2027 Nutmeg Award Middle School Nominees

2027  Nutmeg Book Award
Middle School Nominees
Grades 7-8
Black Bird, Blue Road
by Sofiya Pasternack
Pesah has long suffered from leprosy, with his
twin sister, Ziva, devoted to his care. When he
has a vision that the Angel of Death is coming
for him, the twins flee to find a cure. A demon
promises them safety in Luz, where no one dies
—if they can outrun Death itself.
Louder Than Hunger 
by John Schu
A 13-year-old struggles with a serious eating
disorder while hiding it from friends and family
until he is hospitalized. Told in a first-person
diary form, we experience the inner battles that
Jake faces and attempts to combat.
Boy 2.0
by Tracey Baptiste 
With the help of his old friends and new foster
family, Win “Coal” Keegan navigates the twists
and turns of life as a boy who can turn invisible
in this action-packed, superhero origin story.
The Fire, the Water and Maudie McGinn
by Sally J. Pla
Maudie McGinn has a secret. When a wildfire
upends her summer with her father and
distances her from the tensions of her mother’s
grasp, Maudie finds freedom and confidence for
the first time. Life feels like a dream, but will
Maudie’s secret shatter her safety and her
sense of self?
Half Moon Summer 
by Elaine Vickers
Told in alternating chapters of Drew’s prose
and Mia’s verse, two middle school students
form a friendship over the summer as they train
for a half-marathon. Each has reasons for
pursuing the race as they deal with their own
family struggles, but they will soon discover
how much they need the support of one
another.
The Last Mapmaker
by Christina Soontornvat
Apprenticed to a famed mapmaker, Sai joins an
expedition to chart new lands and escape her
past. The farther they sail, the more dangerous
the journey becomes, with storms, sea
monsters, and secrets lurking beneath the
waves. But as the truth about their voyage is
revealed, Sai must decide who she really is.
Parachute Kids
by Betty C. Tang
After an exciting vacation to Disneyland, Feng-
Li’s parents reveal they're returning to Taiwan,
leaving her and her siblings behind in America.
As the kids grapple with living on their own,
learning English, and attending school, Feng-Li
must find a way to keep her family together,
even when they’re miles apart.
The Probability of Everything
by Sarah Everett
Kemi Carter sees the world through ratios and
numbers - logical explanations and
mathematical rules. When an asteroid
threatens Earth, Kemi’s calculations can’t
soften the inevitable, no matter how hard she
tries. As she builds a time capsule to preserve
her family’s story, Kemi learns what truly
matters can’t be determined by numbers.
Queen of the Tiles
by Hanna Alkaf
Malaysian teen Najwa returns to the annual
Scrabble championship a year after her best
friend, Trina, suddenly died. Still wrestling with
anxiety and grief, Najwa hopes to honor Trina
by winning the tournament. When posts from
Trina’s social media account suggest foul play,
Najwa launches her investigation into the
mystery of Trina’s death.
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
by Gennifer Choldenko
This is the heartwarming and heartbreaking
story of 11-year-old Hank Hooperman, left
home alone with his three-year-old sister, Boo
when their often-absent mother disappears.
Using wit and bravery, Hank must find a safe
place to temporarily land.
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