Recommendations based on Orbiting Jupiterby Gary D. Schmidt

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

  1. All American Boys

    by Jason Reynolds
    Two high school boys, one black, one white, navigate race, justice and friendship.

    Rashad is absent again today. That’s the sidewalk graffiti that started it all… Well, no, actually, a lady tripping over Rashad at the store, making him drop a bag of chips, was what started it all. ... (Goodreads)

  2. House Arrest

    by K.A. Holt
    Timothy is on house arrest and must navigate his way through a difficult family situation while trying to clear his name.

    Stealing is bad. Yeah. I know. But my brother Levi is always so sick, and his medicine is always so expensive. I didn’t think anyone would notice, if I took that credit card, if, in one stolen ... (Goodreads)

  3. Okay for Now

    by Gary D. Schmidt
    A young boy struggles to find his place in a new town, but with the help of a kind librarian and John James Audubon's illustrations, he discovers his own talents and strengths.

    Douglas "Doug" Swieteck is a fourteen-year-old boy living somewhere on Long Island in 1968 during the Vietnam War . After Doug's dad is fired for mouthing off to his boss, the Swietecks move to the ... (Wikipedia)

  4. Booked

    by Kwame Alexander
    A young boy navigates life, love, and soccer while dealing with his parents' separation. Written in verse.

    New York Times, Bestseller ∙ National Book Award Longlist ∙ ILA-CBC Children's Choice List ∙ ALA Notable Children’s Book ∙ Book Links’ Lasting Connections ∙ Kirkus Best Book ∙ San Francisco Chronicle ... (Barnes & Noble)

  5. The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

    by Adam Gidwitz
    A medieval adventure across France, featuring three miracle-working children and their loyal dog.

    The novel is told by multiple narrators, all travelers at the Holy Cross-Roads Inn near Paris, set in early March 1242. Marie, a brewer from the town of Saint-Geneviève, starts the story of Jeanne ... (Wikipedia)

  6. Roller Girl

    by Victoria Jamieson
    Twelve-year-old Astrid discovers her passion for roller derby and learns about friendship, perseverance, and growing up along the way.

    For fans of Raina Telgemeier’s, Smile, a heartwarming graphic novel about friendship and surviving junior high through the power of roller derby. Twelve-year-old Astrid has always done everything ... (Goodreads)

  7. 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)

  8. Refugee

    by Alan Gratz
    Three children, three different times, all with a common goal of finding refuge.

    A tour de force from acclaimed author Alan Gratz (,Prisoner B-3087,), this timely — and timeless — novel tells the powerful story of three different children seeking refuge. A, New York Times, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  9. Counting by 7s

    by Holly Goldberg Sloan
    A story of resilience and hope, as an outsider learns to find her place in the world.

    Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other ... (Goodreads)

  10. 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)

  11. The Almost Sisters

    by Joshilyn Jackson
    A Southern family navigates the complexities of identity, culture, and relationships.

    With empathy, grace, humor, and piercing insight, the author of gods in Alabama pens a powerful, emotionally resonant novel of the South that confronts the truth about privilege, family, and the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. 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)

  13. Echo

    by Pam Muñoz Ryan
    A magical story of courage, hope and friendship, connecting three different generations.

    The framing story is set in Germany circa 1889; , while playing hide-and-seek with his friends, Otto becomes absorbed in a book he had purchased from a Gypsy entitled The Thirteenth Harmonica of Otto ... (Wikipedia)

  14. Out of My Mind

    by Sharon M. Draper
    A young girl with cerebral palsy struggles to overcome obstacles and prove her ability.

    Melody Brooks is a girl who was born with cerebral palsy . Also, who is ten years old. Her parents have done everything they can to help her live a normal life, but life is often frustrating for ... (Wikipedia)

  15. Long Way Down

    by Jason Reynolds
    A young boy's journey of grief and redemption, as he seeks retribution for his brother's death.

