Alan enters seventh grade with an abusive father, a bullying older brother, and a strict no-friends policy: after all, why set anyone up to be his brother Nathan’s latest victim? It seems like things will never change, especially when Nathan forces him to participate in a “game” in which Alan must complete a list of impossible or deeply embarrassing tasks. When Alan tries to refuse, Nathan threatens to broadcast his little brother’s crush on a male classmate to the entire school. Unexpectedly, however, Alan’s quest to meet Nathan’s demands results in the discovery that, after all, Alan Cole Is Not a Coward (Katherine Tegen, $16.99). Eric Bell’s novel about making friends, facing deep family dysfunction, and finding personal strength will strike a chord with middle schoolers past and present. Ages 12-14