New Fall 2022 Middle Grade
Iveliz Explains It All By Andrea Beatriz Arango; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER • In this timely and moving novel in verse, a preteen girl navigates seventh grade while facing mental health challenges. A hopeful, poetic story about learning to advocate for the help and understanding you deserve.
"Powerful." —Lisa Fipps, Printz Honor-winning author of Starfish
How do you speak up when it feels like no one is listening?
The end of elementary school?
Worst time of my life.
And the start of middle school?
I just wasn’t quite right.
But this year?
YO VOY A MI.
Seventh grade is going to be Iveliz’s year. She’s going to make a new friend, help her abuela Mimi get settled after moving from Puerto Rico, and she is not going to get into any more trouble at school. . . .
Except is that what happens? Of course not. Because no matter how hard Iveliz tries, sometimes people say things that just make her so mad. And worse, Mimi keeps saying Iveliz’s medicine is unnecessary—even though it helps Iveliz feel less sad. But how do you explain your feelings to others when you’re not even sure what’s going on yourself?
Powerful and compassionate, Andrea Beatriz Arango’s debut navigates mental health, finding your voice, and discovering that those who really love you will stay by your side no matter what.
Holler of the Fireflies By David Barclay Moore
A boy from the hood in Brooklyn travels to a STEM camp in an Appalachian holler for one epic, life-changing summer in this brilliant novel from the award-winning author of The Stars Beneath Our Feet.
Javari knew that West Virginia would be different from his home in Bushwick, Brooklyn. But his first day at STEM Camp in a little Appalachian town is still a shock. Though run-ins with the police are just the same here. Not good.
Javari will learn a lot about science, tech, engineering, and math at camp. And also about rich people, racism, and hidden agendas. But it’s Cricket, a local boy, budding activist, and occasional thief, who will show him a different side of the holler—and blow his mind wide open.
Javari is about to have that summer. Where everything gets messy and complicated and confusing . . . and you wouldn’t want it any other way.
J + C + summer = ∞
The Bluest Sky By Christina Diaz Gonzalez
A boy and his family must decide whether to remain in Cuba under a repressive government or risk everything for the chance of a new beginning in this gripping story from the award-winning author of The Red Umbrella.
There are two versions of Héctor: the public and the private. It’s the only way to survive in communist Cuba—especially when your father was exiled to the U.S. and labeled an enemy of the people. Héctor must always be seen as a fierce supporter of the regime, even if that means loudly rejecting the father he still loves.
But in the summer of 1980, those two versions are hard to keep separate. No longer able to suppress a public uprising, the Cuban government says it will open the port of Mariel to all who wish to leave the country—if they can find a boat. But choosing to leave comes with a price. Those who want to flee are denounced as traitors by family and friends. There are violent acts of repudiation, and no one knows if they will truly be allowed to leave the country or not.
So when Héctor’s mother announces that she wants the family to risk everything to go to the United States, he is torn. He misses his father, but Cuba is the only home he has ever known. All his dreams and plans require him to stay. Can he leave everything behind for an unknown future?
In a summer of heat and upheaval, danger and deadly consequences, Héctor’s two worlds are on a collision course. Will the impact destroy him and everything he loves?
Christina Diaz Gonzalez's great-grandmother, great-uncle, and extended family came to the U.S. through the Mariel boatlift. She vividly remembers meeting them all for the first time in the summer of 1980 and is proud to share this part of her family's history.
Heroes Like Us: Two Stories By Onjali Q. Raúf
From Onjali Q. Rauf, acclaimed author of The Boy At the Back of the Class, come two poignant tales of modern-day heroism, featuring supermarket theives, a visit with the Queen, and plenty of laughs!
Ten-year old Ahmet, once known as the "Boy at the Back of the Class", became the Most Famous Refugee Boy in the World when he and his friends stood up for refugee children like him all over Britain. But they're just getting started!
THE DAY WE MET THE QUEEN
Ahmet and his friends have been invited to tea—by none other than the Queen of England herself! But when their journey is unexpectedly interrupted by an old enemy, it will take some quick thinking and an ingenious plan to make it to the palace—and the queen—on time.
THE GREAT FOOD BANK HEIST
On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the food bank. With its shining cans and boxes of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it’s the best kind of bank there is. But there’s a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day.
One thing is for certain: someone has to put a stop to the robberies. And Nelson and his friends plan to do just that, with a daring supermarket stake-out that's sure to catch the Food Bank Theives—if they don't get found out first!
In this two-novella collection, discover kid heroes making a difference in the world, featuring old friends and some new classmates you won't want to leave.
