Middle grade

Ages 8–12

R.J. Palacio

This modern classic inspired the Choose Kind movement, a major motion picture, and countless conversations about empathy, compassion, and acceptance. “Rich and memorable.”—The New York Times Book Review NAMED ONE OF THE BEST ...

Ages 8–12

Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi

This chapter book edition of the groundbreaking #1 New York Times bestseller by luminaries Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds is an essential introduction to the history of racism and antiracism in America RACE.

Ages 8–12

Jerry Craft

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, New Kid is a timely, honest graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real, from award-winning author-illustrator Jerry ...

Ages 8–12

Jerry Craft

"Eighth grader Drew Ellis recognizes that he isn't afforded the same opportunities, no matter how hard he works, that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted, and to make matters worse, Drew begins to ...

Ages 8–12

Kelly Yang

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. Number 3: She wants to be a writer. It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year.

Ages 8–12

Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed

A National Book Award Finalist, this remarkable graphic novel is about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a former Somali refugee to the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl.

Ages 8–12

Cece Bell

The author recounts in graphic novel format her experiences with hearing loss at a young age, including using a bulky hearing aid, learning how to lip read, and determining her "superpower."

Ages 8–12

Jason Reynolds

"Ghost, a naturally talented runner and troublemaker, is recruited for an elite middle school track team. He must stay on track, literally and figuratively, to reach his full potential"--

Ages 8–12

Jason Reynolds

Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team - a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Patina, or Patty, runs like a flash. She runs for many reasons: to escape the taunts from the kids at the fancy-schmancy new school she's been sent to since she and her little sister had to stop living with their mom. She runs from the reason why she's not able to live with her 'real' mom anymore: her mom has The Sugar, and Patty is terrified that the disease that took her mom's legs will one day take her away forever. So Patty's also running for her mom, who can't. As the stress builds up, it's building up a pretty bad attitude as well.

Ages 8–12

Jason Reynolds

Sunny, the Defenders' best runner, only runs for his father, who blames Sunny for his mother's death, but with his coach's help Sunny finds a way to combine track and field with his true passion, dancing.

Ages 8–12

Jason Reynolds

Lu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others in the climax to the New York Times bestselling and award-winning Track series from Jason Reynolds. Lu was born to be cocaptain of the Defenders.

Ages 8–12

Hena Khan

"A Pakistani-American Muslim girl struggles to stay true to her family's vibrant culture while simultaneously blending in at school after tragedy strikes her community"--]cProvided by publisher.

Ages 8–12

Jasmine Warga

Jude leaves Syria for Cincinnati in this Newbery Honor novel-in-verse about home and hope.

Ages 8–12

Celia C. Pérez

Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú) reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang--violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.

Ages 8–12

Meg Medina

Winner of the Newbery Medal A New York Times Bestseller Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between in a resonant new novel from Meg Medina.

Ages 8–12

Erin Entrada Kelly

Four kids' fates collide in this Newbery Medal novel about bravery, bullying, and found family.

Ages 8–12

Janae Marks

Zoe is working to prove to everyone around her that she is worthy of being on Food Network's Kid Bake Challenge. On her 12th birthday, however, she receives an unexpected letter from her father, who has been in prison for a crime. A crime he says he did not commit. With recipes and the weight of her father's confession on her mind, it is up to Zoe to search for truth as she questions assumptions and strives to do what is right - even in the face of opposition.

Ages 8–12

Lisa Moore Ramée

From debut author Lisa Moore Ramée comes this funny and big-hearted debut middle grade novel about friendship, family, and standing up for what’s right, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and the novels of Renée Watson ...

Ages 8–12

David Barclay Moore

Unable to celebrate the holidays in the wake of his older brother's death in a gang-related shooting, Lolly Rachpaul struggles to avoid being forced into a gang himself while constructing a fantastically creative LEGO city at the Harlem community center.

Ages 8–12

Jacqueline Woodson

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Jacqueline Woodson's first middle-grade novel since National Book Award winner Brown Girl Dreaming celebrates the healing that can occur when a group of students share their stories.

Ages 8–12

Jacqueline Woodson

A New York Times Bestseller and National Book Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson, the acclaimed author of Red at the Bone, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

Ages 8–12

Thanhhà Lai

Inside Out & Back Again is a verse novel by Thanhha Lai. The book was awarded the 2011 National Book Award for Young People's Literature and one of the two Newbery Honors. The novel was based on her first year in the United States, as a ten-year-old girl who spoke no English in 1975.

Ages 8–12

Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the ...

Ages 8–12

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Ghost Boys, the New York Times bestselling novel about a Black boy killed by a white police officer from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes, is brought to a new audience in this heartbreaking and powerful graphic novel with striking ...