Best Middle Grade Books for 11-Year-Olds (Sixth Grade)

Want to keep your 11-year-olds, 6th graders, reading good books? I can help. Below you’ll find the BEST of the middle-grade chapter books that are spot-on for maturity and readability.

Plus, each book review includes a genre tag so look for mystery, fantasy, realistic, historical, and sci-fi to help you search. It’s always so helpful to match a child’s interests with the books that they read. And, to give them choices.

I love to give my kids options of a few books to make it easier to pick. Or, at this age, you can just show them this page and have them read the reviews themselves to help them decide.

If you want harder (to comprehend / more mature topics) books, visit my books for 12-year olds list. For easier books, try books for 10-year olds.

SHOP THIS LIST

Read Alouds, Book Series, & Nonfiction Titles for your 11-year-olds in 6th grade:

• Compelling Book Series for 6th Graders
• Nonfiction Books for 11-Year Olds
• Read Aloud Books for 6th Grade

Middle-Grade Book Recommendations Plus Reviews & Genres

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, illustrated by Gabriela Epstein
REALISTIC /GRAPHIC NOVEL
Spanish-speaking kids are thrown together to complete before-school community service hours. When the kids notice the homeless mom and her child living in a van, they try to help with leftover food. But they get into trouble with the mean cafeteria lady who thinks they’re stealing and watches them like they’re delinquents. This is a story about kindness, racism, differences, and marginalized individuals — both non-English speakers and homeless individuals. It’s excellent, and I love the Spanish dialogue written first with English-translated text second.

Legend of the Dream Giants by Dustin Hansen 
FANTASY
Gorgeous, sensory writing fills the pages of this beautifully-crafted story about a young, naive giant named Berg who is searching for his place in the world. He doesn’t want to be like the monstrous Ünhold giant from the human stories and trades pretty rocks for the food he steals, thinking that it a fair trade which proves that he’s not a monster. In a new city, the mayor convinces Berg to become a prisoner with sly manipulations that Berg doesn’t understand. Berg’s friend Anya tries to help Berg see the truth, and Ünhold tries to help Berg, too, but Berg believes the mayor’s lies until the truth becomes tragically apparent. This is a story about trust, hope, belonging, friendship, and truth.

Starfish by Lisa Fipps
REALISTIC / BODY IMAGE & SIZE / VERSE
Heartbreaking and inspiring, this poignant story in verse shows a girl who learns, after years of fat-shaming and bullying, to define herself not based on what others say but on who she really is. Ellie’s nickname is Splash because of her size but she loves swimming. Her biggest bully is her mother who won’t buy her new clothes because she thinks it encourages Ellie’s weight gain and pushes for gastro-bypass surgery. Fortunately, Ellie finds an understanding therapist who helps her move from powerless to powerful. 

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan
SCI-FI ADVENTURE
Get ready for action, intrigue, plot twists, and super-cool technology! Ana’s freshman class at her specialized marine and naval academy are the only survivors after the academy is blown up. As the class races to escape. ona ship, their chaperone reveals that Jules Verne’s novels based on Captain Nemo are mostly true and Ana’s the only surviving relative of Captain Nemo. They must thwart the first of many attacks and then evade the enemies to find Nemo’s infamous ship, the Nautilis. 

Front Desk by Kelly Yang
REALISTIC
Mia and her parents have struggled ever since moving to America from China. When her parents take a new live-in job at a motel, they end up working around the clock for very little pay. Mia helps out by working at the front desk. She befriends the weekly tenants and uses her English skills to write letters advocating for other people in tough spots. This book is more than a memorable coming-of-age immigrant story, it’s also about tolerance and diversity. I loved this story— the writing, the characters, the plot, and the messages of inclusion and determination.

Allies by Alan Gratz
HISTORICAL FICTION
Written from many different voices about one day in history, readers easily can see the massive amount of cooperation, planning, and troops from different countries involved in D-Day (when the Allies invaded France at Normandy.) We hear from an American teenage soldier who was born in Germany, a French Algerian girl whose mom is a recently captured spy,  a Canadian paratrooper who lands in the wrong spot, and an American black medic. It’s violent and disheartening yet despite terrible losses, racism, and injuries, the fighters persist despite everything to accomplish their goal — to take back the area for the Allies. 

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
REALISTIC
On her 12th birthday, Zoe, a girl who loves to bake, discovers a letter to her from her incarcerated biological father, Marcus. She decides to write him back, even daring to ask him about the murder he’s in jail for — did he really do it? Marcus writes to Zoe that he’s innocent and he can prove it which sets Zoe on a quest to find out the truth for herself, even if her mom and dad forbid it. She enlists the help of her Grandma and her best friend, Trevor. You won’t be able to put down this winsome story with a heroine you can’t help but adore; a story that illuminates social justice with themes of family, friendship, and love.

The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron 
PARANORMAL
I loved this exciting paranormal vampire-slaying middle grade adventure! Boog and her friends’ parents are still obsessed with the old precautions to prevent vampires — even though they were all wiped out years ago. Or were they? When their friend Aaron goes missing, he reappears in Boog’s yard as a VAMPIRE. Someone turned him during a school skating party– but if Boog and her friends can kill his vampire maker within the time limits, their friend will turn back to human. The kids get caught sneaking around and discover their parents have BIG SECRETS about who the Vanquishers were, the heroic vampire hunters. Now they’ll have to work together to find the vampire that changed Aaron–and kill it. IN BOOK 2!

A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser
REALISTIC / HOMELESSNESS
A powerful, hopeful story with complex, three-dimensional characters about grief, family, community, and homelessness. When their family becomes homeless after her dad dies, June helps her little sister and non-speaking mom get settled at Huey House. Despite the shock of their new situation, June finds kindness from many of the people at the shelter. But when Mrs. G, their social worker gets fired for not agreeing to the city’s new homeless policies, June helps organize a protest and discovers that home isn’t a place and family isn’t always blood.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
FANTASY
Fantastic fantasy world-building, excellent writing, a strong female heroine of color, and a surprise plot twist ending are just a few of the reasons you’ll love this middle grade book. On top of that, you’ll find an exciting action-packed, suspenseful story about Amari whose brother vanishes mysteriously. He sends her a message that she’s a magician and should attend a special school. There, she discovers she’s a magician with outlawed dark magic, but she’s determined to stay in the school and find her brother.

Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant
HISTORICAL FICTION
If you want a new favorite warm-hearted adventure with brave kids, dogs, and a happy ending, you don’t want to miss this captivating and beautiful story. The war has made Ben an orphan –again. All that he has left are his dog and his dad’s boat, the Sparrowhawk. When a policeman gets suspicious of Ben’s living situation and his new friend, Lotti’s abusive guardians try to kill her rescue dog, the two friends set off on the boat for France to find Ben’s missing older brother. The boat isn’t meant for a channel crossing but the two kids are determined to make it work…but it won’t be easy. Nor will it be easy to find Ben’s missing brother in a country decimated by war.

The Ruins of Gorlan: Ranger’s Apprentice by John A. Flanagan
FANTASY (series)
Will is apprenticed to become a Ranger, a job he’s unsure about. But as he develops a relationship with his master and learns what being a Ranger is all about (spying for the kingdom), he begins to embrace his new life. When an old enemy of the kingdom sends out dangerous beasts to attack Will’s master, Will is instrumental in getting help and killing the creatures. Action, fantasy, adventure, friendship, excellent writing — this book has it all! It’s a must-read, especially for boys. 

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
HISTORICAL FICTION
An absolutely wonderful, heartwarming historical fiction story with close-knit siblings who stick together and eventually find their forever home. Evacuated from London during WWII these siblings need to find a new home. Unfortunately, their placements are horrid. It’s only the library and the kind librarian who help them survive the bullying and hunger. Unfortunately, the librarian is deemed “unsuitable” to be their foster mother since her missing husband is German. When things go from bad to worse in their latest home, can the children fight for a home with the librarian no matter what the town thinks?

Bloom by Kenneth Oppel
SCI-FI
Get ready for a wild ride of suspense, action, adventure, science fiction, and coolness!! Bloom tells the story of three kids who are not affected by the strange-looking plants that appear out of nowhere and take over land all over the world, covering houses and streets, swallowing animals and people but doing nothing to these kids. Scientists figure out that the plants are an alien invasion…and think these kids may be the only chance they have to stop them. To avoid spoilers, I’ll just tell you that it’s an AWESOME story…with two more in the series.

Ali Cross by James Patterson
MYSTERY ADVENTURE
If you want an enthralling adventure & mystery that you can’t put down, read this one next. It’s Christmas Eve and Ali’s friend Gabe is missing, his FBI agent dad is falsely accused of murdering an old man, and someone broke into their house while they were at church and stole his dad’s service weapon. Ali knows he has to try to fix things, starting by finding his friend Gabe. Don’t miss book two, Like Father, Like Son.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
FANTASY (series)
We loved this so much that we read it twice for a bedtime story! You’ll love the strong female main character, a princess named Cimorene who doesn’t want to live the typical princess life. She leaves her home to apprentice herself to a dragon. Just for fun. No prince rescuing involved, thank you very much. Then she must help save her dragon from a group of evil wizards. We LOVE and highly recommend this dragon series. BOX SET

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
FANTASY
Wonderfully crafted and imagined, this 2017 Newbery winner is a fairy tale of sorts about a good witch who rescues one of the town’s many abandoned (sacrificed) babies instead of giving her to another town to adopt and love. She’s a special baby named Luna who accidentally becomes infused with moon magic. It’s also the story of the baby’s magical, bereaved mother, a wicked witch who feeds off sorrow, a woodcarver who wants justice, and most of all, an amazing girl named Luna.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
HISTORICAL FICTION
A Newbery Honor winner!!! Ada and her brother escape their mother’s abuse when the London children are evacuated during WWII and go to live with a grieving woman in a small country town. It’s difficult for both the woman and children to trust each other but slowly the trust grows. As it does, all three regain something lost — hope and love. I can’t recommend this book enough, it will touch your heart at such a deep level. 

The Adventurers Guild by Zach Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos
FANTASY
Get ready for your new favorite middle grade fantasy adventure series. Zed and Brock don’t want to be chosen for the Adventurers Guild. Nobody does. Unlike the mages or merchants guild, the adventurers must leave the safety of their walled city to fight the monsters who live on the outside. Unfortunately, Zed and Brock are picked as Adventurers. And before they can finish training, Zed, Brock, and others are sent outside the city on a fact-finding mission that uncovers treachery, fiendish beasts, and Zed’s untapped magic. Imaginative world-building, intriguing plot twists, and complex characters kept me enthralled from page one!

Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry, illustrated by Lindsay Moore
ENVIRONMENT / OCEAN / ANIMALS
Beautiful, this story about two orca siblings separated from their families, trying to find food and their seasonal home, is filled with adventure and danger and suspense. After her mother loses a calf, Vega leaves her pod to bury her little sister, her brother chasing after her. Then, a Tsunami hits and they both are lost from their pod. Vega, a stranger, and her little brother travel together toward recognizable landscapes and hopefully, food. As they journey, they meet other orca pods with different customs and who eat different foods, as well as other sea creatures. 

Winterhouse by Ben Guterson, illustrated by Chloe Bristol
MYSTERY
Elizabeth, an orphan, is unexpectedly sent to a large, stately hotel with a kind, grandfatherly proprietor for Christmas vacation. There, she discovers a magical book, a sinister couple, a family mystery, and a new friend who loves puzzles as much as she does. The writing is mesmerizing, the mystery fascinating, and the characters, enchanting. This is a wonderful, atmospheric read.

New Kid by Jerry Craft
REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Jordan’s parents make him go to a private school across town where he’s one of the only kids of color. Besides having the tricky business of navigating friendships, he now must deal with the two separate worlds of his neighborhood and his school along with racism and balancing academics with artwork. This story feels truthful, relatable, and important.

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
REALISTIC
Set in India, Viji writes this story as letters to you, her little sister Rukku who has intellectual disabilities. She recalls how the two of them ran away from an abusive father and sick mother to the big city where they meet two friendly brothers and live with them under a bridge, scrabbling to survive by collecting trash. Their days are hard but Viji learns how much more capable her sister is than she previously thought. Unfortunately, Rukku gets a terrible cough and fever and what happens next will almost destroy Viji. She wonders how prayers and faith can coexist with misery and pain. Ultimately, it is the kindness of her new family that helps her see more in the future than misery. It’s an honest, eye-opening story that reveals the plight of many homeless children in India and yet, finds a way to be hopeful, too.

Children of the Fox by Kevin Sands 
MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
Callan’s a gaffer who joins a group of kids who are hired by a Weaver to steal something magical called the Eye. It’s a tricky job with not enough time to plan and all the kids know it’s dangerous but the monetary reward is too tempting. The misfits use their individual skills including climbing, mapping, acrobatics, and knife throwing to plan a heist in less than a week. It’s an exciting, complex, and unexpected plot involving magic and mythological gods from the stories with themes of problem-solving, friendship, and trust that ends with both an amazing resolution and a cliff-hanger. 

The Supervillain’s Guide to Being a Fat Kid by Matt Wallace
COMING OF AGE / BULLYING
An outstanding, surprisingly philosophical, poignant story about dealing with bullies, growing in confidence, and the complexities of human beings. Matt doesn’t think he can survive 3 more years of middle school bullying so he writes supervillain Master Plan who is also a “gentleman of size”, asking for help. Surprisingly, Master Plan emails back with helpful, sage advice but is Master Plan actually looking out for Max or for himself?

The Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makonnen
SCI-FI
Yared’s Uncle Moti moves them around frequently so when Yared gives his real name during an augmented reality game, he doesn’t think the soldiers that arrive are after him. But they are. And everything he believed about his life turns out to be a lie…including his identity. Yared partners with another game player, the Ibis, to escape the troops and the giant monster and find the truth. The two clever, quick-witted kids face incredible danger, insurmountable odds, and a galaxy-spanning war but Yared has been trained for this and he is ready to fight. Set in a futuristic Ethiopian empire, this exciting adventure grabs your interest and keeps it through wild twists and turns that feature heroic main characters!

Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun
REALISTIC / KOREAN CULTURE
Exceptional! Korean-American Pippa is a great basketball player but her guardian older sister won’t let her play unless her grades improve. Math tutoring by a cute, rich boy leads to a scholarship at a prestigious private school and Pippa uses the new school to reinvent herself, hiding her background from the popular kids (not wealthy, from a rival middle school.) Ultimately, Pippa decides to not be ashamed of her working-class family, her culture, or her friends. Girl readers, in particular, will be able to relate to the social hierarchy of middle school and the temptation to change yourself to suit others.

Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
REALISTIC / REFUGEES
Marsh writes a stunning novel about two young boys from very different backgrounds — one is a refugee from Syria while the other is an American who has just moved to Belgium. Interwoven in this timely, poignant story are the big issues of refugees, prejudice, fear, friendship, and kindness. To avoid the overcrowded refugee centers, Ahmed hides in the basement of the house where Max lives with his family. When he’s discovered by Max, the boys develop a friendship; Max keeps Ahmed hidden from everyone. The boys come up with a plan to enroll Ahmed in Max’s school. And it works. But it can’t last forever. A local policeman suspects something and Max’s family will be moving back to the U.S. soon…

96 Miles by J.L. Esplin
DYSTOPIAN
“Dad always said if things get desperate, it’s okay to drink the water in the toilet bowl.” Isn’t this a great first sentence? An apocalyptic event has happened, there’s no electricity, the brothers are alone, and all their dad and their survival supplies were stolen at gunpoint. Now John and Stewart are on the road trying to get to a friend’s ranch for their supplies. It’s not going well–they’ve picked up a girl and her little brother not to mention Stewart is fighting nonstop with John. If you like survival stories, sibling stories, and adventure, this is a great choice.

Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber
#OWNVOICES / REALISTIC / BODY DYSMORPHIA & EATING DISORDERS
Sarah’s mom’s dysfunctional relationship with food is affecting Sarah– who now thinks that her slowness in basketball is related to eating too much or too many “unhealthy” foods, instead of being from the normal growing pains of puberty. She’s confused, starving herself, and stressed out. Finally, a friend pushes Sarah to get help…and, help is just what Sarah needs to understand the truth about her body, what health truly is, and how her mom’s disordered eating has affected her. EXCELLENT!

The Brave by James Bird
REALISTIC  #OWNVOICES
When Collin, a boy who counts every letter spoken to him and says the number out loud, gets kicked out of yet another school, his neglectful father sends Collin to live with his mom. Collin has never met his mother but he’s curious to meet her and live on the Ojibwe reservation. Living with her is a totally different experience than his previous home — because with his mother, he’s welcomed and not judged. He befriends the neighbor girl who teaches Collin how to be brave. Which he needs. And so does she because she’s going to be a butterfly soon…

Refugee by Alan Gratz
HISTORICAL
Follow three distinct, alternating stories about being displaced from your country, on the run, and in danger. First is a young Jewish boy who escapes from Nazi Germany on a ship to Cuba, only to be turned away from the Cuban port and sent back to Europe. Next is a Cuban girl in the 1990s who, with her family and neighbors, flees in a homemade raft to the United States at great peril. Finally is a Syrian boy whose home is bombed in a country at war. He and his family travel a great distance to find a country that will allow them shelter. Gatz skillfully connects all three stories with a satisfying, realistic conclusion.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
REALISTIC
Like The Penderwicks, you’ll fall in love with this quirky, wonderful family from the first page. The Vanderbeekers’ landlord wants them out by the end of December but the Vanderbeeker kids are determined to change his mind, even though he hates noise, kids, and their family. But it’s almost Christmas and their efforts are only making things worse. What will they do? Charming and heart-warming.

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibb
ADVENTURE
The CIA asks a super genius 12-year-old girl named Charlie to help find the missing and dangerous “Pandora” theory of Einstein’s. You will fall in love with Charlie—she’s a creative thinker and a survivor who despite all her knowledge still can act like a child yet also outwit bad guys in amazing ways. Terrorists, Moussed, cross-world travel, and mathematical clues combine with excellent writing to make the perfect action-adventure spy story starring a female protagonist you’ll love!

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor
REALISTIC
A heartbreaking coming-of-age story that is also filled with hope. Perry is well-loved by his mother and her friends; they all live in prison. In fact, that’s where Perry has lived since he was born eleven years ago. But in an unexpected and unpleasant turn of events, his best friend’s stepfather, the new District Attorney, forces Perry to leave the prison. Not only that, the DA tries to stall Perry’s mother’s parole hearing. Perry discovers the stories behind the inmates’ lives, hoping that they’ll be helpful in reuniting him with his mother. This story will stay with you long after you read the last page.

Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
#OWNVOICES / VERSE / IDENTITY / INDIAN-AMERICAN
Reha is struggling to figure out her place in her two worlds–India and America. She wants Amma to understand how she feels but when Amma gets cancer, Reba focuses on being virtuous enough so her mom will get better. But, her Amma dies. And Reha feels so much grief. Then, she gets a letter mailed by a nurse from her Amma that helps Reha move into her future and belonging to two cultures. (It’s a heartfelt, beautiful ending and if you’re like me, you’ll probably cry!)

The Iron Trial (Magisterium) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
FANTASY
Even though Callum tries to fail the entrance trials, he is admitted to the school his dad says is evil. But the Magisterium school is not as bad as he expects. Call learns about his elemental powers, he forges bonds of friendship with his teammates and rescues a wolf puppy who is infused with the evil magic of Chaos. I couldn’t put this book down — especially after the surprise twist of who Callum really is!!

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood
HISTORICAL FICTION
Thinking Hitler will invade England next, Ken’s family sends him to safety in Canada. But, Ken’s ship is torpedoed and sunk only days into the journey. Written in verse, this is a moving account of bravery as Ken, several other kids, a priest, the ship’s only woman, and members of the crew spend weeks adrift at sea in an ill-stocked lifeboat. You’ll read about their swollen feet, dehydration, and starvation as well as the stories and songs that helped keep the kids distracted and somewhat hopeful. Ultimately, you’ll be left with a sense of amazement at the resiliency of the human spirit. Very well-written.

Tumble by Celia C. Pérez
REALISTIC
Pulsating with longing and confusion about family relationships, this heartfelt story is about heritage, identity, and…Mexican wrestling. When Adela’s stepdad wants to adopt her, Adela secretly uncovers who her biological dad is — and finds out he’s from a famous luchador family. She contacts him with high hopes of connecting, but those hopes are slowly dashed when her bio dad, Manny, consistently drops her off with his family and leaves. Adela loves getting to know her extended family, especially her twin cousins, — but wishes Manny would want to spend time with her. Adela must figure out what it means to have Manny in her life, or not.

Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dees
REALISTIC
Middle schooler Mila is feeling trapped— a group of basketball-playing boys is getting too close, grabbing her, touching her, and then telling her that she’s imagining it. Ignoring doesn’t stop the behaviors, neither does telling an adult, telling her friends, or wearing baggier clothing. Now her toxic friend Zara is acting mad and jealous that Mila’s getting the boys’ attention. Unexpectedly, Mila finds her strength when she starts karate classes. That helps her find what works to put a stop to the harassment. 

Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf
REALISTIC / SOCIAL JUSTICE / REFUGEES
When a new refugee boy from Syria arrives at Alexa’s London school, she can’t wait to be friends with him. However, Ahmed doesn’t talk or make eye contact. Alexa and her friends learn that Ahmed was in a real war and has been separated from his family. When Alexa and her friends hear that England is going to shut the borders, they decide they must go to the Queen to help Ahmed be reunited with his family. They go to the palace in person, tangling with the guards, and getting in big trouble but it eventually leads to media attention and a happy solution.

Escape from Atlantis by Kate O’Hearn
ADVENTURE
Don’t miss this wildly inventive, exciting, and thought-provoking adventure. Riley, her dad, her cousin, and her aunt are sailing in the Bermuda Triangle when they’re attacked by a leviathan. Riley and her unpleasant cousin, Alfie, wake up on an island with overly-friendly, rule-centered people including half-animal people. They soon learn the sinister truth of the rule-centric community and are determined to escape.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
BIOGRAPHY / HISTORY
Sudan’s reality, past and present, collide in this beautifully written true story. In 1985, we follow the harrowing journey of a young boy who, after his village was attacked, walks miles and miles to a refugee camp. In 2008, we learn about a girl who must walk two hours morning and night to get fresh water. Their stories are compelling; you won’t be able to put this down, nor take peace and clean water for granted again. 

Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling 
REALISTIC / DRUG ADDICTION
Jolene is a brave girl who has been secretly dealing with her mother’s opioid addiction who makes a daring (and possibly foolheartedly) trek to the desert to rescue her only friend. She steals her mom’s phone and credit card and takes the bus as close as she can to Addie’s location, planning to walk to find Addie. On the bus, she meets a kind and helpful teenager named Marty who, despite Jolene’s reluctance and mistrust, helps Jolene. The story is about trust, relationships, boundaries, addiction, survival, and family; it’s also an emotional journey of inner and outer strength that leads to hope and healing. 

Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
FANTASY
In a Thai-inspired world where caste determines your future, Sai’s new job as a mapmaker’s assistant is far beyond her station, which is why she can’t wait to join the Mapmaker on a sailing quest to find a new continent and maybe, find herself a new home. During the trip, the Mapmaker reveals his past hubris of mapping and claiming already-inhabited lands which their war-hungry country would then use and destroy. Add in a stowaway, a mutiny, a shipwreck, and a gigantic creature,  this is a compelling middle grade story about colonialism, discovery, and humanity.

We Are Wolves by Katrina Nanestad
HISTORICAL FICTION
This story follows a little girl and her family in East Prussia after Hitler loses the war and the Russians take over, pillaging as they go. It’s about the grays of war, the impossible choices you must make to survive, and how love wins. When Liesl and her siblings are separated from their mother, they survive by stealing and foraging, sometimes in the woods and sometimes in a borrowed home–until the Russians find it. Their story is harrowing and thought-provoking and ultimately, warm-hearted.

Patina by Jason Reynolds
REALISTIC
Patina’s anger sometimes gets the best of her but running helps. She’s mad about her dad dying, her mom’s legs being amputated, and her new school. When her track coach makes Patty work with her teammates in a relay, she’s forced to rely on them. And that changes things. Patina is a beautiful coming-of-age story that will tug at your emotions.

Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
HISTORICAL FICTION
This mesmerizing historical fiction story takes place in the Martha’s Vineyard community of Chilmark where a high percentage of deaf individuals live. Mary’s a smart girl who speaks sign language. Then, a researcher arrives with preconceived notations of the “infirmity” of deaf people and he kidnaps Mary as a live specimen. For months she’s imprisoned and forced to work, then locked in a room to be studied. She can’t communicate with anyone because no one else speaks sign and Mary doesn’t have access to a pencil and paper. Eventually, she gets a chance to write a message and makes it back home with help. This is an eye-opening, must-read story!

Dog Driven by Terry Lynn Johnson
REALISTIC
A story about finding your strength even if it looks like a weakness…McKenna enters a long dog sled race in order to bring awareness to her sister’s degenerative eye disease. Which McKenna can tell she has, too. Her eyesight is worse and worse. She just doesn’t want to tell her parents and be treated differently. During the race, she relies on her lead dog to guide the sled. Another racer, a boy with a blind dog, shows her that his dog is a powerful leader. He quickly notices that’s McKenna can’t see either. The challenges of the race and her new friendship help McKenna realize that just like Zesty the blind dog, she is not disabled and that her differences make her better.

The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling
ADVENTURE
Written in verse, this is a heart-wrenching, heart-stopping, suspenseful adventure with lyrical, figurative language about an intense journey of physical hardship and emotional healing. Shifting perspectives between before and after her mom was shot, Nora and her dad climb into a Sonoran Desert canyon for the first time in the year since her mom died. Just as Nora tells her father she hates him, a flash flood careens through the canyon, carrying her father and their supplies away. Alone and terrified, Nora forces herself to find shelter and keep searching for her father, even with the venom from a scorpion bite slowing her down. As she faces her fears and continues on, she overcomes a metaphorical war with the “beast” who has been giving her nightmares for the past year.

Skyborn Sparrow Rising by Jessica Khoury
FANTASY
Ellie is an orphan Sparrow girl in a world of avian-human caste system who flees the orphanage so she can compete for a coveted spot in the knight training school. She travels with a group of thieves and their friendship and adventures open her eyes to who is actually honorable and heroic. She also discovers that the stolen gargol eye has powerful healing properties. This fantasy adventure checks all the boxes with a courageous main character and complicated companions, an interesting world, and lots of surprises.

