You asked for our favorite middle grade reads of 2021 so here they are!

Now that summer is here, Rebecca, Richelle, and I are thrilled to recommend these middle grade books for your vacation. They are perfect for the beach, car, airplane, even when waiting in line at your favorite amusement park.

The Truths We Hold (Young Readers Edition) by Kamala Harris

Before she was Vice President, Kamala Harris was the daughter of immigrants, growing up in the Bay Area. This book follows her journey to the U.S. Senate after serving in the Alameda County District Attorney’s office and being elected San Francisco Attorney General and Attorney General for the state of California. She emphasizes the importance of family support as she talks about taking on the big challenges that face our communities and our country. It does touch on some sensitive subjects, so it’s probably best for ages 12 and up.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

The Edge of Strange Hollow by Gabrielle K. Byrne

Full of adventure, magical creatures and lots of action — along with beautiful writing — The Edge of Strange Hollow is great summer entertainment for kids of all ages. Poppy is a sassy and spunky protagonist, and her world is populated with kind and funny and frightening characters that will keep readers turning the pages to see who they’ll meet next.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

This book came out a few years ago, but I just listened to the audio version of this loose retelling of The Snow Queen during a major heat wave and the icy setting was a good counterbalance to the 115-degree heat outside. It’s a beautiful and funny book with just the right mix of melancholy, humor, and chills. And the narrator of the audio version — Jayne Entwistle — is fantastic.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Time Villains by Victor PIneiro

This fun novel is based on the question “if you could invite three historical figures to dinner, who would you invite?” But in this adventure story, there’s a twist. What if you had a magic table that brought them to life? And then another twist. What if one of those people was a deadly pirate who escapes? Time Villains has a fun and engaging plot and a fantastic and original cast of characters, each with their own interests and quirks, that will keep you laughing, thinking, and fighting.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

My Ex-Imaginary Friend by Jimmy Matejek-Morris

The story deals with subjects like divorce, loneliness, and mental health in a creative and touching way with just the right amount of humor. It’s a story told in dual POV, one being Jack, an 11-year-old and the other, George, the imaginary friend Jack let go. I fell in love with the characters immediately, all of them so full of depth and personality, even George whose world consists of more than just revolving around Jack. It took me back to the first time I watched the movie Toy Story and believed that toys came to life. Now I believe imaginary friends are real.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd

This is a great graphic novel about a girl who wants a dog but she is allergic. But it’s more than that. Maggie is the older sister of twins, and will soon be the older sister of a new baby. Everyone has someone except her. As she searches for just the right pet, she realizes what she really wants.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner

I know this is a summer list, but 2 of my favorite MG books this year are horror. Great writing is great writing, and the creepy, spine-tingling vibe of The Bone Garden and Tunnel of Bones will pull you into a brisk fall day with shadows around every corner. Irréelle fears she’s not quite real. Only the finest magical thread tethers her to life—and to Miss Vesper. But for all her efforts to please her cruel creator, the thread is unraveling.
When Irréelle makes one final, unforgivable mistake by destroying a frightful creature just brought to life, Miss Vesper threatens to imagine her away once and for all. Defying her creator for the very first time, Irréelle flees to the underside of the graveyard and embarks on an adventure to unearth the mysterious magic that breathes bones to life. Perfect for readers who feel they’re not put together quite right because Irréelle we show them how to push past their fears to find the magic to make themselves real. 

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

I recommended City of Ghosts, the first book in this series last year. Have you read it yet? 
 
Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual. She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob) is in Paris, where Cass’s parents are filming their TV show about the world’s most haunted cities. Sure, it’s fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there’s true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs. When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter — and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery.  But time is running out. Perfect for readers with ghost best friends, or those who want one.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Friend Me by Sheila M. Averbuch

What happens when an online friend becomes a real-life nightmare? Roisin hasn’t made a single friend since moving from Ireland to Massachusetts. School bully, Zara torments Roisin in person and on social media. She makes Roisin the laughingstock of the whole school.
Roisin feels utterly alone… until she bonds with Haley online. Finally there’s someone who gets her. Together, they are able to imagine what life could look like without Zara. Haley quickly becomes Roisin’s lifeline. 
Then Zara has a painful accident, police investigate, and Roisin panics. Could her chats with Haley look incriminating? Roisin wants Haley to delete her copies of their messages, but when she tries to meet Haley in person, she can’t find her anywhere. Her best friend would never have lied to her, right? Or is Haley not who she says she is…
Great for readers dealing with bullies and those interested in exploring the benefits and dangers of social media.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Midsummer Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca

11-year-old Mimi comes from a big Indian American family: Dad’s a renowned food writer, Mom’s a successful businesswoman. It’s easy to feel invisible in such an impressive family, but Mimi’s dream of proving she’s not the least-talented member of her family seems possible when she discovers a contest at the new bakery in town.  

But when Mimi’s dad returns from a business trip, he’s mysteriously lost his highly honed sense of taste. Without his help, Mimi will never be able to bake something impressive enough to propel her to gastronomic fame.

Drawn into the woods behind her house by a strangely familiar song, Mimi meets Vik, a boy who brings her to parts of the forest she’s never seen. Together they discover exotic ingredients and bake them into delectable and enchanting treats. But as her dad acts stranger every day, and her siblings’ romantic entanglements cause trouble in their town, Mimi begins to wonder whether the ingredients she and Vik found are somehow the cause of it all. Great for budding bakers and readers who love fantasy.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett

I picked this book up as a comp for a new series I was writing and fell in love with it. Before Mac Barnett was an author, he was a kid. And while he was a kid, he was a spy. Not just any spy. But a spy…for the Queen of England. 

The precious Crown Jewels have been stolen, and there’s only one person who can help the Queen of England: her newest secret agent, Mac B. Mac travels around the globe in search of the stolen treasure…but will he find it in time? Good for younger middle graders or those who like high-low (high action-low word count) books.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Zoe Washington isn’t sure what to write. What does a girl say to the father she’s never met, hadn’t heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who’s been in prison for a terrible crime? A crime he says he never committed. Could Marcus really be innocent? Zoe is determined to uncover the truth. Even if it means hiding his letters and her investigation from the rest of her family. Great for readers who want to change the world for the better.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

Honeybees and Frenemies by Kristi Wientge

It’s the summer before 8th grade and Flor is stuck at home and working at her family’s mattress store, while her best friend goes off to band camp (probably to make new friends). It becomes even worse when she’s asked to compete in the local honey pageant. This means Flor has to spend the summer practicing her talent (recorder) and volunteering (helping a recluse bee-keeper) with Candice, her former friend who’s still bitter about losing the pageant crown to Flor when they were in 2nd grade. And she can’t say no. The perfect summer read for someone who wants to overcome imperfect summer plans.

Goodreads, Indiebound, Barnes and Noble

What Are Your Favorite Middle Grade Books for Summer 2021

We know you will love these books as much as we do! We’d love for you to share your favorites in the comments so everyone can add to their to be read piles!