Futureland: Battle for the Park By H.D. Hunter; illustrated by Khadijah Khatib
When an extraordinary flying theme park arrives above Atlanta, one boy must stop a sinister force from stealing the park's tech and taking over the world. An electrifying illustrated series with the Afrofuturism of Black Panther that took the world by storm. Perfect for fans of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
"Hold on tight, Futureland will be the ride of your life . . . and maybe the last!" —Kwame Mbalia, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Welcome to the most spectacular theme park in the world.
Everyone wants a ticket to Futureland, where you can literally live out your wildest dreams. Want to step inside your favorite video game? Go pro in a sports arena? Perform at a real live concert? Grab your ticket and come right in.
Yet with all its attractions, Futureland has always just been home to Cam Walker, the son of the park’s famous creators. And when Futureland arrives at its latest stop, Atlanta, Cam is thrilled for what promises to be the biggest opening ever. . . .
But things aren't quite right with the Atlanta opening. Park attractions are glitching. Kids go missing. And when his parents are blamed, Cam must find the missing kids and whoever’s trying to take down his family . . . before it’s too late.
The Area 51 Files By Julie Buxbaum; illustrated by Lavanya Naidu
Aliens, sassy hedgehogs, and unexplained disappearances . . . Oh, my! Discover the secrets of the universe in this hilarious, highly illustrated middle-grade series from New York Times bestselling author Julie Buxbaum.
“Epically fun!”—Max Brallier, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth
When Sky Patel-Baum is sent to live with her mysterious uncle, she didn’t imagine she’d end up here: Area 51. A top-secret military base with a bajillion rules and so classified not even the president knows its secrets.
Also, it turns out the place is full of aliens. Lots and lots of aliens. But they prefer to be called Break Throughs, thank you very much.
As Sky sets out to explore her extraordinary new home with her pizza-obsessed pet hedgehog Spike, she meets her otherworldly next-door neighbor Elvis and his fluffy pup, Pickles. But something mysterious is afoot in Area 51. Some of the Break Throughs have gone missing… at the exact same time Sky arrived.
Where could they be? How can Sky and her uncle convince everyone they had nothing to do with the disappearance? And why does the macaroni and cheese at Area 51 Middle have eyeballs in it? New best friends Sky, Elvis, Spike, and Pickles try to crack the case, but the clock is ticking…
Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie Thief By Matthew Swanson; illustrated by Robbi Behr
Justice is sweet when a school bully gets a taste of his own medicine. A hilarious new Cookie Chronicles adventure that middle-school readers who love Wimpy Kid and Dog Man will gobble up with gusto.
"Impossible to resist.” —Lincoln Peirce, New York Times bestselling author of Big Nate.
When Ben's fortune cookie tells him that the best things in life are free, he believes he can get anything he wants without paying for it—as long as it's the best. But Ben’s dreams of free cookies and fancy scooters are quickly dashed when schoolyard bully Flegg McEggars steals his fortune.
Ben will stop at nothing to get his fortune back, but bringing the thief to justice will be no easy feat. He has to lawyer up, gather witnesses, and present his case to the fifth graders in Kid Court. Along the way, Ben learns that crime comes in many forms and the real villains are not always the people we first suspect.
From the husband-and-wife, author-and-illustrator duo that brought you Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom comes a tale of truth, justice, and the pursuit of cookies.
A Different Kind of Normal By Abigail Balfe
In this joyfully illustrated memoir, Abigail Balfe recounts her journey growing up autistic and the challenges of navigating the “normal” world around her. This is a perfect book for both neurodivergent and neurotypical kids to learn more about neurodiversity.
When Abigail was growing up, she was missing Very Important Information about herself. The information? That Abigail is autistic! In fact, Abigail didn’t know she was autistic until she was (kind of) an adult.
This is Abigail’s story about what it was like growing up autistic in a confusing “normal” world. With entertaining anecdotes and funny accompanying illustrations, Abigail details her experiences and explains some Very Crucial Information about autism. And about neurodiversity too— a word that celebrates the importance of all brain types!
Essential, funny, and completely unique, this book is for anyone who has ever felt different.
Dog Squad 2: Cat Crew By Chris Grabenstein
Do you love DOGS? Do you love CATS? Do you love ADVENTURE? Then put your paws together for DOG SQUAD, the hilarious, crime-fighting middle-grade series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library!
When trouble calls . . . it’s Dog Squad to the rescue! But when calamity calls . . . call in Cat Crew!
Fred, the loveable stray who became the star of the hit streaming sensation, DOG SQUAD, is back and working on a new show—Cat Crew! But wait a second—there’s something funny about these felines! And something suspicious about their animal trainer. Is this cat crew being electronically controlled?!?! And what exactly is the evil trainer plotting? Can Fred save the day . . .and the cats?! It's time for an all paws on deck top-secret rescue mission!
