Books like 'Zenobia July'
Readers who enjoyed Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery north-america usa maine lgbtq realistic trans-mc friendship bullying
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Where Butterflies Wander by Suzanne Redfearn
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of In an Instant comes the moving story of a family grappling with grief and a woman with the power to help them through it—or stand in their way.After a tragic accident claims the life of one of her children, Marie Egide is desperate to carve out a fresh start for her family... -
Have You Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsRaymond Jaffe feels like he doesn't belong. Not with his mother's new family. Not as a weekend guest with his father and his father's wife. Not at school, where he's an outcast... -
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, Chloe Cannon
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm--and what's worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands has gone missing... -
The Library by Bella Osborne
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTwo different generations. Two unusual people. Thrown together to save their local library.Tom is a teenager and blends into the background of life. After a row with his dad, and facing an unhappy future at the dog food factory, he escapes to the library. Tom unwittingly ends up with a bagful of romance novels and comes under the suspicion of Maggie... -
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Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratings“High School. Two words that struck fear into the heart of every armless middle schooler I knew. Which was me. And like two people online.” The sequel to the critically acclaimed Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus follows Aven Green as she confronts yet another challenge: high school... -
Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe kids and teacher of Because of Mr. Terupt are back in this warm-hearted sequel.Fifth-grade was full of unforgettable events for Mr. Terupt and his class at Snow Hill School. Seven students were particularly affected by Mr. Terupt... -
Fast Life by Cassandra Carter
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCaught up in a world of easy money,designer labels and drug-dealing boyfriends, sixteen-year-old Kyra Jones is living life on the fast track. But when her single mom is offered a job that takes Kyra away from her old Chicago neighborhood, and the drugs and gang violence that go along with it, she finally realizes that there's more to life than Gucci, Prada and ghetto-fabulous bling... -
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhat’s more important? Knowing the truth or keeping the peace?Seventeen-year-old Avery Anderson is convinced her senior year is ruined when she's uprooted from her life in DC and forced into the hostile home of her terminally ill grandmother, Mama Letty. The tension between Avery’s mom and Mama Letty makes for a frosty arrival and unearths past drama they refuse to talk about... -
All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsJunior Library Guild Selection * Kids’ Indie Next List PickFrom Leslie Connor, award-winning author of Waiting for Normal and Crunch, comes a soaring and heartfelt story about love, forgiveness, and how innocence makes us all rise up. All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook is a powerful story, perfect for fans of Wonder and When You Reach Me... -
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsMason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard... -
Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWelcome, boys and girls, readers of all ages, to the first-ever Library Olympiad! Kyle and his teammates are back, and the world-famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, is at it again! This time Mr. Lemoncello has invited teams from all across America to compete in the first ever LIBRARY OLYMPICS. Will it be fun? Like the commercials say. .Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book -
The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsEthan had been many things. He was always ready for adventure and always willing to accept a dare, especially from his best friend, Kacey. But that was before. Before the accident that took Kacey from him. Before his family moved from Boston to the small town of Palm Knot, Georgia.Palm Knot may be tiny, but it’s the home of possibility and second chances... -
Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWelcome to The Golden Palace!Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota. . . until now. Her Mom’s plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather gets better... -
Cowboy Haven by B.A. Tortuga
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Heath Barron leaves Texas for Northern New Mexico, he thinks he's getting a luxury house rental for a steal, getting away from his ex, and finding a home for his newborn triplets. What he finds is a broken down trailer, a freezing winter, and the feeling that he's at rock bottom in his life. Again.Former rodeo champ Kolt Cordova has a good life... -
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Sara and the Search for Normal by Wesley King
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“It’s the vivid, insightful depiction of Sara’s internal struggles that readers will remember.” — BooklistIn this prequel to the Edgar Award–winning OCDaniel , fan-favorite Sara quests for “normal” and finds something even better along the way.Sara’s Rules to Be Normal1. Stop taking your pills19. Make a friend137. Don’t put mayonnaise on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...Categorized as:
realistic family friendship bullying coming-of-age law-enforcement mental-illness middle-grade -
The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwelve-year-old Fern believes she's living a pure and principled life--but what if everything she's been told is a lie?This heart swelling story explores the power of lies we want to believe and one girl’s journey to a new understanding of home.Fern’s lived at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, since she was six... -
The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAward-winning YA author Brandy Colbert's debut middle-grade novel about the only two black girls in town who discover a collection of hidden journals revealing shocking secrets of the past. Beach-loving surfer Alberta has been the only black girl in town for years. Alberta's best friend, Laramie, is the closest thing she has to a sister, but there are some things even Laramie can't understand... -