    William Holloman is ready to exact vengeance on the person who murdered his older brother, Shawn. As Will rides the elevator down from his 8th-floor apartment at each floor a new person, who is dead, ... (Wikipedia)

  16. The Girl Who Drank the Moon

    by Kelly Barnhill
    A young girl accidentally drinks moonlight and gains magical powers. She must use them to save her people from a corrupt ruler.

    Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the ... (Goodreads)

  17. Wolf Hollow

    by Lauren Wolk
    A young girl's struggle to stand up for what she believes in amidst social injustice and bullying.

    The novel is narrated by twelve-year-old Annabelle McBride, who lives on a farm with her family and walks with her two younger brothers (James and Henry) to school in the town of Wolf Hollow. A new ... (Wikipedia)

  18. The War I Finally Won

    by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
    A young girl with a disability finds the courage to fight for independence and to make her own choices.

    Ada and her younger brother, Jamie, now have a permanent home with their loving legal guardian, Susan Smith. Although Jamie adapts more easily, Ada still struggles with the aftermath of her old life, ... (Goodreads)

  19. One for the Murphys

    by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
    A young foster child's struggles to find her place in a tumultuous world.

    Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that would land her in a foster care. ... (Goodreads)

  20. A Monster Calls

    by Patrick Ness
    A young boy's journey of self-discovery, coming to terms with his mother's terminal illness.

    Thirteen-year-old Conor O'Malley awakens from the same nightmare he has been experiencing for the past few months, "the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming". At seven minutes after ... (Wikipedia)

  21. The Sun Is Also a Star

    by Nicola Yoon
    An unlikely romance between two teenagers of different backgrounds, testing the limits of fate.

    Natasha lives in New York City with her parents Samuel and Patricia, and her brother Peter, all of whom are illegally in the country. Natasha and her family are set to be deported back to Jamaica. ... (Wikipedia)

  22. Ghost

    by Jason Reynolds
    A teenage boy must confront his past and overcome adversities to find his own path.

    Running. That's all that Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But never for a track team. Nope, his game has always been ball. But when Ghost impulsively challenges an elite sprinter to ... (Goodreads)

  23. 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)

  24. Alex and Eliza

    by Melissa de la Cruz
    A historical fiction novel about the love story between Alexander Hamilton and Eliza Schuyler during the American Revolution.

    Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history. 1777. Albany, New York. As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York ... (Goodreads)

  25. Glass Sword

    by Victoria Aveyard
    Mare Barrow's quest to find and recruit others with special abilities leads her to a dangerous mission that could change everything.

    Book 2 in the thrilling #1 New York Times bestselling series! Perfect for fans of George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series,, Glass Sword, is the high-stakes follow-up to the #1, New York Times, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  26. Beastly Bones

    by William Ritter
    Abigail Rook and Jackaby investigate a series of mysterious disappearances in a small town, uncovering a dangerous secret society.

    I've found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I've known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality . . . ... (Goodreads)

  27. 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)

  28. I Am Princess X

    by Cherie Priest
    A girl creates a comic book character, Princess X, with her best friend. After her friend's death, she discovers Princess X is real and sets out to find her.

    Best friends, big fans, a mysterious webcomic, and a long-lost girl collide in this riveting novel, perfect for fans of both Cory Doctorow and Sarah Dessen; illustrated throughout with comics. Once ... (Goodreads)

  29. Homegoing

    by Yaa Gyasi
    Spanning centuries, the intertwining stories of two African sisters, their descendants, and the legacy of slavery.

    Effia is raised by her mother, Baaba, who is cruel to her. Nevertheless she works hard to please her mother. Known as a beauty, Effia is intended to be married to the future chief of her village, but ... (Wikipedia)

  30. Life As We Knew It

    by Susan Beth Pfeffer
    A teenage girl's struggle to survive an apocalyptic disaster, relying on her resilience and resourcefulness.

    Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, ... (Goodreads)