A novel in verse about twin basketball players whose father used to be a basketball star, the rhythms of the sport may pull you in, but the story of the family will compel you to finish the book.

When a notorious thief is out for priceless treasure (gems! cats! general decorum!)—who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious illustrated series from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat!

Kiran doesn't believe her parent's stories of how she was born or that she is truly a princess. She just wants to be a normal kid from New Jersey. Her 12th birthday changes all of that with her parents' disappearance, a monster appearing in her kitchen, and two princes who have come to save her. Should she listen to the note left by her mother "Trust the princes."?

This graphic novel is fantastic. Readers get a look into life in a refugee camp- the monotony, the hopelessness, and the waiting. Omar's story is pretty amazing.

Sara Martinez is a hacker who hacked into the New York foster care system to expose her foster parents, but is put into the juvie system instead.  In walks a man posing as a lawyer that steals Sara away to become a spy.  If you like fast moving adventures, this book is for you.

Rick's best friend is a jerk (and sometimes a bully)  and Rick doesn't know what to do about it. Rick is about to start middle school and is questioning who he really is and what he should stand up for.

Wildfire would be a great read for you if you like adventure novels and short chapters with cliffhanger endings. A boy who is at a summer camp that is being evacuated for wildfire runs back to his cabin to grab his phone and is trapped.  Things change very quickly.

So funny! Who would think that a historical fiction book set in the Middle Ages could be so hilarious and heartwarming? Wherever any middle school humor could be added to this tale of three unlikely friends and their epic adventure, it is there- poop, physical humor, dragons that kill with their poisonous farts...

Roll with it follows six months of Ellie's life. Cerebral Palsy has left her with little use of her legs, so she is in a wheelchair and has an aide at school. When her grandpa's health fails, she and her mom move to Oklahoma to help care for him. This means meeting new people, who Ellie fears will see the chair first. Ellie does not mess around and is pretty open about her feelings. Ellie also has a pretty good set of jokes.

Amal lives and Pakistan and loves going to school, even if the boys' school has better books than the girls' school she attends. When her mother has another new baby, Amal's life changes and she has to stay home from school to take care of her sisters. Things get even worse than that, but Amal is a very brave person who wants to bring change to her whole village, even if it means great sacrifice on her part.

Fantastic story about a girl who remembers nothing about her grandmother's house in Australia. She last visited five years ago and upon her return she realizes that there is something very important upstairs in the closet. When she gets there she finds a creature- Bob, who has been waiting there for her since her last visit. Livy and Bob try to figure out what kind of creature Bob is and how to find his family.

Isabella is a eleven-year old pianist, whose dad is black and whose mom is white. When her parents split up, she lives alternating weeks which each parent. This seems like a pretty normal middle grade novel, until a noose is left in a locker at school, and then things turn tense. The ending is also super intense and not for the faint of heart.

Sophie Foster feels out of place in her school; she is a senior in high school, but only 12 years old. She has a photographic memory and can hear the thoughts of the people around her. When a strange boy contacts her and convinces her that she is actually an elf, life gets really interesting. Of course there is a special school for elf children and there are hidden worlds on earth that humans will never know about. Even though this might sound a bit like Harry Potter, there are enough new ideas and abilities and cool buildings that it seems really fresh.

Shannon Hale gives us a look at her childhood friendships. So many of you will relate to this- especially if you are on the edge of a crowd of friends. You might also like the portrayal of her older teenaged sister as an unpredictable grizzly bear. 

Olympia's dad has disappeared and her mom has taken to her bed. Olympia is a very independent 12 year old living in New York in the early 1980's and manages pretty well on her own. She has a support network that includes some adults, but she hides her mom's condition from them. There is a big mystery involving a piece of art work and some mysterious people hanging around that make this a page turner, while Olympia is dealing with some huge issues.

Derek is prepping for Doomsday, which is just two weeks away, even though his friends and family don't think the end of the world really is coming. Derek has panic attacks and lashes out at people, and none of us are sure why, but things are revealed slowly to Derek as well as the reader.

Caleb and his older brother, Bobby Gene, have an interesting summer when they meet Styx Malone- an older kid who is in a foster home nearby. To Caleb, Styx seems free: free from rules. To Styx, Caleb has the best life, one with a family- not that Styx shows that very often. Styx, Caleb, and Bobby Gene try to get a moped through a series of trades and go on a big adventure in the process.

Scientifically minded Paola does not believe in her mother's stories about ghosts and is embarrassed by her mom's candle lighting to protect her from ghosts and evil spirits. Paola is warned to stay away from the river where bad things happen. When Paola's friend Emma disappears by the river, Paola is determined to find her. Suddenly she is forced to confront the world of ghosts and her whole universe is turned upside down.

William Lamar goes on an impromptu trip with his G'ma. William is black and his G'ma is white. In G'ma's new Winnebago, William and G'ma are re-tracing a trip that G'ma and William's grandfather started fifty years ago, but they had to turn back. As a mixed-race couple they faced a lot of challenges back then. William and G'ma are still getting weird looks in current day Alabama and Mississippi. Throughout the trip William begins to realize that things are not quite right with his G'ma.

Jason’s autism gets in the way of making friends.  His greatest talent is writing stories.  He posts them to an online group and meets “Phoenixbird” virtually.  She likes his writing and may be Jason’s first friends.  When a chance to meet in person arises, Jason is worried that she will only see his autism and not the writer that she knows.  This is a fascinating look through Jason’s eyes.

Maverick’s dad left him a sheriff’s badge back when he was little.  The night before he starts sixth grade, Maverick vow’s to use the badge to stand up for what is right in school.  Little does he know how much that vow will change his life.

Lydia moves to rural Connecticut after her mother's death to live with her Aunt Brat and her wife.  They take in the worst dog ever.  This story is about friendship, loss, and finding love in difficult situations. 

Benjamin's identity is tied up with stealing things.  When he is caught one too many times, his mom makes a deal with the judge to send him to "boot camp" at the Ojibwe Reservation with Benjamin's dad.    Benjamin is still really angry at his dad for leaving him and his mom,  so living with him is not a great plan, according to Benjamin.    The book becomes about Second Chances and friendship and helping each other.