Boy, Everywhere by A.M. Dassu
REALISTIC / IMMIGRATION / MIGRATION
Skillful writing transports us into Sami’s experience of modern Syrian life torn away by violence, his family’s sudden escape from the country, awful traveling conditions, detention in England, and his stay with hateful relatives. We feel his emotions every step of this journey — from thinking about playing video games and soccer to his worry about capsizing in an overcrowded boat in the ocean and to blaming himself for his mom and sister being at the mall when it was bombed. In sharing his experiences, we see how much we relate to Sami because he’s just a regular kid trying to be safe.

Booked by Kwame Alexander
REALISTIC
Alexander skillfully writes about the teenage human condition — he just gets it! 12-year-old Nick struggles with his parents’ separation, a school bully, and the awkwardness of a first crush. The only thing that feels right is soccer. That is until he gets injured and can’t play. Written in free verse, this is a lyrical, fast-paced story that feels honest and relatable.

Unsettled by Reem Faruqi
REALISTIC / IMMIGRATION / VERSE
Nurah’s family moves from Pakistan to Georgia, U.S., and she feels distinctly unsettled at her new outsider status which includes everything from her accent to her clothing to her brown skin. She makes one friend, and that helps her feel more comfortable. Meanwhile, her brother who excels at swimming suddenly quits after bullies violently attack him. This is a beautiful coming-of-age story that tackles racism, bullying, friendship, belonging, family, culture, and self-confidence.

Loyalty by Avi 
HISTORICAL FICTION – REVOLUTIONARY WAR
Noah’s loyalist dad is killed from being tarred and feathered so his mom takes the family to an uncle’s house in Boston. There, to be loyal to his dad’s beliefs in the Crown, he becomes a spy at a tavern run by a free Black man named Jolla. Jolla opens Noah’s eyes to the hypocrisy of the Sons of Liberty who want freedom for themselves but not for slaves and the British Loyalists who own slaves and forcibly use slaves as soldiers. Noah realizes he needs to think for himself about to whom he is loyal — but it’s not an easy choice. Avi does an incredible job showing Noah’s inner turmoil and sharing the historical setting and events, this would be a great book club book!

The Serpent’s Secret (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1) by Sayantani Dasgupta
INDIAN MYTHOLOGY (series)
This story pulls you in from the first page. Kiranmala discovers on her 12th birthday that she’s a princess from another realm and her parents are trapped in a black hole type place. But there’s a lot more she’ll learn — like who her real parents are (yikes!) and that demons can be your friends. The prince’s demon grandma, Ai-Ma, is my FAVORITE character. She says things like “Be good, sweet beetle-dung toadstools.” Okay, Kiranmala’s parents are super awesome, too. You’ll love every second of this entertaining, Indian mythology adventure.

Traitors Among Us by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
HISTORICAL FICTION
It’s a little-known history that after WWII, Russians kidnapped Ukrainian refugees for slave labor or death. In this true story, sisters Maria and Krystia are kidnapped by the Russians when another girl falsely accuses them of being Hitler Girls, girls who collaborated with the Nazis. The girls, including their accusor, are taken to a house in the Russian zone for Interrogation where they fight to survive and with the help of others, to escape. This well-written history shows the power of human kindness.

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Bree and her dad move to Florida where she has to take Swim 101 at school. But, she ditches because she can’t swim and is afraid. luckily, her neighbor and babysitter is a former swim team captain, and she teaches Bree how to swim. When Bree accidentally makes the swim team, she learns about teamwork and friendship. This is a wonderful feel-good story about failure, perseverance, and teamwork.

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day
REALISTIC
The author skillfully weaves an important, heartfelt story about growing up, family, and finding your identity in the context of adoption, the historical maltreatment of Native Americans, and the mystery of your own heritage. When Edie unexpectedly finds a box of photos and letters from the woman she suspects was her mom’s birth mother, it prompts a journey to discover the truth of her Native heritage. The truth opens her eyes (and ours) to the unjust but common practices that happened throughout U.S. history of taking Native kids away from their birth parents; parents whose only crime was being Native.

A Tale of Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
FANTASY (series)
This book is bloody and macabre and an excellent, imaginative story that weaves Hansel and Gretel with eight more Grimm fairy tales. Hansel and Gretel abandon their terrible parents in order to find better ones –ones that won’t try to kill them. The narrator, a strong, quirky voice, warns us of the bloody things to come. While he’s sometimes distracting, for the most part, I liked how his snarky voice kept me from getting too freaked out by the gruesome parts. Once in the wild forest, Hansel transforms into a ravenous, hunter-beast and Gretel continues on her own. This book will make you want to reread your Complete Brother’s Grimm.  (Just don’t read it right before bed.)

Lockwood & Co The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
GHOST ADVENTURE (series)
Set in Victorian London, we learn that dangerous ghosts and spirits are everywhere, but only kids can see them. Teens Lucy, Anthony, and George badly need money for their ghost agency so they take an inadvisable, perilous job that may just be their last. Sixth graders (and I) love this series with its addicting, edge-of-your-seat writing.

A Seed in the Sun by Aida Salazar 
HISTORICAL FICTION
A tender and poignant middle-grade novel in verse showing an important time in history, the power of collective voices against injustices, and a girl finding her strength. Lula’s family are migrant workers. When Lula’s mom gets sick from pesticides, they can only get her medical care if they join the worker strikes started by Phillipino migrant workers. Eventually, her violent dad is convinced to join the strike which transforms their family, gives the girls hope, and helps Lula’s mom get health care. I loved this beautiful coming-of-age story.

El Deafo by Cece Bell and David Lasky
REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL
In this multiple award-winning graphic novel, Cece Bell shares the story of growing up with a hearing impairment, using a very bulky hearing aid, and finding her place in the world. Funny and moving, this is a beautiful coming-of-age story of courage and determination.

The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz
REALISTIC / COMING OF AGE / #OWNVOICES / PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES
Nat is a thirteen-year-old girl in a wheelchair who auditions for her favorite musical, Wicked without telling her parents. She thinks that Nessa is her perfect role since Nessa is also in a chair. The group of kids also involved in the musical are welcoming and accepting. But she needs to show the director just how much she can do — that she can dance in her own way– and it works. Then, when a fire burns the theater down, the show is canceled. Nat rallies the cast to find a solution. Add in a bit of romance, friendship troubles, and a surprising new role for Nat to make this is one gem you won’t want to miss.

My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee 
FANTASY ADVENTURE / GRAPHIC NOVEL
After Safia’s parents die in a fire, she goes to live with her aunt who was the world’s greatest adventurer. Because Safia is blind, she doesn’t realize that her aunt looks monstrous with three eyes, horns, and fur. Safia is happy with her aunt but longs to explore, and when her aunt must travel again on an urgent trip, she begs to join. On the journey, Safia makes a friend with a girl who works for the Agency of Chaos, but when the girl tries to get Safia to leave her family, Safia stands up for what she believes then saves their prisoners and an entire community in danger. Skillfully written with scrumptious artwork — this is an exciting and unique adventure with representation!

Lotería by Karla Arenas Valenti, illustrated by Dana SanMar
MAGICAL REALISM
Life and Lady Death play their yearly Lotería game; this time, for a little girl’s life and debate about free will, love, hope, and fate while a story unfolds about a girl named Clara who lives in Oaxaca City with her family. After Clara draws a cool dragon for her little cousin Esteban, he notices the exact dragon drawing on the gigantic El Arbol de Tule. Before she can figure out why it’s there, Esteban’s mother dies and he is lured into a mythical world called Aztlan by El Diablo. Clara embarks on a perilous journey to find and save Esteban. On her journey, she learns about the power of her drawings — and makes the ultimate sacrifice for love.

Swag is in the Socks by Kelly J. Baptist
REALISTIC
12-year-old Xavier hates speaking because of his stutter, he’d much prefer to play video games and hang out in his room at home. But, he wants to join Septer League just like his (incarcerated) father, great uncle, and grandfather. He thinks he has a shot but gets denied entry — and is told that he needs to be more of a leader to get in. Xavier’s Great Uncle Frankie Bell unexpectedly sends him a pair of crazy socks and soon more pairs. When Xavier wears them, people notice and it gives him the “swag” that Frankie Bell tells him will help. The socks give Xavier an opportunity to be a leader in a way he never expected. That plus speech therapy and we watch as he blossoms with confidence. A beautiful coming-of-age story that will make you want your own swaggy socks!

Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation by Sylvia Liu
SCI FI
This is an excellent and exciting sci-fi story about a world where corporations control the world and at age 13, kids get “meshed” into the multiweb. Hana meets a mysterious hacker who makes her see that things aren’t always at they seem and that getting meshed might not be good. When Hana’s school friends get sicker and sicker, Hana discovers a conspiracy using kids as human experiments. Even worse, her mom is involved in it. With the help of a wise old man, two friends, and her sister, they work together to help the sick students and stop the corporation’s nefarious plans.

Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older
HISTORICAL FICTION (+ FANTASY) (series)
Take a thrilling ride through Civil War history — with DINOSAURS! In this exciting adventure with diversity, slavers kidnap most of the orphans in NYC’s Colored Orphan Asylum but the small group of kids that escapes to join with the Vigilance Committee to fight back and rescue their kidnapped friends. What I LOVE about this book:
* action-packed plot
* both reimagined & actual history
* the diversity of the main characters
* that dinosaurs and dactyls still exist!! And are used as air, land, and sea transportation
* couldn’t put it down!

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
REALISTIC / BOOKS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS – OCD
My daughter and I love this book! The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl is a thoughtful coming-of-age story about a girl genius with OCD whose grandma wants her to go to public middle school to make one friend, read one non-math book, and join one school activity. Surprisingly, Lucy does find friends and more than that, too. A well-written, heart-warming story!

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
REALISTIC
Don’t miss this important story about self-worth, beauty, and colorism. Genesis hates that her skin is so dark; she knows her grandma and father hate that about her, too. In her self-loathing, she believes that if only she were lighter-skinned, she’d be pretty and have all the things that go along with being pretty. In this coming-of-age story, Genesis finds her voice both literally and metaphorically. It will start the conversation about who defines beauty and how we can do better individually and as a society.

Brothers Keeper by Julie Lee
HISTORICAL FICTION #OWNVOICES
Based on her grandmother’s escape from North Korea, this historical fiction story is a powerful read that captures the fearful culture of North Korea, the marginalization of females, and the bond between siblings. As war erupts between North and South Korea, Sora and her family decide to flee from North Korea while they still have a chance. As they continue south, they experience death, kidnapping, starvation, killings, and winter’s brutal cold with the Red Army marching right behind them. Amazingly, the two siblings make it to the south where they’re reunited with their family but it’s a bittersweet ending.

Valentina Salazar is Not a Monster Hunter by Zoraida Córdova
FANTASY
A marvelous middle-grade novel with the perfect blend of action and adventure mixed with family tragedy, betrayal, magical creatures, and an amazing kid who saves the day! Val gets her two siblings to help her on one last mission to save the magical creature egg that a boy is live streaming so that no one gets hurt or learns about magical creatures. Her family used to be Monster Protectors until one killed her dad. Her nefarious Uncle and his Monster Hunters have lured one of her siblings to his hunter side, and they are chasing Val and her other siblings to get the egg first. 

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj
REALISTIC
Set in Mumbi, this is a deftly narrated, hope-filled story of the inequities around water with themes of advocacy, education, and community. 12-year-old Minni’s community has access to water only a few hours per day with severe water shortages. When Minni is forced to leave school to work as a maid, she sees the water (and other) iniquity first-hand and discovers that the family’s dad is the water mafia boss. Her decision and action to report him makes a difference — and gives us hope that one person can make a difference.

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
FANTASY / MYTHOLOGY
The compelling, well-written story jumps into the action immediately when Nizhoni, from the Diné (Navajo) people, sees a monster (disguised as a human) at her basketball game. Making matters worse, it’s her dad’s new boss who kidnaps her dad and wants her little brother, too. She escapes with her brother and best friend to ask the Spider Woman for help, learning that she and her brothers are the descendants of the Hero Twins. Her journey challenges her with heroic trials to meet the Sun who will give her weapons to fight the monsters and culminating in a fierce battle between the good guys and the monsters. I LOVED this story — it’s a fast-paced hero’s journey with a rich, diverse mythology.

Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly
FOLKTALE
A story infused with mythology about the power of stories, belief in the stories, and the courage to change your future. Lalani, a poor girl in a fishing village, savors stories like sustenance. They help her survive her cruel stepfather and stepbrother and give her a roadmap of life, especially in difficult times. Thinking she’s helping her village, Lalani wishes for rain from a magic-wielding Mindoren hiding on the mountain. However, she forgets to ask for the rain to stop. When it never stops, the village blames Lalani. Believing in the stories and reflecting on something she heard, Lalani bravely faces the biggest danger of her life — traveling in a boat across the sea from which no one has ever returned– to find a flower that might fix things. 

The Giver by Lois Lowry
SCI-FI (series)
Set in a dystopian society, this Newbery medal winner grabs your attention and keeps it until the end. What is going on in this strictly controlled community? When Jonas is assigned his job as “Receiver of Memory” he learns just how much the government has suppressed from the people’s knowledge not to mention that they’re giving pills meant to control people’s behavior and that they murder so-called defective babies and older people. When his foster baby brother is up to be killed, Jonas must decide how he will save them both. BOX SET

Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras
FANTASY / HISTORICAL (series)
Set in medieval Scotland, this is an action-packed adventure of a strong female protagonist with close family bonds, medieval and mythical elements, and an exciting plot. When Drest’s war-band family is kidnapped by knights she sets off in pursuit, taking a wounded soldier hostage with her. Throughout their travels, the two develop a complicated friendship and Drest learns uncomfortable truths about her family. I love when a girl rescues boys from death! What an excellent story — I highly recommend it.