Linked by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn unforgettable novel from the New York Times bestseller Gordon KormanLink, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika.Nobody can believe it...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship law-enforcement realistic religion -
The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn extraordinary story about a family of runaways who take up residence in a small town, and the outcast boy who finds his voice and his people.In the dead of night, a truck arrives in Slaughterville, a small town curiously named after its windowless slaughterhouse...Categorized as:
family realistic children friendship bullying coming-of-age law-enforcement middle-grade -
What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 17 ratings*NOW A REGIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER* In this engrossing and inventive contemporary middle grade novel that's Where'd You Go Bernadette? with a #MeToo message, an eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly popular girl is now the pariah of her new school...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age bullying friendship family social-commentary children law-enforcement -
Lost and Found by Anne Schraff
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWelcome to Bluford High. This widely acclaimed teen series set in an urban high school features engaging, accessible writing and appealing, contemporary storylines.Darcy Wills is in big trouble. And she does not know where to turn for help. First there was the mysterious stranger who started following her. Then there was the threatening note left on her desk at Bluford High School... -
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhat if you could spend one last day with someone you lost?One day Carver Briggs had it all—three best friends, a supportive family, and a reputation as a talented writer at his high school, Nashville Academy for the Arts.The next day he lost it all when he sent a simple text to his friend Mars, right before Mars, Eli, and Blake were killed in a car crash... -
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsThis stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist! After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason... -
Message Not Found by Dante Medema
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project.Bailey and Vanessa shared everything: laughter, secrets, and packets of Pop Rocks to ward off bad days. But that all changed the night Vanessa left Bailey’s, headed for home, and ended up swerving off a cliff nowhere near her house... -
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The Best Liars in Riverview by Lin Thompson
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIn the woods of a small Kentucky town, Aubrey sets off on a journey about growing up, self-discovery, and acceptance while searching for their missing best friend—perfect for fans of King and the Dragonflies and Three Times Lucky .Aubrey and Joel are like two tomato vines that grew along the same crooked fence: weird, yet the same kind of weird. But lately, even their shared weirdness seems weird... -
What They Don't Know by Nicole Maggi
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThree secrets. One decision. A friendship that will change everything.Mellie has always been the reliable friend, the good student, the doting daughter. But when an unspeakable act leads her to withdraw from everyone she loves, she is faced with a life-altering choice―a choice she must face alone.Lise stands up―and speaks out―for what she believes in... -
Tonight We Rule the World by Zack Smedley
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIncludes an exclusive reader's guide from Zack SmedleyFrom the critically acclaimed author of Deposing Nathan comes an explosive examination of identity, voice, and the indelible ways our stories are rewritten by others.In the beginning, Owen’s story was blank . . . then he was befriended by Lily, the aspiring author who helped him find his voice...Categorized as:
lgbtq realistic coming-of-age family friendship young-adult contemporary mental-illness -
Tumble by Celia C. Pérez
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the award-winning author of The First Rule of Punk and Strange Birds, a dazzling novel about a young girl who collects the missing pieces of her origin story from the family of legendary luchadores she's never met.Twelve-year-old Adela "Addie" Ram�rez has a big decision to make when her stepfather proposes adoption... -
Hannah's Big Night by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA Jory and Sam Thanksgiving... -
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Chirp by Kate Messner
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom acclaimed author Kate Messner comes the powerful story of a young girl with the courage to make her voice heard, set against the backdrop of a summertime mystery.When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she's recovering from the broken arm she got falling off a balance beam...Categorized as:
bullying children coming-of-age family friendship law-enforcement lgbtq north-america -
24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen you come from Nowhere, can you ever really make it anywhere? Author Dusti Bowling (Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus) returns to the desert to create a gripping story about friendship, hope, and finding the power we all have within ourselves. Welcome to Nowhere, Arizona, the least livable town in the United States... -
June Bug by Chris Fabry
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the best-selling author of War Room comes a Christy Award finalist, now a Lifetime original movie called Child of Grace."I believed everything my daddy told me until I walked into Wal-Mart and saw my picture on a little poster . . -
Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsElise and Franklin have always been best friends. Elise has always lived in the big house with her loving Uncle and Aunt, because Elise's parents died when she was too young to remember them. There's always been a barn behind the house with eight locked doors on the second floor.When Elise and Franklin start middle school, things feel all wrong. Bullying. Not fitting in...Categorized as:
realistic coming-of-age family friendship bullying children middle-grade young-adult -
