, due to cerebral palsy, is unable to communicate verbally and must use a wheelchair. The struggles and prejudice that Melody encounters provide a more intimate and personal view of the lives of people with physical disabilities.

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Wonder by R.J. Palacio (2012)

Wonder is a middle-grade novel written by R.J. Palacio. Though multiple narrators tell the tale, the plot centers around August “Auggie” Pullman, a 10-year-old kid who has a genetic condition called mandibulofacial dysostosis that has left his face misshapen. Auggie’s life of relative isolation is upended when he transitions from homeschooling to attending Beecher Prep Middle School. He faces bullying and discrimination because of his appearance, as well as the routine trials of growing up.

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Auggie & Me by R.J. Palacio (2015)

Auggie & Me is a collection of three short stories written as a companion to Palacio’s famous novel, Wonder. Auggie & Me illustrates the complexities of navigating friendship, specifically as children change over time. All three stories show how the yearning to do right and form meaningful connection is often challenged with the pressures of growing up and wanting to fit in with their peers.

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Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (2015)

Fish in a Tree follows the story of a middle-school girl named Ally, who is artistically and mathematically talented but unable to read due to her dyslexia. Throughout Ally’s school career, she uses humor, misbehavior, and feigned sickness to distract from her learning difficulty, doing everything in her power to avoid writing and reading tasks. Ally’s struggles are magnified by the fact that she has transferred schools many times over the past few years, as her family moves around for her father’s work in the military.

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Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling (2017)

Born without arms, 13-year-old Aven Green approaches her unique life with good humor, grace, and unflagging positivity—until her parents take a job managing a worn-out Western theme park in Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus. Suddenly the new kid at school, Aven discovers that others have trouble seeing past her disability to the creative, funny person inside. Aven’s life changes when she meets Connor, who struggles with Tourette Syndrome. Author Dusti Bowling’s debut middle-grade novel is a sensitive exploration of self-acceptance, belonging, and the power of friendship.

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