10 must-read contemporary books like Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King

Cover of Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King

Attack of the Black Rectangles

By: Amy Sarig King

4.21

Format: 258 pages, Hardcover

When Mac first opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic and finds some words…

"Why do they treat kids like we don't mean anything?"

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"Why do they treat kids like we don't mean anything?"

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"Why do they treat kids like we don't mean anything?"

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"If you're comfortable learning history, it's the wrong history."

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

If you liked the contemporary plot in Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King , here is a list of 10 books like this:

Cover of Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King

1. Attack of the Black Rectangles

By: Amy Sarig King

4.21

Format: 258 pages, Hardcover

When Mac first opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic and finds some words… read more

Similar categories in Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • school
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • books about books
  • audiobook
"Why do they treat kids like we don't mean anything?"

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"If you're comfortable learning history, it's the wrong history."

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"I love banned books. I used to read as many to you as I could when you were little, Mac."

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"But if we want to change the world so it's good for everyone, it's important to talk about the truth."

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

Cover of Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson

2. Freewater

By: Amina Luqman-Dawson

4.18

Format: 416 pages, Hardcover

A middle-grade novel about two enslaved children’s escape from a plantation and the many ways they … read more

Similar categories in Amina Luqman-Dawson's Freewater book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • audiobook
"Lord only knows how many of us they keep from running. How many of us stay in these hateful places out of love. I used to think it was from scaring us - beating, cutting, or whipping us that did it. …"

-Amina Luqman-Dawson, Freewater

Cover of A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

3. A First Time for Everything

By: Dan Santat

4.39

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkwa… read more

Similar categories in Dan Santat's A First Time for Everything book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • middle grade
  • childrens
Cover of Odder by Katherine Applegate

4. Odder

By: Katherine Applegate

4.25

Format: 288 pages, Hardcover

Meet Odder, the Queen of Play: Nobody has her moves. She doesn't just swim to the bottom, s… read more

Similar categories in Katherine Applegate's Odder book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • audiobook
Cover of Two Degrees by Alan Gratz

5. Two Degrees

By: Alan Gratz

4.15

Format: 384 pages, Hardcover

Fire. Ice. Flood. Three climate disasters. Four kids fighting for their lives. Akira is ridin… read more

Similar categories in Alan Gratz's Two Degrees book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • audiobook
"Cubs are super cute, but you do not want to come between a cub and it's mother. Momma Bear will wreck you."

-Alan Gratz, Two Degrees

Cover of A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

6. A Rover's Story

By: Jasmine Warga

4.28

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

A middle grade novel about the journey of a fictional Mars rover. Meet Resilience, a Mars rover… read more

Similar categories in Jasmine Warga's A Rover's Story book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • school
  • middle grade
  • fiction
  • audiobook
Cover of The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett

7. The Probability of Everything

By: Sarah Everett

4.33

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

A heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an aspiring scientist who loves statistics and fac… read more

Similar categories in Sarah Everett's The Probability of Everything book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • audiobook
Cover of Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín

8. Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

By: Pedro Martín

4.27

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

A poignant, hilarious, and unforgettable graphic memoir about a Mexican-American boy’s family and t… read more

Similar categories in Pedro Martín's Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • family
"It was like the driveway at Disneyland but with way more automatic weapons."

-Pedro Martín, Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

"I like to say that my stories are 100% true 90% of the time. My memory and my heart like to play tricks on each other. The results are what makes my stories."

-Pedro Martín, Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

Cover of Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

9. Simon Sort of Says

By: Erin Bow

4.31

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

Simon O’Keeffe’s biggest claim to fame should be the time his dad accidentally gave a squirrel a ho… read more

Similar categories in Erin Bow's Simon Sort of Says book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • audiobook
"Dad picks Denver [to get his rabies shots], and he's totally fine, but he's going to be away for three days. "Just like Jesus," Mom says. I can hear the phone say, "Isobel!"

-Erin Bow, Simon Sort of Says

"In the tabernacle did the [squirrel]--" "Eat the Host?" says Dad. "Yes he did." "And was it--" "Consecrated?" says Dad. "Yes it was." ... "What, uh, happened to the squirrel?" "That squirrel is now 3…"

-Erin Bow, Simon Sort of Says

"The dog- Todd?- looks up from its leaking beer, puffs a sigh, then crosses the room to head-butt the fridge door closed. "Ummm" I manage "Did you see he got a--" "It's okay," she says. "He only has o…"

-Erin Bow, Simon Sort of Says

Cover of Wildoak by C.C. Harrington

10. Wildoak

By: C.C. Harrington

4.34

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

Maggie’s stutter makes going to school hard. She will do almost anything to avoid speaking in class… read more

Similar categories in C.C. Harrington's Wildoak book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • audiobook
Cover of Lasagna Means I Love You by Kate  O'Shaughnessy