Five Kingdoms: Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull
FANTASY / ADVENTURE (series)
Brandon Mull has outdone himself with an inventive, totally unique world and characters!  Cole, a regular kid, is trick-or-treating with his friends when they all get kidnapped. Cole manages to hide but follows the kidnappers — to another world – a world of five kingdoms, slavery, and magic. Cole is found and sold to slavers on the Outskirts. There he’ll battle mysterious beings living on cloud castles, discover an exiled princess, escape from slavery, and have unimaginable adventures.

Edge of Extinction The Ark Plan by Laura Martin
ADVENTURE / DYSTOPIAN (series)
Action from the first page! This is an awesome story about a dangerous world where cloned dinosaurs have taken over. Now Sky and her fellow humans live below ground in safety with Noah as their supreme ruler. Sky discovers that her missing (maybe traitor?) father left her a secret note with cryptic instructions on how to be found. She decides to leave the underground city in order to find her dad. Barely outside a day, she and her friend Shawn are rescued from hungry dinosaurs by a boy who lives in a treetop enclave. When his enclave is attacked by Noah’s soldiers looking for her, Sky realizes that everything she believed about Noah is wrong and is even more determined to find her father. LOVED it!

Tornado Brain by Cat Patrick
MYSTERY / NEURODIVERSITY
When 7th grade Frankie’s former best friend, Colette, vanishes, Frankie begins to look for clues on her own. As she does, we see how complicated it is to be in her brain. Loud noises, changes, touch, and so many things affect her intensely. Frankie realizes that Colette was trying to finish the list of dares that they made up when they were younger. The mystery of Colette’s whereabouts keeps every moment of the story suspenseful. Frankie and her twin sister piece together Colette’s last known locations. As they do, it helps Frankie accept herself and forgive Colette and her sister. It’s a brilliant, touching first-person story that gives us insights into a neurodivergent character’s brain in a suspenseful mystery story.

Sara and the Search for Normal by Wesley King
REALISTIC / MENTAL ILLNESS
Sara wants to be cured of her mental illnesses and be “normal” like other kids so she makes rules for herself. Among other diagnoses, Sara is bipolar for which she blames herself. She hates her out-of-control brain and feels like nobody can help. Meanwhile, she begins group therapy where she makes a friend; a friend who is covered in hidden bruises. Sara and Erin think of themselves as Star Children, kids with alien DNA. It’s profoundly sad to witness Sara’s self-loathing yet still hoping for a better tomorrow. Sara begins to realize she wants to change her inner dialogue and accept herself. For readers, it’s a valuable opportunity to see inside Sara’s mind and how painful it is to have an invisible disease. It won’t make you think like her but will give you compassion.

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
REALISTIC
One of the BEST books ever, it’s so well-crafted with deep emotional resonance. Doug is a boy who is struggling to read with no support from his home life. Not only are his dad and older brother abusive but they all live in abject poverty. What saves Doug is his connection to a librarian who shows Doug Audubon’s bird paintings and how to draw. This eventually leads to reading and hope.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
REALISTIC
Aven Green is used to making up creative stories about why she doesn’t have any arms. Especially now in Arizona where her parents are the new managers a rundown theme park. She befriends a boy at school who, like her, feels different and isolated from the other kids. His name is Connor and he has  Tourette Syndrome. Together, he, another new friend named Zion, and Aven investigate a mysterious storage shed at the theme park which leads them to a mystery involving Aven’s past. This story is about restorative friendship, facing your fears, and discovering your true (significant) potential.  I loved the physical and mental diversity shown with so much strength and compassion. This would be a GREAT read-aloud for classrooms and for at home. There’s much to love and discuss!! (Added to my Physical Disabilities Book List.)

Wink by Rob Harrell
REALISTIC
A funny, standout cancer story based on the author’s life for readers who like humorous but emotion-filled stories. When Ross is diagnosed with a rare kind of tumor, he immediately starts radiation treatment. School becomes pretty challenging because his eye is goopy, he has to wear a hat, and his hair starts falling out in clumps– among other things made funny with his cartoon drawings. A goofy, kind-hearted radiation tech gets Ross interested in alternative punk music and in order to impress a girl, Ross asks the tech for guitar lessons. Turns out, the guitar and his new music, help Ross both express his frustrations and find his joy, leading to some surprising results — like a new, unexpected friend.

The Kaya Girl by Mamle Wolo
REALISTIC
A thoughtful novel about a friendship that crosses regions, languages, income levels, and education–despite the stigmas and prejudices. Abena, from a rich southern family in Ghana, is spending the summer with her auntie to help at her auntie’s market store. There, Abena meets Faiza, a Muslim girl from northern Ghana who works as a kayayoo– a girl who uses a large head pan to carry shopping for customers. The two girls immediately become friends, and Abena’s eyes are opened to the differences in their lives and her own privileges. But when someone accuses Faiza of stealing, and Abena gets malaria, they are torn apart until fifteen years later in a beautiful full-circle moment.

Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
HUMOR / MAGICAL REALISM (series)
A funny but poignant story of middle-school angst and discovery! Unpopular Dwight can make origami Star Wars characters. When his puppet of Yoda comes to life, just like Yoda, the origami Yoda is wise and helpful during the many trials of middle school.

The Fog Diver by Joel Ross
DYSTOPIAN (series)
The world is covered by a deadly “fog” that kills humans so the humans live only on the highest mountain peaks. Our heroes, a band of scavenging orphans, are trying to find something in the world below that they can sell in order to travel to another city where they can treat the cloud sickness of their beloved mother-figure. I loved the suspense, the fascinating world, the characters, and the happily ever after. 

Rump by Liesl Shurtliff
FRACTURED FAIRY TALE (series)
In this powerful story from Rumplestiltskin’s perspective, you’ll read how Rump discovers who he is and grows into his potential. It takes some work but Rump learns he’s trapped in his mom’s magical “rumple” which requires him to make straw into gold for any trade that another person offers. This is what the miller takes advantage of, leaving Rump without options or any control. With the help of his troll friends, his friend Red, and his aunts, Rump finds a way to stop the magical curse and give the queen back her child.

Atlantis: The Accidental Invasion by Gregory Mone
SCIENCE FICTION
Lewis’s scientist dad believes that Atlantis still exists and when Lewis sneaks off to find his dad’s lab, he ends up on a journey with his dad and his dad’s research assistant, Hanna, to find out the truth. Meanwhile, an Atlantian girl sneaks away from home and passed the guards to see if there could be life above the ocean. When their fates collide, the excitement at each other’s existence is short-lived because the Atlantian Eraser guards capture Lewis’s dad…and then Lewis and Hanna. Interesting, action-packed, and filled with cool tech!

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs
HISTORICAL FICTION
Based on the true history of the author’s great-grandmother, this is a beautiful and important story of hope, resiliency, and family set in historical Mexico, 1913. Petra Luna, her Abuela, her little sister, and her baby brother flee their home when Federales burn the village. Petra’s Abuelita calls reading and writing barefoot dreams, meaning they’re not meant to go far but when they’re helped by a female rebel captain, Petra reaffirms that she can be more than her Abuelita thinks — that she can keep her promise to save her family and realize her barefoot dreams, too. Their trials culminate in a harrowing and life-threatening experience as they wait with throngs of other people trying to cross the bridge into the United States before the Federales arrive on the Mexican side. Exciting, interesting, and inspiring.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullally Hunt
REALISTIC / DYSLEXIA
Both Ally and her older brother have hidden that they can’t read FOR YEARS. When an insightful teacher named Mr. Daniels helps Ally learn to read, it changes her life and she discovers her true value. This is a beautiful, emotional story that will help kids understand how it feels to live with dyslexia. (Also on Books About Kids Who Have Learning Differences.)

Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
REALISTIC & HISTORICAL / KOREAN WAR
In the present day, Junie faces bullying, microaggressions, and friendship troubles leading to suicidal thoughts, medication, and therapy. At the same time, Junie interviews her grandparents, immigrants from South Korea, about their war-filled childhood hardships. Her grandpa’s story helps Junie find her own strength. Moving, important, and beautiful. *SENSITIVE READERS: This book includes suicidal thoughts, the violence of war, and a couple of bad words.

The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr, illustrated by Katie Harnett
FANTASY
Beautiful storytelling! Grisha is a dragon who spends a few hundred years enchanted as a teapot. Once he’s a dragon again, he meets a lonely girl whose first and only friend is him. Grisha slowly begins to remember that an evil wizard has imprisoned other dragons. He and Maggie decide to find the missing dragons and free them— no matter the cost. And there will be a cost. The ending is HEARTBREAKING but so, so good.

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids edited by Cynthia Leitch Smith
SHORT STORIES
These exceptionally written, interconnected stories are about kids and their experiences with the powwow, cultural aspects of the Native communities, growing up, and belonging. They’re wonderfully written and wholly engaging. At first, each story seems distinct, but the stories intersect with graceful wonder. It’s a beautiful collection of stories that amplifies Native voices and gives non-Native folks a view of the modern-day lives of Indigenous kids and their families.

Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
REALISTIC – DEAF, LONELINESS
Iris is a lonely Deaf girl who feels alone at her school and in her immediate family. When Iris learns about Blue 55, a whale who is called the loneliest whale in the world because his song is at a different hertz than other whales, she immediately feels a connection to him. Iris uses her compassionate heart, intelligence, and tinkering skills to write and record a whale song that Blue 55 will hear so he’ll know that he’s not alone. Her subsequent adventure is profoundly life-changing. This is a heartening, poignant story that gives readers insight Deaf children, the richness of Deaf culture, and the life-changing power of compassion.

Omar Rising by Aisha Saeed
Incredible writing about one (scholarship) boy’s fight to stay in a prestigious private school, this is a superb book of determination, resiliency, and community set in Pakistan. Omar gets a scholarship to attend a prestigious Pakistani boarding school, a step in fulfilling his dream of becoming an astronomer and buying his mom a house. But, his hopes are dashed when he’s told that scholarship students must work, must get A+ grades, and can’t do sports or clubs. Omar is grateful for his new friends and teachers but he’s worried he’ll lose it all so he studies all the time, even asking for tutoring help from the strict headmaster. Despite his efforts, his grades aren’t enough and he gets kicked out. Until, his classmates support him with a walk-out and the headmaster gets the board to change their mind, and the rules.

No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen
REALISTIC / POVERTY
Felix doesn’t want to tell anyone that he’s been living in a van for months and months. His mom, Astrid, is worried about social services taking him so he keeps quiet even though he really wants a bathroom. His hope is that he can win his favorite TV game show so they’ll finally have enough money to get an apartment. One of the things I loved about this story is how it shows a child’s love for a parent despite all the parent’s flaws–and his mom has many like lying and not holding down a job. It also depicts homelessness as circumstances beyond a child’s control — which is something most kids don’t know or think to consider. This well-written book is beautiful, important, and highly recommended. (Added to Books That Facilitate Empathy: Poverty)

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
HISTORICAL FICTION
Park writes a wonderfully touching multilayered story about a young half-Asian girl’s life during western expansion, frontier times. After Hana’s mother dies, her father moves the two of them to a small midwestern town. Park sets the scene with care and you’ll see a realistic portrayal of life in the 1880s from the point of view from someone who is experiencing racism. Despite many unfair things, Hana stays resilient and determined to graduate from school and help her father in his shop.

Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman
REALISTIC / INDIAN SOCIETY
Kabir is too old to continue living in jail with his mom who was unjustly imprisoned. He’s forced to leave the jail without his mom and quickly realizes that his so-called uncle is trying to sell him into slavery. Kabir runs away and meets a worldly-wise girl named Rani who helps him survive the streets. Together, the two journey to another city where they hope Kabir’s grandparents live and where Kabir and Rani find kindness and second chances. This powerful story illuminates the problem of homelessness and the justice system in India, yet gives readers hope in human kindness and the possibilities of change. 

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen
HISTORICAL FICTION
Nielsen deftly captures the history of Lithuania’s book smugglers as well as the fundamental truth that books give readers freedom from oppression; books keep alive a language, culture, and identity, no matter how hard someone tries to erase it. Audra doesn’t know her parents are book smugglers until they are arrested by the Cossacks. She flees to their contact’s house, not wanting anything to do with smuggling books. Part of her reluctance is because she herself can’t read or write but she slowly learns and develops a passion for stories. Not only that, she became a clever smuggler. It’s inspiring that a little country of farmers managed to keep their culture alive even after the Russians banned their language and their books. Highly recommended!

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
ADVENTURE (series)
Kyle and a few classmates win a sleepover at the new town newly created library by game-creator Mr. Lemoncello. The silly Mr. Lemoncello devises a fun way to get OUT of the library — you can only get out if you solve the puzzles around the entire library. Will the kids work together or will it be every child for himself? BOX SET

Wildoak by C.C. Harrington
REALISTIC
Maggie is a girl with a stutter whose parents are angry at her lack of success in school, so they send her to live with her grandfather — her last chance before she’s institutionalized. In the woods near her grandfather’s house, Maggie discovers a snow leopard that was once for sale at Harrod’s but later abandoned. He’s caught in a trap. Maggie finds a way to set him free — and to treat his wounds with natural remedies. She also notices that she doesn’t stutter with animals. Throughout her time with her grandfather and the leopard, Maggie learns to see herself differently and to fight for animals who can’t speak for themselves.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
REALISTIC
Hands-down one of the best life-changing books you’ll ever read. Narrated by Melody, we learn what it’s like for her, trapped in a body with cerebral palsy that doesn’t allow her to speak or take care of herself. No one, except her parents, think that she’s smart. Then one day, she gets a chance to prove it. Heartbreaking. Real. Inspiring. Beautifully written.