Get ready for book 2 in this action-packed, middle grade series that has kids (and canines) howling with laugher! Nothing's too ruff for the Dog Squad!
Ghostlight By Kenneth Oppel
One teen's summer job scaring tourists with ghost stories takes a terrifying turn when he accidentally summons the spirit of a dead girl—and she has demands. . . .
The award-winning author of Airborn delivers a roller-coaster ride of a story about the wakeful and wicked dead.
Rebecca Strand was just sixteen when she and her father fell to their deaths from the top of the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse in 1839. Just how they fell—or were they pushed?—remains a mystery. And their ghosts haunt the lighthouse to this day. . . .
Gabe tells this story every day when he gives the ghost tour on Toronto Island. He tries to make it scary enough to satisfy the tourists, but he doesn’t actually believe in ghosts—until he finds himself face to face with Rebecca Strand.
The true story of her death is far more terrifying than any ghost tale Gabe has told. Rebecca reveals that her father was a member of the Order, a secret society devoted to protecting the world from “the wakeful and wicked dead”—malevolent spirits like Viker, the ghost responsible for their deaths. But the Order has disappeared, and Viker’s ghost is growing ever stronger.
Now Gabe and his friends must find a way to stop Viker before they all become lost souls. . . .
Into the Glades By Laura Sebastian
New York Times bestselling author Laura Sebastian makes her middle grade debut with an emotional fantasy adventure about four friends who journey through a magical, Everglades-inspired swampland to break a curse tied to the death of a loved one.
Best friends Cordelia and Larkin have always called the Glades—a peaceful swamp full of magical creatures—home. But when Oziris, Cordelia’s father and the leader of their village, dies unexpectedly, a dark curse sweeps over the land.
The girls know that the curse must be tied to Oziris’s death, and they’re determined to break its hold on their home and bring Oziris back to life. Together, Cordelia, Larkin, and their two little brothers set off into the wild Glades in search of an elusive and enigmatic witch who is rumored to have the power to reverse death.
The Glades are no longer a familiar and friendly place, though, and danger lurks around every corner. But on their journey, the children discover that the most difficult challenge isn’t wild marsh-maids or bogilisks or dragon-gators—it’s the grief threatening to consume them.
Ravenfall By Kalyn Josephson
One magical inn, two kids with supernatural powers, and an ancient Celtic creature trying to destroy their world by Halloween night...
Halloweentown meets Supernatural in this spooky middle-grade series from the acclaimed author of the Storm Crow duology!
Thirteen-year-old Annabella Ballinkay has never been normal, even by her psychic family’s standards. Every generation uses their abilities to help run the Ravenfall Inn, a sprawling, magical B&B at the crossroads of the human world and the Otherworld. But it’s hard to contribute when your only power is foreseeing death.
So when fourteen-year-old Colin Pierce arrives at Ravenfall searching for his missing older brother and the supernatural creature who killed their parents, Anna jumps at the chance to help. But the mysteries tied to Colin go much deeper than either of them expects. . . .
As the two team up to find answers, they unearth Colin’s family’s secret past and discover that Colin has powers beyond his imagination. And now the supernatural creature, one with eerie origins in Celtic mythology, is coming after him. If Anna and Colin can’t stop the creature by Halloween night, the veil to the Otherworld could be ripped open—which would spell destruction for their world as they know it.
Show Us Who You Are By Elle McNicoll
A neurodiverse twelve-year-old girl is shown an amazing new technology that gives her another chance to talk to the best friend she lost. But she soon discovers the corporation behind the science hides dark secrets that only she can expose in this heartwarming and heroic sophomore novel from the award-winning author of A Kind of Spark.
A CILIP Carnegie Medal nominee!
*"McNicoll writes Adrien and narrator Cora with nuance and verve." -Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
It has never been easy for Cora to make friends. Cora is autistic, and sometimes she gets overwhelmed and stims to soothe her nerves. Adrien has ADHD and knows what it is like to navigate a world that isn’t always built for the neurodiverse. The two are fast friends until an accident puts Adrien in a coma.
Cora is devastated until Dr. Gold, the CEO of Pomegranate Institute, offers to let Cora talk to Adrien again, as a hologram her company develops. While at first enchanted, Cora soon discovers that the hologram of Adrien doesn’t capture who he was in life. And the deeper Cora dives into the mystery, the more she sees Pomegranate has secrets to hide. Can Cora uncover Pomegranate's dark truth before their technologies rewrite history forever?
Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston By Esme Symes-Smith
In a magical medieval world filled with dragons, shape-shifters, and witches, a twelve-year-old nonbinary hopeful knight battles for the heart of their kingdom. A thrilling middle-grade series opener that explores identity and gender amid sword fights and magic, and proves anyone can be a hero.
“These heroes come in all shapes and skills—I cheered for them throughout their exciting journey.” —#1 New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce
When their ex-hero dad is summoned back to the royal capital of Helston to train a hopeless crown prince, Callie lunges at the opportunity to finally prove themself worthy to the kingdom’s "great and powerful." Except the intolerant great and powerful look at nonbinary Callie and only see girl. But Callie has always known exactly what they want to be, and they’re not about to let anything stand in their way.
Trapped in Helston’s rigid hierarchy where girls learn magic and boys train as knights, Callie discovers they aren’t alone—there’s Elowen, the chancellor’s brilliant daughter, whose unparalleled power is being stifled; Edwyn, Elowen’s twin brother desperate to win his father’s approval; and Willow, the crown prince who was never meant to be king.
In this start to an epic series packed with action, humor, and heart, Callie and their new friends quickly find themselves embedded in an ancient war—and their only hope to defeat the threats outside the kingdom lies in first defeating the bigotry within.
"Everything you could possibly want from a middle grade fantasy." —The Nerd Daily
Superworld: Save Noah By Yarrow and Carrie Cheney
In a world where everyone is extraordinary, it takes a totally normal kid to save the day. This new series breaks the mold with gorgeous black-and-white art on every page, and a cinematic, blockbuster feel.
Every 12-year-old kid feels like they don't fit in sometimes -- but Noah takes it to a whole new level. When a meteor crashed to Earth on his seventh birthday, the whole planet got superpowers.....except for Noah.
Thanks to his tin foil superhero costume, Noah's powers got deflected -- onto his little sister. He's literally the only normal person in all of Superworld. He can't fly. He can't scale tall buildings. He can't turn broccoli into candy. (And of course his little sister got double powers. Of course.) And still...when the biggest, baddest villian in town plots to take over Superworld forever, normal Noah and his supercharged best friends are the ones who just might save the day. Seriously.
Unstoppable Us, Volume 1: How Humans Took Over the World By Yuval Noah Harari; illustrated by Ricard Zaplana Ruiz
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From world-renowned historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari, the bestselling author of Sapiens, comes an exciting, illustrated book for middle school readers that looks at the early history of humankind.
A New York Times Best Book of 2022
"Gripping and thought-provoking." —The New York Times
Even though we’ll never outrun a hungry lion or outswim an angry shark, humans are pretty impressive—and we’re the most dominant species on the planet. So how exactly did we become “unstoppable”?
The answer to that is one of the strangest tales you’ll ever hear. And it’s a true story.
From learning to make fire and using the stars as guides to cooking meals in microwaves and landing on the moon, prepare to uncover the secrets and superpowers of how we evolved from our first appearances millions of years ago.
Acclaimed author Yuval Noah Harari has expertly crafted an extraordinary story of how humans learned to not only survive but also thrive on Earth, complete with maps, a timeline, and full-color illustrations that bring his dynamic, unputdownable writing to life.
Mayor Good Boy Goes Hollywood By Dave Scheidt and Miranda Harmon
Our favorite dog is back! Mayor Good Boy has gone from the first dog mayor of Greenwood . . . to the first dog mayor on the silver screen! In this second series installment, a very good dog is going to see his name in lights--one hilarious take at a time.
The script is in . . . and Mayor Good Boy is going to the movies!
Mayor Good Boy is starring in his very own movie, set in his very own town, Greenwood. Too bad some crooks are out to steal the show! Don’t worry—interns Abby and Aaron are ready to help out. With items around town going missing and pizzas being stolen, will the mayor be able to save the day—and his movie—before it’s too late?
Dave Scheidt and Miranda Harmon return with our favorite dog mayor. This hilarious graphic novel series continues with all-new hijinks and all-new fun!
"Mayor Good Boy will make you sit, stay, and roll over with laughter!" -- John Patrick Green, creator of the New York Times bestselling InvestiGators series
Witches of Brooklyn: S'More Magic By Sophie Escabasse
You can take a witch out of Brooklyn . . . and put her in the woods? As if learning magic wasn’t hard enough, now Effie has to go to SUMMER CAMP! The hit middle-grade graphic novel series continues with this new adventure that's filled to the brim with magic and mayhem!