11. Lasagna Means I Love You

By: Kate O'Shaughnessy

4.40

Format: 368 pages, Library Binding

What are the essential ingredients that make a family? Eleven-year-old Mo is making up her own reci… read more

Similar categories in Kate O'Shaughnessy's Lasagna Means I Love You book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • audiobook
Cover of The Door of No Return (The Door of No Return, #1) by Kwame Alexander

12. The Door of No Return (The Door of No Return, #1)

By: Kwame Alexander

4.32

Format: 432 pages, Hardcover

An instant #1 New York Times Bestseller! From the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award win… read more

Similar categories in Kwame Alexander's The Door of No Return (The Door of No Return, #1) book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • family
  • fiction
  • audiobook
"A family tie is like the river. It can bend, but it cannot break."

-Kwame Alexander, The Door of No Return (The Door of No Return, #1)

Cover of And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps

13. And Then, Boom!

By: Lisa Fipps

4.69

Format: 256 pages, Hardcover

A gripping new novel-in-verse by the author of the Printz Honor-winning Starfish , featuring a pove… read more

Similar categories in Lisa Fipps's And Then, Boom! book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • family
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • audiobook
"Friendship is being there to notice someone's about to fall, to try to keep them from falling, to catch them when they fall or to cushion the blow when they do, to feel what they're feeling, and to u…"

-Lisa Fipps, And Then, Boom!

Cover of Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee

14. Maizy Chen's Last Chance

By: Lisa Yee

4.29

Format: 277 pages, Hardcover

Welcome to The Golden Palace! Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota. . . until now. Her… read more

Similar categories in Lisa Yee's Maizy Chen's Last Chance book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • audiobook
"When you're in a position to help, that means you're in a good place in your own life."

-Lisa Yee, Maizy Chen's Last Chance

"Sometimes people don't know their dreams until they're in it. Other times, their dreams escape them because they are too busy being busy."

-Lisa Yee, Maizy Chen's Last Chance

Cover of Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

15. Louder Than Hunger

By: John Schu

4.55

Format: 528 pages, Hardcover

Revered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador John Schu explores anorexia—and self-expression as… read more

Similar categories in John Schu's Louder Than Hunger book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • family
  • audiobook
Cover of What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski

16. What Happened to Rachel Riley?

By: Claire Swinarski

4.23

Format: 352 pages, Hardcover

An eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly … read more

Similar categories in Claire Swinarski's What Happened to Rachel Riley? book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • school
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • audiobook
Cover of Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

17. Hummingbird

By: Natalie Lloyd

4.37

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

Bestselling author Natalie Lloyd returns with her most personal book to date, a story about a girl … read more

Similar categories in Natalie Lloyd's Hummingbird book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • family
  • audiobook
Cover of A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser

18. A Duet for Home

By: Karina Yan Glaser

4.24

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

Told from the perspective of biracial sixth-graders June and Tyrell, two children living in a homel… read more

Similar categories in Karina Yan Glaser's A Duet for Home book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • audiobook
Cover of Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros

19. Falling Short

By: Ernesto Cisneros

4.08

Format: 304 pages, Hardcover

A novel about two best friends who must rely on each other in unexpected ways. Isaac and Marco a… read more

Similar categories in Ernesto Cisneros's Falling Short book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • school
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • audiobook
Cover of We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963 by Shelia P. Moses

20. We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963

By: Shelia P. Moses

4.19

Format: 176 pages, Hardcover

The powerful story of an eleven-year-old Black boy determined to stand up for his rights, who's pul… read more

Similar categories in Shelia P. Moses's We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963 book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • childrens
  • middle grade
  • family
  • fiction
  • audiobook
Cover of Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack

21. Black Bird, Blue Road

By: Sofiya Pasternack

4.15

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

In this historical fantasy novel from Sydney Taylor Honor winner and National Jewish Book Award fin… read more

Similar categories in Sofiya Pasternack's Black Bird, Blue Road book and Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles

  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • fiction
  • audiobook

19 must-read fiction books like Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King

Transform Your Habits

Attack of the Black Rectangles

Amy Sarig King

4.21

Transform Your Habits

Freewater

Amina Luqman-Dawson

4.18

Transform Your Habits

Odder

Katherine Applegate

4.25

Transform Your Habits

Two Degrees

Alan Gratz

4.15

View all the books

15 best-selling childrens books like Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín

Transform Your Habits

The Eyes and the Impossible

Dave Eggers

4.25

Transform Your Habits

Ferris

Kate DiCamillo

4.30

Transform Your Habits

The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity

Nicholas Day

4.15

Transform Your Habits

The Lost Year

Katherine Marsh

4.50

View all the books

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