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Twelfth by Janet Key
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBetter Nate Than Ever meets The Parker Inheritance in this heartwarming mystery about finding your people and accepting others as they are.Twelve-year-old Maren is sure theater camp isn’t for her. Theater camp is for loud, confident, artsy people like her older sister, Hadley—the last person Maren wants to think about—and her cinema-obsessed, nonbinary bunkmate, Theo...Categorized as:
lgbtq family realistic friendship children coming-of-age law-enforcement middle-grade -
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsPerfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role... -
Break Us by Jennifer Brown
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNikki Kill doesn’t see the world in black and white. Her synesthesia shades everything in view, transforming numbers, words, and emotions into colorful clues. Which means she’s a dangerous commodity to anyone with something to hide.Nikki has already taken on the Hollises—one of L.A.’s most powerful families—for murdering her half sister, Peyton...Categorized as:
family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book contemporary fiction -
Honor's Promise (Silhouette Promo) by Sharon Sala
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDon’t miss the chance to read the novels that launched New York Times bestselling author Sharon Sala’s career. WAS SHE RIGHT TO TRUST THIS STRANGER? For Honor O’Brien, home had always been Charlie’s All-Night Truck Stop, where weary drivers were sure to find the best barbecue in West Texas... -
Mahu Fire by Neil S. Plakcy
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEvil moves to paradise, as openly gay police detective Kimo Kanapa’aka battles an extreme religious group that opposes the idea of same-sex marriage. It begins with a simple shooting, but the danger intensifi es as Kimo strives to unmask a killer.Neil S. Plakcy is the author of Mahu Surfer... -
Mahu Vice by Neil S. Plakcy
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMonths have passed since Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa’aka walked away from the blaze at Wa’ahila State Park—and from his partner Mike.Now, Kimo and Mike must work together to solve an arson-homicide while attempting to mend their relationship.Neil S. Plakcy is the author of the Mahu series... -
Instant Menace by Jerry B. Jenkins, Chris Fabry
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen eighth grade begins, twins Ashley and Bryce get caught up in investigating why their principal left under mysterious circumstances, even as they struggle to get along with his replacement, who seems to be out to get them... -
The Lonely Book by Meg Grehan
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA warm and loving story about how a non-binary person comes to understand and accept themselves by an award-winning queer author. Every morning, when Annie’s moms open up their bookshop, there’s a pile of books on the counter, waiting for the right reader to come and find them. But one day, there’s a book nobody comes for... -
You Don't Even Know by Sue Lawson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAlex Hudson is a good guy. He plays water polo. He has a part-time job. He’s doing okay at school.Then the thing that anchors Alex is ripped away and his life seems pointless... -
The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA ten-year-old girl is determined to find her missing neighbor, but the answers lead her to places and people she never expected—and maybe even one she’s been running away from—in this gorgeous debut novel that’s perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish.Guinevere St. Clair is going to be a lawyer. She was the fastest girl in New York City...Categorized as:
bullying children family friendship grief law-enforcement realistic action-adventure -
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Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Sibley Carter is a moron and a worldclass jerk." When Julian Carter-Li intercepts an angry e-mail message meant for his greedy, high-powered uncle, it sets him on the course to stop an environmental crime!His uncle’s company plans to cut down some of the oldest remaining California redwood trees, and it’s up to Julian and a ragtag group of friends to figure out a way to stop them...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship north-america realistic usa action-adventure -
Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNo matter how many times Kyle rewrites the scene, he can't get it right. He tries it in the style of Hitchcock, Tarantino, Eastwood, all of his favorite directors—but regardless of the style, he can't remember what happened that day in the shed. The day Jason died... -
My Life with the Liars by Caela Carter
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPerfect for fans of Kathryn Erskine’s Mockingbird and Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting by 7s, this is a stunningly unique and poignant story of one girl’s strength and courage as she decides who she is and what she will believe in.Behind the white-washed walls of the Arizona compound, life was simple. Follow the rules, "live in the light," and all would be well... -
This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe Winslow family lives by five principles:1. No one can know your real name.2. Don’t stay in one place too long.3. If you sense anything is wrong, go immediately to the meeting spot.4. Keeping our family together is everything.5. We wish we could tell you who we are, but we can’t. Please—do not ask... -
How Not to Disappear by Clare Furniss
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOur memories are what make us who we are. Some are real. Some are made up. But they are the stories that tell us who we are. Without them we are nobody.Hattie's summer isn't going as planned. Her two best friends have abandoned her: Reuben has run off to Europe to 'find himself" and Kat is in Edinburgh with her new girlfriend... -
Tornado Brain by Cat Patrick
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA neurodivergent 7th grader is determined to find her missing best friend before it's too late.Things never seem to go as easily for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her twin sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent, with diagnoses of ADHD and autism spectrum and attention processing disorders...
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