Santiago’s Road Home by Alexandra Diaz
REALISTIC / IMMIGRATION
Santiago is thrown out of his cruel tia’s home in rural Mexico only to unexpectedly meet a kind woman and her daughter who let him join with on their journey to el Norte. The heat and lack of water almost kill them but he and his adopted little sister are rescued half dead and taken to an internment camp where they’re separated. He learns that his sister is reunited with her mom but without papers or any way to prove he’s related to them, he’s confined for endless, hopeless days with guards who treat him like a criminal. This book is amazing — unflinchingly honest about the situation of illegal immigrants with heroic main characters who you’ll love.

Get a Grip Vivy Cohen by Sarah Kapit
REALISTIC / OWNVOICES / BASEBALL
What a page-turner! Vivy is a girl on the autism spectrum who loves baseball, particularly pitching knuckleballs. The book is written as letters and emails between Vivy and her favorite baseball player, VJ Capello. Vivy writes to VJ all about getting to play on a team as well as making her first friend, pitching, and getting bullied by the coach’s son. When she gets hit in the head with a ball and her mom won’t let her play anymore. How can she convince her mom to change her mind when her mom won’t listen and Vivy gets overwhelmed with communication easily? It’s no surprise that this is an #OwnVoices book because the story feels so real. It’s not just for readers who enjoy sports but for anyone who understands dedication to a passion.

Legacy and the Queen by Annie Matthew, created by Kobe Bryant
FANTASY (series)
Legacy lives at an orphanage with her father and the other orphans but she longs to compete in tennis. When she gets the chance, she leaves to try out for the country’s elite tennis academy. Once she’s there, Legacy’s country background makes her an outcast but that also helps her discover two true friends, her inner magical power, and the dangerous truth of what’s actually going on at the Academy. 

Blended by Sharon Draper
REALISTIC
Isabella spends one week with her dad and his girlfriend, the next week with her mom and her boyfriend. She hates it. She really hates exchange day when she switches. She feels like nowhere is home, she’s always visiting. And her parents, one who is white and one who is black, don’t get along. Tensions between the families get worse when both parents decide to remarry — on the same date. Add to this hurtful race issues like when she and her stepbrother are pulled over because of he’s black and in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sharon Draper writes a story that captures Isabella’s feelings of division as she searches for who she is in her own story.

The Monster Missions by Laura Martin 
DYSTOPIAN
If you like adventure, fast-paced action, cool world-building, and heroic kids, then read this book next! In a post-apocalyptic world covered by water, all the humans live on ships. After she rescues her ship from a sea monster that no one is supposed to know about, Berkley gets the choice of prison or a mysterious submarine where she’ll hunt monsters. She loves her new life until their sub is hijacked by pirates. Hiding out with her friends in a storage area, she realizes that the only way to stop the pirates is to use the sea creatures in the aquarium tanks. In particular, the brilliant and mischievous– an octopus named Elmer. Everything hinges on the plan because her old ship is under attack and if they don’t get free from the pirates to help, everyone aboard will die.

Masterminds by Gordon Korman
SCI-FI (series)
Eli and his friends discover that their utopian town is a large-scale, illegal science experiment to determine if kids cloned from criminal masterminds can be good when raised in the right environment. Eli and his cloned friends know they can’t stay in their town of lies anymore but how can they escape when the minute they reach the border, they experience violent pain and guards surround them? And if they do escape, what will they next?

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
REALISTIC
This book is beautiful, moving, and life-changing! 12-year-old Willow is a genius with limited social skills (it’s never stated but we guess she’s got Aspergers) whose adopted parents are killed in a car crash leaving her so confused without her parents’ support and explanations about the world Willow observes. But, Willow pushes on and finds a most unexpected new family in the back of a nail salon.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
FANTASY (series)
I stayed up all night to finish this book –it was fantastic! Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. And Sophie has a secret; she’s a Telepath and not human. She must leave the human world for the Elvin world where she’ll face danger from both worlds. Her only hope is to regain the memories about her past.

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman
REALISTIC (series)
I loved this engaging story about food-enthusiast Gladys suffering in a house of microwaving parents without a taste bud between them. Gladys not only appreciates good food, but she also loves to cook and wants to be a food critic. She already has lots of practice writing her daily notes about her parents’ horrid creations. When a mix-up in a writing contest has the editors of a paper thinking she’s an adult, can she actually write a published review without letting anyone know she’s 10 years old? A FAVORITE book of my 11-year-old daughter!

Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar
REALISTIC / DEPORTATION / IMMIGRATION / #OWNVOICES
Written in verse, this timely story of immigration and deportation follows 9-year-old Betita who lives in the United States but ends up in detention. Detention is traumatic–she draws and writes poetry to send to her Papi which she gives to a lawyer to pass along and tell her story. Then, her pregnant mom’s sickness forces her into the medical ward, leaving Betita alone in detention. Betita makes the best of it by teaching others how to write poetry and imagine their crane wings flying in the wild.  Ultimately, the family agrees to voluntary departure even though it’s not safe in Mexico because at least they’ll be together and not in prison. Powerful and important.

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton and Khadijah Khatib
FANTASY
If you like fantasy books, you’ll love this story about a girl named Ella whose conjuror magic is finally allowed at the prestigious Arcanum Training Institute. But the prejudice in the world against her magic continues at the school. Despite the many enemies at her school, she persists and makes two friends who help her when she’s falsely accused of a crime and when her favorite professor vanishes. At the same time, the dangerous Ace of Anarchy escapes prison and seems to be searching for her long-lost daughter who might be Ella’s best friend. Interesting and exciting.

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
HISTORICAL FICTION
Overnight, a fence with armed guards divides Berlin. Gerta is stuck on the east side with her brother and mother while their father and another brother escape to the west. Greta’s father gets her a message that sets her on a course to dig a tunnel under the wall and freedom. It’s dangerous but Greta’s determined.

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
REALISTIC
Luminous and heartfelt, 11-year-old Alex Petroski’s story will grab your heart and expand it. His dream is to launch a rocket into space with his iPod of recordings about life on earth. The story is a transcription of what he records on the iPod — his solo journey to the rocket convention, the interesting people he befriends on the way and there, his trip Las Vegas to find information about his deceased father, and his unique, innocent perspective that tries to make sense of the world.

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
REALISTIC / PAKISTAN
Amal’s life is turned upside down when she offends a regional Pakistani overlord and is forced to leave her home and school to work in his home as a servant — indefinitely. She finds her inner strength and fights back, freeing herself and the other household slaves. The author deftly sets the scene of rural Pakistan. Readers will feel transported, feel the injustice, and cheer for Amal’s bravery.

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
MYSTERY
9-year-old Nicholas Benedict, a genius orphan with narcolepsy, lives in a poorly run orphanage where he’s maltreated and bullied. In this prequel to the series, Nicholas discovers there’s a treasure somewhere in the orphanage. While he and his friend search, he finds a way to improve life for all the kids living there. Boxed set here.

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
HISTORICAL FICTION
A wonderful, heartwarming historical fiction story with close-knit siblings who stick together and eventually find their forever home. (If you like the Vanderbeekers, you’ll love this book, too!) Three siblings join the groups of children leaving London during WWII for safety. But in their case, their neglectful grandmother has recently died and they need to find a new home. Unfortunately, their placements are horrid. It’s only the library and the kind librarian who help them survive the bullying and hunger. What’s worse, the librarian is deemed “unsuitable” to be their foster mother since her missing husband is German. However, when things go from bad to worse in their latest home, the children demand to live with the librarian no matter what.

Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutanto
FANTASY
When his older brother dies, Theo inherits his spirit companion fox Kai (who doesn’t like him) and learns that his brother’s death wasn’t an accident. In a mystery filled with magic, growing into yourself, and heritage, Theo investigates the Reapling Corp by posing as a talented magic user who wants to connect to his Chinese heritage. But he’s not very magical and doesn’t know Chinese words very well so he needs Kai’s help so they can stay at the summer camp and look for clues. Exciting and interesting!

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden
REALISTIC / POVERTY
Zoey is trying to stay hidden to survive her life living with she and her siblings, mom, and her mom’s newest boyfriend in his trailer. She cares for her siblings while her mom works, trying not to make a mess or too much noise. A kind teacher at school encourages Zoey to join the debate club. This activity eventually gives Zoey the courage and perspective to talk to her mom about everything — from her mom’s boyfriend’s belittling to her own friendship worries. I hope this book encourages readers to ponder what makes a healthy relationship and how to stand up for yourself when you’re not in one. 

Treasure of the World by Tara Sullivan
REALISTIC / POVERTY
An engrossing and unique story about a girl’s struggle to realize her own dreams while still helping her family survive.
Ana’s a poor girl living in a small town high in the Bolivian mountains whose feeble economy revolves around mining. When her abusive dad forces Ana’s sickly younger brother into the mines, he doesn’t last long before he’s bedridden with a cough and fever. To help, Ana drops out of school and goes to the mine in his place. Then, after a mine collapse that kills her dad and leaves her brother’s whereabouts unknown, Ana’s life gets even more difficult. She scrambles to find work, thinking that her dreams of school and a different life are over. Until she thinks of a way to work and pass school…

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi
FANTASY (series)
Magic and color are closely linked in her world. Only Alice has no color in her skin or hair. And her father has been missing for years making her even sadder. She travels with a boy named Oliver to a different magical land in order to find and rescue her Father. But the rules are wildly different and the inhabitants eat people for their magic. Even though Oliver and Alice start their quest at odds, the many challenges join them in a solid friendship. Furthermore is a uniquely creative plot that is dense with description and beautiful language.

Dead City by James Ponti
PARANORMAL / SCI-FI (series)
Molly’s recruited to hunt zombies in New York City, just like her mother, who is dead. Or is mom actually a zombie? And why is she trying to contact Molly? This is a great action-adventure-mystery series with a zombie focus.

Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams Garcia
HISTORICAL
It’s a typical southern summer in Alabama 1969 and Delphine and her two sisters are visiting their extended family. Daily life means minding their grandmother, Big Ma, a crotchety matriarch, getting extra loving from their much sweeter great-grandma, Ma Charles, hanging out with neighbor, JimmyTrotter, and working at the tricky business of growing up. No matter what happens, a Vonetta-stealing tornado included, this is a strong family that loves each other and God with all they’ve got. It’s a powerful book that transports you into Delphine’s world, if only for the summer.

Science Comics: Bats Learning to Fly by Falynn Koch
NONFICTION / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Factual information is embedded within this story about a lost little bat who observes a tour group in the desert learning about bats from a tour guide. When the little bat gets hurt, he’s taken to a wild animal hospital where he meets other kinds of bats. At the hospital, the bats lively conversations help the little brown bat learn more about bats — what they eat, how they fly, different species, echolocation, and where they live. SO well done!

Two Naomis by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich & Audrey Vernick
REALISTIC
What is it like when your parents are divorced — and one finds a new partner? In this coming-of-age story written from two different points of view, Naomi’s mom is dating a man named Tom who has a daughter also named Naomi. Both girls’ parents push them to become friends. Of course, both girls feel resistant — especially when Naomi’s mom asks her to go by her first and middle name —  Naomi Marie — to differentiate the two. It’s a tricky time in these kids’ lives, something the authors made relatable and enjoyable to read. The wisdom the parents give to their kids and their unwavering love of their children is inspiring. This is a story that rings true with a pitch-perfect ending.

Classy Crooks Club by Alison Cherry
MYSTERY
AJ’s parents are leaving on a research trip so she must stay with her very strict grandmother Jo who doesn’t approve of AJ’s soccer and skateboarding, and other non-ladylike pursuits. After hearing strange sounds, AJ discovers a room filled with exotic, talking birds and learns that her proper grandmother has “rescued” these birds from bad environments. In fact, grandma Jo and her old lady friends are a team of crooks, a heist club. And they want AJ’s help. Well-written and interesting, this is an excellent mystery and coming-of-age story.

Crown of Three by J.D. Rinehart
FANTASY (series)
The realm is ruled but a power-hungry and despicable king. When his mistress gives birth to triplets of a prophecy, the three children are spirited away and hidden separately. Now that the children are older, each of them face challenges and adventures that lead them to the truth of who they really are — the foretold saviors of the empire. It’s a great adventure story with cool creatures, a few zombies, danger, and epic kid-power. I’m looking forward to the next book.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
MYSTERY
I struggled a bit with the British words– maybe your kids will as well. (It’s a great opportunity to learn to make inferences with British vocabulary!) All that aside, this middle-grade novel is a puzzling mystery that only the boy named Ted who seems to be on the spectrum (his brain is different but not explained) can solve. How did his cousin disappear from a closed pod on the London Eye? The enjoyable action and intrigue will keep your attention throughout — and you’ll wonder why you didn’t guess the ending before Ted.

