These posters are in response to requests of so many in our middle grade community. As so often the case it’s the result of a book to Netflix phenomenon – in this case Jenny Hahn’s “The summer I turned pretty“. At the moment two genres are trending in middle school – romance and murder mystery. The thing though is matters can get pretty dark and dirty in both so the balancing act is to keep things age and culturally appropriate. Since the other phenomenon is the Colleen Hoover “woman as saviour” trope which I’d prefer our young people don’t see as a norm. I also always encourage students of all genders to read romance as it supports socio-emotional development and empathy for each other – especially as they’re going through puberty.

The parameters for Muslim romance and friendship are much more nuanced and also very dependent on the familial and geographic context. If you want really good reviews and comments from the Islamic School Librarian who has some excellent reviews and is able to explain the nuances.

Here are a bunch of books that seem to be working in our community. As always I love other recommendations.

By Nadine Bailey – middle school teacher librarian, currently living and working in Dubai, formerly in Beijing China, Singapore and a bunch of other cities around the world. Passionate about our students seeing themselves and their worlds in literature and developing curiosity and a passion for reading and learning.

The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed in this blog post are solely my own and do not reflect the positions, policies, or opinions of any current or former employer. Any references or examples provided are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements or official statements from any organization I have been associated with.