School’s out, and Effie is ready for SUMMER! Too bad she’s being sent off to the wilderness for boring old summer camp. Nothing says “exciting new adventure” like being stuck in nature with mosquitoes. Sure, other witches might be there. And maybe she’ll learn some cool new magic.
But Effie would rather spend time with the friends she already has. She’s always relied on them for help. . . . What will happen when she heads off to camp all by herself?
Sophie Escabasse brings us more magic in this new volume of Witches of Brooklyn!
Sweet Valley Twins: Best Friends By Francine Pascal; illustrated by Claudia Aguirre
Jessica and Elizabeth are ready to take on middle school . . . but are they ready to take on each other? The New York Times bestselling world of Sweet Valley Twins returns in these all-new graphic novel adaptations!
“This series should be as popular with readers as The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels.” –Booklist
Jessica and Elizabeth have always been inseparable twins, but starting middle school means a chance for new beginnings! Elizabeth is excited to organize a school newspaper, but Jessica is more interested in joining the exclusive Unicorn Club. What will happen when the twins realize they might not be as alike as they thought?
Middle school is hard enough, but with these twins each dealing with becoming their own person--will they be able to stay friends at the same time?
Francine Pascal’s beloved Sweet Valley Twins comes to life in a brand-new graphic novel that will have old and new fans delighted as they meet Jessica and Elizabeth in graphic novel form. With the lively artwork of Claudia Aguirre, Sweet Valley Twins: Best Friends is a contemporary middle-grade graphic novel filled with heart, laughter, and lots of twins.
Doodleville #2: Art Attacks! By Chad Sell
Drew and her mischievous doodles are back—and planning a heist-in-reverse at the Art Institute of Chicago—in the sequel to Doodleville, which Lincoln Peirce calls “a masterpiece.”
Drew never meant for this to happen. She didn’t mean for her doodle Mike to steal the centuries-old hat. She didn’t mean for Levi to steal the centuries-old baby (when he was supposed to be returning the coveted hat!). And she definitely didn’t mean to send the Art Institute of Chicago into a downward spiral of art-on-art combat.
She just wanted to fix a simple mistake!
Now everything’s gone wrong, and it’s mayhem at the museum. Drew is sure she’s going to become public enemy #1, wanted posters and all.
But it turns out Drew and her art club might be the museum’s only chance at resolution and restoration. Can they fix it before centuries worth of masterpieces are destroyed forever?
Vampiric Vacation By Kiersten White
The spooky summer adventures of the Sinister-Winterbottom twins continue in another gothic mystery: can Theo and Alexander solve the secret of the Sanguine Spa? The second book in the new Sinister Summer series by #1 NYT bestselling author Kiersten White, called "perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket, Edward Gorey, and Roald Dahl," by Shelf Awareness.
After leaving Fathoms of Fun, the kids are on their way to the next odd summer destination their aunt has chosen for them. This time, they find themselves dropped off at the Sanguine Spa in the “little Transylvania Mountains.” There they meet the owners: Mina, her mysterious little sister, Lucy (who is extremely pale, can’t go in the sunlight, and has an affinity for hanging upside down from the ceiling), and their intimidating guardian, the Count.
When the Count sends all the children in the spa on a scavenger hunt, the Sinister-Winterbottoms use the excuse to snoop around and discover that this spa may be more than just eerie—it might also hold clues to what happened to their parents. When Wil starts to show vampiric symptoms, the twins resolve to investigate what’s really going on at the Sanguine Spa.
The second book in the Sinister Summer series continues the adventures of the Sinister-Winterbottoms and their aunt who never saw a discount vacation destination she didn’t love.
Max Meow Book 4: Taco Time Machine By John Gallagher
"Max Meow's super heroics will have kids meow-ling with laughter!" —John Patrick Green, creator of the InvestiGators
Meowza! Max Meow, Cat Crusader, and his best friend Mindy are back in the laugh-out-loud funny graphic novel series with CAT-ITUDE—PURR-fect for fans of Dog Man and InvestiGators!
It's a cat! It's a superhero! It's a . . . Taco Time Machine!?!? Uh-oh! Mindy's dad, Professor Microbe, is lost in the time space continuum! It's up to Max and Mindy to save him! But time is tricky once you start messing with it and—oops!—Max may have accidentally undone his and Mindy's very first meeting! That means no Space Meatball. No Science Kitty. No Cat Crusador. No best friends forever?!?! Ack! This time it's not just Kittyopolis that's in trouble, it's Max and Mindy's entire friendship! Put on your superhero capes, grab your tacos and get ready to go back in time in the graphic novel series kids (and kitties!) love! Bonus: Includes how to Draw Agent M!
"Funny, furry and fantastic!" —Judd Winick, creator of the Hilo series