Hypnotists by Gordon Korman
ADVENTURE (series)
Mix the action-packed writing of Korman with a boy who can hypnotize others – and who is recruited to be in a “special” school to save the world. But is that really what the school does? Another hit for the talented Gordon Korman!

Nightbird by Alice Hoffman
FANTASY
Wow. Nightbird’s magic isn’t only in the story but in the woven images of enchanting characters and plot. This book will stay with you long after the last page. Twelve-year-old Twig lives on the edges, trying to stay unnoticed in order to protect her secret brother — a handsome, smart boy who lives in the attic of her home. He bears the family curse — he has wings. But when he won’t stay hidden anymore–and reveals himself to their beautiful neighbor girl. Twig hurries to stop the curse and prevent the town from hunting her brother as a monster. It’s a wonderfully bewitching story I couldn’t put down!

The Watcher by Joan Hiatt Harlow
HISTORICAL FICTION
American-raised Wendy’s Nazi-spy mom takes her to live in Germany during World War II. Wendy doesn’t even speak the language and feels overwhelmed with her mother’s zeal for Hitler. Her mom gives her a bracelet to symbolize “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.” At first, it seems to be a good plan considering all the horrible things that might be happening. But when Wendy starts working at Lebensborn, the place where only Aryan children live — many who were forcibly removed from their parents — she learns from her new friend, a Jehovah Witness, that maybe this philosophy isn’t right and that you should stand up for what’s right. I really, really love this book for middle-grade readers – it’s so good!

The Last Dogs: The Vanishing by Christopher Holt
DYSTOPIAN
Holt is an amazing writer and the story is a fast-paced, unique dystopian adventure that your kids will thoroughly enjoy. All the humans are gone. Max, a yellow Lab, knows that he must find and save his human family. From the moment he escapes the kennel at the vet’s, Max and his friends, Rocky and Gizmo, face huge obstacles in his quest to find his humans — starving wolves, no food, a gang of subway rats, a house of cats, and the controlling Corporation, a “perfect” society for dogs where everyone works and no one can leave.

In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III, illustrated by James Mark Yellowhawk REALISTIC / HISTORICAL
Jimmy McClean’s grandfather takes him on a road trip where he shares the stories of Crazy Horse — his life and battles up to his death. They travel from the Dakotas (home of the Lakota) to Wyoming and other places significant to Crazy Horse’s life. I thought that following the duo traveling to the sites and then hearing the grandfather’s mesmerizing stories made this book easy to follow and very interesting. I only wish they had included a map so I could picture it in my head without using another reference book. It’s a sobering, powerful story based on historical events.

Theodore Boone The Scandal by John Grisham ADVENTURE (series)
This is my first Theodore Boone novel, and I enjoyed it. I picked this book because it’s about teachers cheating on standardized tests. I think students, teachers, and parents can all relate to hating standardized tests so you’ll find this plot relatable and intriguing. Theodore, a helpful kid known for his burgeoning lawyering skills, learns his friend wrote an anonymous letter to turn in the cheating teachers. Both he and his friend are conflicted, especially when the teachers lose their jobs and are prosecuted.

The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome by Jonathan Stokes, illustrated by David Sossella HISTORY
If Ancient Rome is your preferred destination, you’ll need your handy handbook close by to make sure you survive — which seems to be unlikely since, since as the book says, “Rome is an absolute deathtrap.” Filled with tongue and cheek hilarity while also being boldly informative about the historical topic! These are my new favorite history books.

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll 
REALISTIC / AUTISM
A heart-wrenching, powerful story about autism, intolerance, kindness, and righting wrongs. An autistic girl in Scottland named Addie is treated cruelly by people in her town and especially by her mean teacher at school. That’s why it resonates with Addie when learns the history of how the witches were treated (killed) in the Scottish witch trials. She can relate, and she campaigns for the city to make amends to the women accused of witchcraft with a memorial. Life is complicated and as Addie experiences all of this, she feels determined to show people that intolerance is wrong and needs to be both acknowledged and apologized for.

The Quest for the Truth series by Brock Eastman SCI-FI / CHRISTIAN (series)
I couldn’t put these books down — which was a very fun surprise because I didn’t know what to expect from a Christian fiction series like this. The writing is fantastic — fast-paced and engaging and the story itself is intriguing, a futuristic world in which the four siblings’ archeologist parents are kidnapped by forces trying to find artifacts that will lead them to eternal life. The kids pursue both the artifacts and their missing parents across different planets where they discover a hidden civilization of blue-colored people, escape a dangerous laboratory with predatory creatures including dinosaurs, learn a friend is really a foe, get captured by pirates, and so much more. I’m looking forward to the final book, book five!

Hera: The Goddess and her Glory by George O’Conner
MYTHOLOGY / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Both my kids love O’Conner’s graphic novels and can’t wait for his next book, Hades. If you’re big Greek mythology fans, check out his other books, Athena and Zeus: King of the Gods.

Oh My Gods! by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, illustrated by Juliana Moon
GREEK MYTHS (series)
I’m not a fan of the title but the story is enjoyable and engaging, not snarky or cliquey like the title implies. Karen moves in with her dad, Zed, on Mount Olympus. The kids at her new school are very different — she wonders if they’re into LARP but they’re not, she learns that they’re actually gods and goddesses! When her friend Apollo gets turned to stone, Karen and her new friends have to clear Karen’s name and save Apollo. They meet a lonely girl named Medusa who is responsible for the stone statues. Will they be able to fix things for both Apollo and Medusa?

All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey
REALISTIC
Tender, eye-opening, and heartfelt — this is the story of a foster kid named Red and her journey of abandonment, growing up, empowerment, and finding a family. Red’s in the foster care system with kind-hearted people who run a petting zoo. Understandably, Red is mistrustful and prickly at first with everyone but the Grooves’ gigantic tortoise. This bond is the first step in unthawing Red’s broken heart. Soon, she becomes friends with a neighbor boy and starts developing a relationship with her foster parents. Unexpectedly, her mother announces that now that’s she’s out of jail, she wants visitation. Red wants her mom to love her that she’s willing to overlook her mom’s self-centered behaviors and the signs that her mother is using drugs again.

Windswept by Margi Preus, illustrated by Armando Veve
FANTASY
In a seemingly post-apocalyptic fairy-tale-ish world where The Powers That Be are in charge, books are banned, and kids called “Youngers” are vanishing with the onset of swirling windy snow leaving behind silver leaves, Tag and other children leave their community to search for their missing siblings. They meet three wise woman sisters who give them obscure clues, and they head toward the land of the trolls, beset by curses and trouble as they do. Lovely writing draws readers into a unique story featuring a courageous main character and friends that you will cheer for all the way!

Continue to more book reviews for 11 year olds

More Book Lists:

Easy Reader Books for 5- and 6- year olds 
Beginning / Easy Chapter Books for 6- and 7- Year Olds
Books for 8-year olds
Books for 9-year olds
Books for 10-year olds
Books for 11-year olds
Books for 12-year olds
YA Books
Challenging Books for Young Advanced Readers

Also, you might want to check out the best gifts for 11 year old girls and the best gifts 11 year old boys! 

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Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
SCI-FI/ ADVENTURE (series)
This is a must-read, excellent Newbery-winning book about amazing lab rats with intelligence who escape from the lab and form their own community. This was always one of my fifth graders favorite read-alouds.

A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin
MYSTERY / ADHD
This is a great read for anyone who likes mystery, adventure, and well-developed, interesting characters. Max is living with the tragic aftermath of a night out that left one of his best friends in a coma. Initially, Max doesn’t want to think about what happened when he snuck out to the Res because he left before his friends did. While he’s trying to navigate school with ADHD and being exceptionally tall, Max also decides he must find out what happened to his friend. And he and a new friend named Sam discover that more than one person is lying.

Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori Lee
MYTHOLOGICAL FICTION (Hmong)
Pahua has always seen spirits, including her best friend who is a cat spirit she names Miv. When she accidentally releases an angry bridge spirit who steals her little brother Matt’s soul, she knows she must fix what she did or Matt will die. She travels to spirit realms to find Matt’s and the angry spirit along with Miv and an irritable shaman-in-training girl who helps guide them and saves her more than once. Journeying to save her brother involves a lot of almost-dying, cool Hmong mythology world-building, and the chance to grow into herself. I loved Pahua’s character–her devotion to her brother, her kindness and compassion, and her bravery. Excellent.

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
REALISTIC
Sometimes growing up means seeing the difficult truth about someone you love…Scoob takes a spontaneous road trip with his beloved G’ma in her new camper, escaping his dad’s spring break punishment. As they visit places from his G’ma’s past, their trip turns out differently than he expects. What begins as only a fun adventure turns into a revelation of current and historical racial prejudices (Scoob is black and his grandmother is white). What’s more, things become strange and confusing as Scoob notices more weird behaviors from G’ma. Was she trying to steal jewelry in the store? And why are there stacks of cash hidden in the camper? Perfect pacing, an intriguing plot, and memorable characters make this a top pick for middle grade #ownvoices.

The Endangereds by Philippe Cousteau &Austin Aslan, illustrated by James Madsen
ADVENTURE
In an action-packed, exciting adventure about super-intelligent, talking animals, Nukilik, a polar bear, is tranqed and taken to a facility holding different endangered animals. When he starts to understand the humans, he’s introduced to the other animals in the facility who all are extra-intelligent like him. They recruit him into their secret group that helps other animals and endangered habitats. When their friends, the ferrets, get relocated to Colorado and put into danger, the Endangereds fly to help and the action really gets exciting.

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch
SCIENCE FICTION (series)
In this evolved society, the tech company MONCHA makes computerized pets called bakus that act like smartphones and computers. Lacey finds an unusual, half-destroyed cat baku and rebuilds it using a 3D printer and found parts. When her baku Jinx starts to work, he’s noticeably different than the others because he can speak into her mind and think for himself! So when she starts competing with other kids at her prestigious school in the battle of the bakus, Jinx doesn’t follow the rules which lead to two bad things — his capture and the discovery of a sinister truth about the MONCHA company. Fantastic, fast-paced, and thought-provoking. 

Not Your All America Girl by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and Madelyn Rosenberg
COMING OF AGE / RACISM / THEATER / #OWNVOICES
Lauren, a girl with Jewish and Chinese heritage, tries out for the school play but despite her talent, doesn’t get cast as the lead because, according to the director, she doesn’t look the part of someone all-American. Her best friend Tara, who is not as talented, gets the leading role because she fits the look of a so-called American girl. The story is filled with both micro-aggressions and overt racism like an incident at the mall’s food court, the stereotypes in the movie “16 Candles”, and the director’s casting decisions. Tara finds solace in the music of Patsy Cline, decides to help make the ensemble the best it can be with an unsanctioned performance, and finds her voice. A powerful, must-read story that will open readers’ eyes to the injustice of racism and micro-aggressions and portrays a multicultural girl’s coming of age.

Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster
FANTASY
Tor Lulna wishes for a different gift that he’s given and ends up with a curse. This prompts a journey with his friends to leave their homes and search for the evil Night Witch who might break Tor’s curse. Along the way, the friends encounter new lands, people, and dangerous monsters. Interspersed through the story are myths from their culture that may actually give them a map to find the Night Witch. Columbian mythology, an exciting adventure, and a very surprising ending add up to a fantastic first book in a new series.

Chains, Forge, Ashes (Seeds of America) by Laurie Halse Anderson
HISTORICAL FICTION
Live the Revoluationary War time period through the eyes of an African-American girl named Isabel and her friend, Cuzon. Enslaved, escaped, or enlisted, these two are determined survivors. The writing is amazing and the stories, captivating. I love and highly recommend these books; they’ll transport you back into history. Boxed Set Here.

Ahisma by Supriya Kelkar
HISTORICAL FICTION
Not only did I learn a lot (a lot!!) about Indian history during the time of Gandhi, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this incredible, passion-filled story. Anjali’s parents join the freedom movement against the British government. Through her parents, Anjali begins to see her world differently including the poverty-stricken caste of many people call “the Untouchables”. Other Indian families do not like the changes her family is making. Then, Anjali’s mom is thrown in jail! I couldn’t put this book down.

Greetings From Witness Protection by Jake Burt
ADVENTURE / REALISTIC
A winsome story of adventure and finding where you belong. Nicki leaves the group home to live with a family in the witness protection program. She likes her newest foster family and takes her role seriously. She must stay vigilant against potential threats, not stand out, and try to keep her kleptomania under control. As she grows closer to her new family, both their past and hers catch up to them.

All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
REALISTIC / COMING OF AGE / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Growing up, Imogene (aka. Impy) always loved her family’s part in the Renaissance Faire . . . that is, until middle school. Even though she gets her dream to work in the faire as a squire, she also just wants to be like the other girls at her school, too. Her journey is painful and honest as she figures out who she wants to be. It’s narrated as a hero’s journey which, with the faire background and middle school drama, feels perfect. Beyond being a terrific coming of age story, I’m sure this book will interest tween readers in Renaissance festivals themselves.

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
FANTASY
In Skandar’s world with bloodthirsty unicorns and unicorn riders, he’s denied as a unicorn rider until a mysterious woman sneaks him in. He learns he and his unicorn have the forbidden 5th spirit element like the evil Weaver whose been wreaking destruction and stealing unicorns. His new friends help him hide the magic and control his unicorn who hates pretending to be a water elemental. But he and his unicorn’s elemental magic may be the only ones who can stop the Weaver.

Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
HISTORICAL (series)
Rose Lee Carter is a girl who is raised by her grandma and father, works in the cotton fields, and is best friends with the preacher’s son. She dreams of leaving Mississippi for the north like her mom and aunt, especially after the white men who killed Emmett Till are found not guilty in a real-life historical trial.

Podkin One-Ear The Legend Begins by Kieran Larwood (series)
FANTASY (series)
A young rabbit who reluctantly grows into his destiny. One cold winter night, the night before Bramblemas, a traveling bard seeks shelter in Thornwood Warren. He’s offered shelter and food in exchange for his stories; stories about the heroic Podkin One-Ear. Alternating between the bard’s present-moment experience and the story of Podkin, we learn that young Podkin was a lazy, spoiled prince. When the cruel Gorm who are metal dark magic rabbits arrive at his family’s burrow to kill everyone inside, Podkin escapes with his much braver sister and little brother. No longer able to be spoiled and lazy, Podkin tries his best to be brave and pull his weight, often failing miserably but occasionally succeeding, too.

The Seventh Most Important Thing: One Kid. One Crime. One Chance to Make Things Right by Shelley Pearsall
REALISTIC
Angry with grief, Arthur throws a brick at Junk Man’s head. The judge sentences Arthur to work for the Junk Man who asks Arthur to collect the items on the list of the Seven Most Important Things. Transformed by this experience, Arthur becomes an advocate for the Junk Man’s art. This is fictional but is inspired by the true story of American folk artist James Hampton whose work is in the Smithsonian. This story resonates emotionally and would make for a great bedtime or class read aloud.

Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks
SCI-FI / GRAPHIC NOVEL (series)
Sanity and Tallulah are two good friends who live on a space station. Sanity is a brilliant inventor — but her newest (illegal) creation, a three-headed kitten named Princess Destroyer of Worlds has escaped and is living up to her name — destroyer. The friends look for their missing kitten but instead discover a big problem that will destroy the space station only it’s not caused by the kitten. While the station is evacuated, the friends work hard to stop the duct weasels and the engine from overheating. 

Running Out of Night by Sharon Lovejoy
HISTORICAL FICTION
I highly recommend this powerful story of two maltreated girls who hope for a better future. The narrator is a white girl in the south who is nothing more than a slave to her family, she doesn’t even have a name. She meets and joins a runaway slave who is escaping the horrific brutality of slavery and separation from her family. Together they find kindness and hope with a Quaker family. 

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez
REALISTIC / COMING OF AGE
An excellent, diverse, page-turning coming-of-age story, this is about a girl who is half-Mexican on her mom’s side and half-punk rock on her dad’s side, both which are cultures prominently featured in the story and her life. Malú’s unhappily forced to move to Chicago with her mother where she eventually finds her place when she starts a latin-flavored punk band. When their group doesn’t get into the talent show, they decide to play anyway. In the parking lot. (So punk!) See Malú discover herself through life’s challenges and adventures then find out what the first rule of punk actually is.

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
REALISTIC
What a luminous, sparkling gem of a book with quirky, complex characters! Granny drags Louisiana out of bed in the middle of the night, insisting that they leave their home to confront the family curse. Not only does Louisiana not want to leave her friends and home, but things get even worse when Granny abandons Louisiana at a motel along the way. Forced to fend for herself, Louisiana figures out how to survive miles from home while worrying that the family curse has destined her for an unhappy life.  Don’t miss this enthralling, emotionally resonant story.

The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
HUMOR
Hilarious. While on a class trip to Washington D.C., Wyatt and his best friend, Matt, are positive they’ve discovered a plot to blow up the White House. Wyatt’s crush, Suzanna, helps the friends make a plan, and as you can imagine, disaster and humor strike as the kids try to stop the bombing.

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani
MAGICAL REALISM / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Pashmina is about a girl finding her place in the world. She travels to India to meet her extended family and finds answers about the magical shawl her mother owns. This is a lovely coming of age middle grade graphic novel conveyed in incredible, irresistible art.

Betty Before X by Ilyasha Shabazz and Renee Watson
HISTORICAL FICTION
I devoured this compelling, well-written story about a year in the teen life of Betty who later became well known for being the wife of Malcolm X. Betty’s mother seemed to despise her but Betty had good friends and younger siblings who loved her. Eventually, kind church friends took her in and adopted Betty. During this period of her life, we see the importance of church, counting her blessings, the activist housewives group she belonged to, and how family is what you make it. Reading this account made me want to know more about the rest of her life! Excellent!!!

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova
REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL (series)
My daughter found this book SO RELATABLE — just like she struggles with confidence and speaking up, so does the main character, Peppi. This well-done graphic novel tackles the issues of friendships and confidence, among other things. (So glad I’m not in middle school anymore.) We highly recommend this graphic novel.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee
FANTASY
Stuck in a museum with her sister and father who is working on a sword exhibit, Ophelia’s curiosity leads her to a locked room where she finds a boy who has been trapped for thousands of years. But Ophelia doesn’t believe in that kind of thing. Except for she kind of does — because her mother used to tell her about witches and magic. This is a breathtaking journey of loss, acceptance, hope, and friendship. It’s a wonderful retelling of The Snow Queen.

The Ghost Network: Activate by I.I. Davidson
SCI-FI (series)
Jack and his friend are hackers who get taken to a top-secret tech school where dangerous secrets are hidden behind the STEM school facade. Not only are the kids in danger but there also seems to be a computer implanted inside their brains telling them what to do! The story intrigued me from the get-go but after about the middle, the action was so fast-paced and suspenseful, I was totally hooked.

Journey of the Pale Bear by Susan Fletcher
HISTORICAL FICTION
Arthur Welsh is a poor homeless Norwegian boy who works for passage on a ship to England as the caretaker of a captive polar bear, a gift for the King Henry of England. The conditions for the polar bear are worse than the boy’s, both being victims of their circumstances, powerless and captive. It’s a physical and emotional journey of survival and friendship. The two survive a pirate attack, escape in the wild, and a new life in England. I hated the captivity of the bear, but I loved this story and the bond of friendship between animal and man.

Lightcasters by Janelle McCurdy 
FANTASY
After the Reaper King’s soldiers attack her forever dark city and capture her parents, Mia, her brother Lucas, plus two other friends flee the nefarious soldiers toward her grandparent’s in the capital city. To make it through the dangerous Nightmare Plains, Mia reluctantly bonds with not one but two wild umbras, creatures made of shadows and starlight, and learns she’s one of the mythical Lightkeepers, foretold to defeat the Reaper King. Unique, super cool world-building, fantastic storytelling, and perfect pacing, this is one book you won’t be able to put down!

Captain Superlative by J. S. Puller
REALISTIC
Foreshadowing kept me reading with curiosity because I couldn’t imagine who this superhero girl in a book that was not a fantasy. It’s a thoughtful plot with captivating characters. The big lesson our main character, Janey, learns is about not standing by when injustice is happening. She learns this from a girl dressed in a swimsuit, wig, mask, and high tops who arrives at her middle school and changes everything. Read this with a book club or with your child — there’s so much to talk about!

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
REALISTIC / SURVIVAL
Angry at the world, 15-year-old Cole beats a classmate into a coma and brain damage. To avoid jail time, Cole agrees to spend a year by himself on an island in Alaska, thinking he’ll escape as soon as possible this form of Native American justice. But after Cole almost dies, he decides to give the year-long process a chance. Throughout the experience, you’ll feel Cole’s pain and anger deeply which makes his healing and transformation that much more powerful. I just finished this amazing story and want to reread it again.*This is NOT an accurate portrayal of this particular Native American tribe.

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly
ADVENTURE / HISTORY / FANTASY
This is the story of three children in medieval France and tackles big issues such as faith, God, prejudice, friendship, and family. The writing, the story, the characters, and the themes all pack a big punch adding up to a compelling novel that will make you think deeply and leave you changed. (Sensitive readers: there are a few swear words and two scenes with a lot of blood.)

Middle School: The Worst Years of my Life by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, illustrated by Laura Park
HUMOR
What a totally hilarious premise paired with fantastic writing! Rafe’s goal in middle school is to break every single rule. You can imagine how his plan will go, right? Filled with cartoon-like illustrations, this story is going to crack you up and be a sure-fire hit with kids.

To Catch a Cheat by Varian Johnson
ADVENTURE/MYSTERY (series)
Someone is trying to frame Jackson for a prank he didn’t even commit — and they’re doing a great job of it! It will take months to prove the video is falsified and by then Jackson will have missed the robot contest due to his punishment. Jackson and his friends are determined to prove their innocence but it won’t be easy. This is a great adventure filled with twists and turns.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
SCI-FI (series)
I’ve read this book so many times, I can’t count — many times with my classes as a read aloud — and every time it’s just as fantastic. (That doesn’t always happen with books.) A Wrinkle in Time is a remarkable, well-written adventure in space that deals with the overarching theme of good vs. evil. Meg and her brother, Charles Wallace, and friend, Calvin, set off to find her scientist father who disappeared while researching tesseracts.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds
REALISTIC (series)
Ghost accidentally gets on a track team and it’s life-changing. His coach becomes a mentor and father figure who pushes Ghost to take responsibility for his mistakes (stealing sneakers) and to start dealing with the ghosts of his past. Well-written and hopeful about growing up and growing into yourself.

Anyone But Ivy Pocket by Caleb Krisp
HUMOR (series)
I read many parts out loud to my kids while I was reading this book – they were just so funny!! Now my kids are addicted to this series, too. Quirky but lovable Ivy’s adventures involve a sinister ghost, a mystical jewel, and a surprising destiny.

Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard
ADVENTURE / SCI-FI (series)
Darkus Cuttle’s museum director dad mysteriously disappears from a locked room in the museum. Darkus learns that there’s something very strange going on . . . and it has to do with intelligent beetles and a cruel benefactress of the museum. This middle-grade chapter book took me by surprise, it’s filled with charm, uniqueness, and interest.

The Impossible Destiny of Cutie Grackle by Shawn K. Stout
Cutie Grackle is a survivor who lives in the mountains with her troubled Uncle Horace. When a persistent one-eyed Raven arrives and brings Cutie memories from the past, she learns about the curse on her family. But it’s confusing and she needs to figure out the whole story.  She and a new friend find her mom’s map and begin to piece together what happened and how they might break the curse. It’s an excellent story of a lonely girl dealing with themes of family, heritage, poverty, and survival set in the Appalachian mountains.

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
FANTASY
If your child hasn’t learned about Nordic mythology, this will be a great (short) intro! To end the long winter, Odd must journey to find Asgard, a city under siege from the Frost Giants. A wonderful, nail-biting adventure.

The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency The Case of the Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
MYSTERY
A fantastically developed historical fiction story about a friendship between Ada Byron, genius daughter of Lord Byron and the world’s first computer programmer, and Mary Shelley, the world’s first science-fiction author who almost could have been friends in real life but for about a decade of years. Mary joins Ada to study with Ada’s tutor and the duo form a detective agency. In this first adventure, Mary and Ada learn about another historical figure who invented hypnotism and solve the case of a stolen heirloom.

The Looney Experiment by Luke Reynolds
REALISTIC
As I read this book I kept thinking wow– another important life lesson — because they just keep coming in this story. Atticus is bullied, upset at his parents’ separation, and uninspired in school . . . until he meets the language arts substitute, Mr. Looney. Mr. Looney shows Atticus, and his classmates, how to find WHO THEY ARE in the company of characters in a story (specifically To Kill a Mockingbird) and how that transfers to their own lives. I loved Mr. Looney’s character — how he just was present for Atticus without giving advice but facilitating Atticus’ self-discovery. I also loved that the story had a realistic ending. (However, I didn’t love the use of the word crap so much — but that’s just a personal preference but understand that it’s an honest depiction of how many kids talk so in that respect it makes sense.)

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan
REALISTIC
Amina’s struggling. Her best friend, Soojin, befriends another girl as well as wants to change her name to be more American. Then Amina’s mosque is attacked, dimming her worries about middle school. In a lovely turn of events, the community, including her friend Soojin, support the mosque with a place to gather and rebuilding efforts. Through it all, Amina learns there’s space for more than one friend in her life.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier, illustrated by Douglas Colgate
SCI-FI / HUMOR
Popular for so many ages, this book series is a must-own. Jack and his best friend, Quint, live in an upgraded, well-defended treehouse where they plan for rescuing his crush June (she doesn’t need rescuing being quite capable) and fighting zombies. Illustrations throughout make this even more appealing to read and imagine. Delightful. Who would have thought?! BOXED SET HERE.

The Outcasts: Brotherband Chronicles, Book 1 by John Flanagan
ADVENTURE
I’m a new John Flanagan fan — this was such a well-written story of a young, fatherless boy named Hal whose mom was an Araluen slave. To survive the town’s prejudice against him, he is helped by another outcast, his dead father’s former shipmate, a one-armed recovering drunk. When it’s time for his Brotherband training, he becomes the leader of a rag-tag group of boys. They’ll compete against better, stronger teams who don’t always play fair . The stakes are high and Hal must win even with his group of misfits.

Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick
REALISTIC (series)
This series kept my daughter reading all summer last year. The story begins when a group of 6th graders join a mother-daughter book club. Each book in the series focuses on one book the girls read (such as Little Women, Daddy Long Legs, and Pride and Prejudice) and the relationships of the girls among themselves, the relationships with their mothers, and the business of growing up.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
REALISTIC
Bem and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother’s room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. AMAZING!

