The Other Boy by M.G. Hennessey

Twelve year old Shane Woods is a transgender boy who has moved with his mom to a new city and new school and is keeping the fact that he is transgender secret, or as his mother calls it, private. His best friend, Josh does not know he is transgender, nor does anyone else at his school. He is ready to take hormones, but his father is concerned about that. The book discusses the issues of being a transgender child and also has a good story. I think middle grade children will enjoy this book.

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

Oh my goodness!  Such a sad and horrible, yet at the same time great book!  I read it all in a few hours today.  I couldn't put it down.  The story is told alternately by 14 year old Julian and 18 year old Adam.  Many serious issues are dealt with, death, abuse, foster care, adhd, dyslexia, bullying, but there are also wonderful friendships and love.  Years earlier, after his parents died, Julian lived with Adam and his mother who provided a foster home for him.  Now, living with his uncle, Julian's life is quite different. The relationships and friendships between Adam and his friends and Julian are wonderful and Julian's uncle is evil and horrible and the story will make you cry. It is an unforgettable story.

Dreadnought (Nemesis #1) by April Daniels

In a world where there are now superheros and super villains, 15 year old Danny is a boy who wants to be a girl.  When he is an unwitting witness to the death of a superhero named Dreadnought, she gets her wish, a female body, along with superpowers and the choice of what to do next .  Her father is abusive and very much against her being transgender and her mother is unable to stand up to him.  There is prejudice against her being transgender even among the superhero community so though she now has the body she has always wanted, some things have not changed.  She befriends another girl who calls herself Calamity, who fights against evil whether it is outside of the government or within it,  and begins to learn more about the superhero community and the evil villain who killed Dreadnought.  I like that Danny has to overcome her own fears and learn to use her powers and chose whether to use them for good or not.  This book is a fun read and I think teens will enjoy it.

The Body Electric by Beth Revis

In this intriguing science fiction book for teens, eighteen year old Ella is helping to run her family business, allowing people to relive memories.  Her mother is ill and dying and her father was murdered a year ago.  She has been having disturbing dreams and when a young man named Jack shows up and warns her about her best friend, she begins to realize that things are not as they seem.  Jack claims to have known Ella in the past, but he has been erased from her memory.  Now it is up to Ella to figure out what is real and what is going on because only she has the key to stopping another war from happening, but she doesn't know what it is.

Doppelganger by Milda Harris

In this short, first book of a series, Citrus sleeps late and when she gets to high school, sees herself already in class.  She learns that she and several other students now have doppelgangers - identical look alike people who are taking their places.  Together with a boy named Aedan, who also has a doppel, they try to take the doppelgangers on and find out what is going on. To be continued in the next book....

They Can't Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery

In this book, Washington Post writer Wesley Lowery shares his experiences of reporting about the shooting of Michael Brown and the uprising and protests in Ferguson and the subsequent protests of other police shootings as all people were made more aware of the police violence in America.  The book is quite comprehensive and has an index and notes at the end.

The Scourge by Jennifer A. Nielsen

When Ani and her best friend Weevil are captured by the governor's wardens and tested for the scourge, they are surprised and sad to learn that they have this deadly disease.  After being transported to Attic Island, the former prison, now turned into a colony for scourge victims, Ani learns that things are not as they seem.  Why has the scourge returned?  What is really happening to the prisoners who are sent to the infirmary from which they never return?  The story is full of action and is a well-written, fast, fun read.