The Townsend Press is the publisher behind the Bluford Series. The books in the series are written by multiple authors, but Bluford High School connects the stories. When I taught middle school, many of my students read the entire series, or at least some of the books. My students connected to the novels being set in an urban area and the characters grappling with issues they have faced, such as peer pressure, family issues, bullying, and trauma. The books are quick reads, under 200 pages each.
The best part is that Townsend Press provides the audio for the books free of charge online at https://www.bluford.org/.