Pax by Sara Pennypacker
REALISTIC
I almost couldn’t read this story because I was so sad at the beginning when Peter’s father forces Peter to leave the fox Peter’s raised from a kit in the woods, then drives Peter 300 miles away to his grandfather’s house to live. I mean, talk about heartbreaking! Peter feels just as awful and sets off, on foot, to find his fox. We also read the story from Pax’s point of view who is so confused but hopes his boy will return. Fortunately, Pax is adopted by a leash of foxes who teach him to survive in the wild and Peter is helped by a grumpy war-veteran hermit. Yes, this is a coming-of-age book but it’s also a commentary on war and the power of friendship.

Outlaws of Time: The Legend of Sam Miracle by N.D. Wilson
FANTASY (series)
By the same author as 100 Cupboards, this is a creative, thrilling, action-packed time-traveling adventure. Our hero, Sam Miracle, is a foster kid with two bad arms, who sees things that no one else can — things in a parallel world. Of course, he’s got enemies who wish to stop him. In fact, those enemies have killed him many times in past versions of the world. But with the help of a wise Native American healer, a Native American priest, the two personality-filled snakes that have become his arms (!), and his friend, Glory, maybe, just maybe, Sam can live and save the world.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
REALISTIC
This is a wise, Newbery award-winning story of loss, death, love, and grief. As she travels with her grandparents across the United States in search of her missing mother, Salamanca Tree Hiddle makes sense of her life by telling stories. In this case, about a girl named Phoebe Winterbottom who like Salamanca has a lost mother. Readers must piece together clues to the truth of Salamanca’s life — this is an excellent book club choice, there’s so much to uncover and discuss.

Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban
HISTORICAL
It would be hard as an author not to vilify this country for sending thousands of Japanese Americans to prison camps. But this author doesn’t. She just skillfully shares the evocative story of 10-year old Manami of Washington State, who is sent with her family to a dusty camp, leaving behind her beloved dog, Yujiin, and everything else they owned. Devastated, Manami stops speaking. Her story is painful, sprinkled with hope, and all too real. Please read this with your kids– it’s important.

Sea of Trolls series by Nancy Farmer
FANTASY (series)
A bard, a boy, a band of Viking berserkers, trolls, dragons, and a quest — what more could you want in a series? This is one of those can’t put it down books that will keep you up all night reading and I loved it. (Actually, I love all Farmer’s books.) Your kids will enjoy reading a new adventure in Norse and Old English mythology.

Tunnels series by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
DYSTOPIAN ADVENTURE (series)
In pursuit of his missing father, Will finds a crazy, cult-like subterranean group (“The Colony”) controlled by frightening leaders who will stop at nothing to maintain control and order in their colony below the surface of the earth.

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi
FANTASY (series)
Magic and color are closely linked in her world. Only Alice has no color in her skin or hair. And her father has been missing for years making her even sadder. She travels with a boy named Oliver to a different magical land in order to find and rescue her Father. But the rules are wildly different and the inhabitants eat people for their magic. Even though Oliver and Alice start their quest at odds, the many challenges join them in a solid friendship. Furthermore is a uniquely creative plot that is dense with description and beautiful language.

Dead City by James Ponti
PARANORMAL / SCI-FI (series)
Molly’s recruited to hunt zombies in New York City, just like her mother, who is dead. Or is mom actually a zombie? And why is she trying to contact Molly? This is a great action-adventure-mystery series with a zombie focus.

Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams Garcia
HISTORICAL
It’s a typical southern summer in Alabama 1969 and Delphine and her two sisters are visiting their extended family. Daily life means minding their grandmother, Big Ma, a crotchety matriarch, getting extra loving from their much sweeter great-grandma, Ma Charles, hanging out with neighbor, JimmyTrotter, and working at the tricky business of growing up. No matter what happens, a Vonetta-stealing tornado included, this is a strong family that loves each other and God with all they’ve got. It’s a powerful book that transports you into Delphine’s world, if only for the summer.

Science Comics: Bats Learning to Fly by Falynn Koch
NONFICTION / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Factual information is embedded within this story about a lost little bat who observes a tour group in the desert learning about bats from a tour guide. When the little bat gets hurt, he’s taken to a wild animal hospital where he meets other kinds of bats. At the hospital, the bats lively conversations help the little brown bat learn more about bats — what they eat, how they fly, different species, echolocation, and where they live. SO well done!

Two Naomis by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich & Audrey Vernick
REALISTIC
What is it like when your parents are divorced — and one finds a new partner? In this coming-of-age story written from two different points of view, Naomi’s mom is dating a man named Tom who has a daughter also named Naomi. Both girls’ parents push them to become friends. Of course, both girls feel resistant — especially when Naomi’s mom asks her to go by her first and middle name —  Naomi Marie — to differentiate the two. It’s a tricky time in these kids’ lives, something the authors made relatable and enjoyable to read. The wisdom the parents give to their kids and their unwavering love of their children is inspiring. This is a story that rings true with a pitch-perfect ending.

Classy Crooks Club by Alison Cherry
MYSTERY
AJ’s parents are leaving on a research trip so she must stay with her very strict grandmother Jo who doesn’t approve of AJ’s soccer and skateboarding, and other non-ladylike pursuits. After hearing strange sounds, AJ discovers a room filled with exotic, talking birds and learns that her proper grandmother has “rescued” these birds from bad environments. In fact, grandma Jo and her old lady friends are a team of crooks, a heist club. And they want AJ’s help. Well-written and interesting, this is an excellent mystery and coming-of-age story.

Crown of Three by J.D. Rinehart
FANTASY (series)
The realm is ruled but a power-hungry and despicable king. When his mistress gives birth to triplets of a prophecy, the three children are spirited away and hidden separately. Now that the children are older, each of them face challenges and adventures that lead them to the truth of who they really are — the foretold saviors of the empire. It’s a great adventure story with cool creatures, a few zombies, danger, and epic kid-power. I’m looking forward to the next book.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
MYSTERY
I struggled a bit with the British words– maybe your kids will as well. (It’s a great opportunity to learn to make inferences with British vocabulary!) All that aside, this middle-grade novel is a puzzling mystery that only the boy named Ted who seems to be on the spectrum (his brain is different but not explained) can solve. How did his cousin disappear from a closed pod on the London Eye? The enjoyable action and intrigue will keep your attention throughout — and you’ll wonder why you didn’t guess the ending before Ted.

Hypnotists by Gordon Korman
ADVENTURE (series)
Mix the action-packed writing of Korman with a boy who can hypnotize others – and who is recruited to be in a “special” school to save the world. But is that really what the school does? Another hit for the talented Gordon Korman!

Nightbird by Alice Hoffman
FANTASY
Wow. Nightbird’s magic isn’t only in the story but in the woven images of enchanting characters and plot. This book will stay with you long after the last page. Twelve-year-old Twig lives on the edges, trying to stay unnoticed in order to protect her secret brother — a handsome, smart boy who lives in the attic of her home. He bears the family curse — he has wings. But when he won’t stay hidden anymore–and reveals himself to their beautiful neighbor girl. Twig hurries to stop the curse and prevent the town from hunting her brother as a monster. It’s a wonderfully bewitching story I couldn’t put down!

The Watcher by Joan Hiatt Harlow
HISTORICAL FICTION
American-raised Wendy’s Nazi-spy mom takes her to live in Germany during World War II. Wendy doesn’t even speak the language and feels overwhelmed with her mother’s zeal for Hitler. Her mom gives her a bracelet to symbolize “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.” At first, it seems to be a good plan considering all the horrible things that might be happening. But when Wendy starts working at Lebensborn, the place where only Aryan children live — many who were forcibly removed from their parents — she learns from her new friend, a Jehovah Witness, that maybe this philosophy isn’t right and that you should stand up for what’s right. I really, really love this book for middle-grade readers – it’s so good!

The Last Dogs: The Vanishing by Christopher Holt
DYSTOPIAN
Holt is an amazing writer and the story is a fast-paced, unique dystopian adventure that your kids will thoroughly enjoy. All the humans are gone. Max, a yellow Lab, knows that he must find and save his human family. From the moment he escapes the kennel at the vet’s, Max and his friends, Rocky and Gizmo, face huge obstacles in his quest to find his humans — starving wolves, no food, a gang of subway rats, a house of cats, and the controlling Corporation, a “perfect” society for dogs where everyone works and no one can leave.

In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III, illustrated by James Mark Yellowhawk REALISTIC / HISTORICAL
Jimmy McClean’s grandfather takes him on a road trip where he shares the stories of Crazy Horse — his life and battles up to his death. They travel from the Dakotas (home of the Lakota) to Wyoming and other places significant to Crazy Horse’s life. I thought that following the duo traveling to the sites and then hearing the grandfather’s mesmerizing stories made this book easy to follow and very interesting. I only wish they had included a map so I could picture it in my head without using another reference book. It’s a sobering, powerful story based on historical events.

Theodore Boone The Scandal by John Grisham ADVENTURE (series)
This is my first Theodore Boone novel, and I enjoyed it. I picked this book because it’s about teachers cheating on standardized tests. I think students, teachers, and parents can all relate to hating standardized tests so you’ll find this plot relatable and intriguing. Theodore, a helpful kid known for his burgeoning lawyering skills, learns his friend wrote an anonymous letter to turn in the cheating teachers. Both he and his friend are conflicted, especially when the teachers lose their jobs and are prosecuted.

The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome by Jonathan Stokes, illustrated by David Sossella HISTORY
If Ancient Rome is your preferred destination, you’ll need your handy handbook close by to make sure you survive — which seems to be unlikely since, since as the book says, “Rome is an absolute deathtrap.” Filled with tongue and cheek hilarity while also being boldly informative about the historical topic! These are my new favorite history books.

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll 
REALISTIC / AUTISM
A heart-wrenching, powerful story about autism, intolerance, kindness, and righting wrongs. An autistic girl in Scottland named Addie is treated cruelly by people in her town and especially by her mean teacher at school. That’s why it resonates with Addie when learns the history of how the witches were treated (killed) in the Scottish witch trials. She can relate, and she campaigns for the city to make amends to the women accused of witchcraft with a memorial. Life is complicated and as Addie experiences all of this, she feels determined to show people that intolerance is wrong and needs to be both acknowledged and apologized for.

The Quest for the Truth series by Brock Eastman SCI-FI / CHRISTIAN (series)
I couldn’t put these books down — which was a very fun surprise because I didn’t know what to expect from a Christian fiction series like this. The writing is fantastic — fast-paced and engaging and the story itself is intriguing, a futuristic world in which the four siblings’ archeologist parents are kidnapped by forces trying to find artifacts that will lead them to eternal life. The kids pursue both the artifacts and their missing parents across different planets where they discover a hidden civilization of blue-colored people, escape a dangerous laboratory with predatory creatures including dinosaurs, learn a friend is really a foe, get captured by pirates, and so much more. I’m looking forward to the final book, book five!

Hera: The Goddess and her Glory by George O’Conner
MYTHOLOGY / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Both my kids love O’Conner’s graphic novels and can’t wait for his next book, Hades. If you’re big Greek mythology fans, check out his other books, Athena and Zeus: King of the Gods.

Oh My Gods! by Stephanie Cooke and Insha Fitzpatrick, illustrated by Juliana Moon
GREEK MYTHS (series)
I’m not a fan of the title but the story is enjoyable and engaging, not snarky or cliquey like the title implies. Karen moves in with her dad, Zed, on Mount Olympus. The kids at her new school are very different — she wonders if they’re into LARP but they’re not, she learns that they’re actually gods and goddesses! When her friend Apollo gets turned to stone, Karen and her new friends have to clear Karen’s name and save Apollo. They meet a lonely girl named Medusa who is responsible for the stone statues. Will they be able to fix things for both Apollo and Medusa?

All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey
REALISTIC
Tender, eye-opening, and heartfelt — this is the story of a foster kid named Red and her journey of abandonment, growing up, empowerment, and finding a family. Red’s in the foster care system with kind-hearted people who run a petting zoo. Understandably, Red is mistrustful and prickly at first with everyone but the Grooves’ gigantic tortoise. This bond is the first step in unthawing Red’s broken heart. Soon, she becomes friends with a neighbor boy and starts developing a relationship with her foster parents. Unexpectedly, her mother announces that now that’s she’s out of jail, she wants visitation. Red wants her mom to love her that she’s willing to overlook her mom’s self-centered behaviors and the signs that her mother is using drugs again.

Windswept by Margi Preus, illustrated by Armando Veve
FANTASY
In a seemingly post-apocalyptic fairy-tale-ish world where The Powers That Be are in charge, books are banned, and kids called “Youngers” are vanishing with the onset of swirling windy snow leaving behind silver leaves, Tag and other children leave their community to search for their missing siblings. They meet three wise woman sisters who give them obscure clues, and they head toward the land of the trolls, beset by curses and trouble as they do. Lovely writing draws readers into a unique story featuring a courageous main character and friends that you will cheer for all the way!

Continue to more book reviews for 11 year olds

More Book Lists:

Easy Reader Books for 5- and 6- year olds 
Beginning / Easy Chapter Books for 6- and 7- Year Olds
Books for 8-year olds
Books for 9-year olds
Books for 10-year olds
Books for 11-year olds
Books for 12-year olds
YA Books
Challenging Books for Young Advanced Readers

Also, you might want to check out the best gifts for 11 year old girls and the best gifts 11 year old boys! 

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