Escapism is a big reason why people read. Kids especially look to escapism to foster their imaginations or even to pull them away from harsh realities. But mostly, they’re just looking to be entertained.
Over the years, I’ve read several middle grade books that provided this escapism in the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres. Below is this list as well as why these books deserve a place on any middle grade reader’s bookshelf.
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A Place of Turquoise by Karina Salfeld
Robert and his talking dog, Fartie, embark on a mission to another world to rescue Robert’s kidnapped parents. Their journey takes them to an enchanted castle where they and their new friends engage in an epic battle to save their family.
This fantasy story has all of the elements of a classic Wizard of Oz-esque epic with familiar, though slightly altered creatures and two best friends who are in this adventure together. It’s a fantasy book that a non-fantasy reader like me took a chance on, and I’m glad I did.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
The A Series of Fun Mistakes Series by Dubya-Ay P. 3rd
Author Will Pepper, writing under Dubya-Ay P. has written a choose your own adventure series featuring different sci-fi and horror settings including Escape from Space Station Zulu, Escape From The Haunted Planet, Misadventures in Christmas Land, and Return to Space Station Zulu. Each story plays out like a video game in which you try to make it to a location or escape from a location while dodging specifically themed bad guys, hazards, and poor decisions on the part of the reader.
Each book is part adventure, part horror, and part humor. It’s fast-paced and encourages readers to make the most level-headed decisions in order to reach a satisfying outcome or at least keep the story going longer than a few pages. Best of all, the proceeds of each book go to a different charity.
You can read my full review and author interview here!
The Land of Twilight Trilogy by Charmayne Hafen
Sixth grader Lorna Wilson moves to Crestwood, AZ with her mom and baby brother after her parents’ divorce. During a bike race in her new neighborhood, Lorna finds herself transported to another dimension called Twilight. There, she’s offered a wish in exchange for retrieving three items for a leprechaun.
The series explores new friendships, making good choices, and accepting decisions that you didn’t get to make but still have to live with. Despite being a fantasy, it’s a very grounded story with likable characters and relatable morality tales for middle grade readers.
You can read my full review here!
Norman Space Bat by Jake Evanoff
Young Norman the bat is kidnapped by an evil organization called the VIPD while playing sonar tag with his friends and is launched into outer space. There, he lands on a future version of Earth, and a group of futuristic creatures known as The Overwatchers work to get him home.
This sci-fi adventure novel is short but sweet. It’s action packed, full of twists and turns, and introduces readers to new words, keeping any sci-fi jargon or other world building terms away so that they can focus on building their actual vocabulary. But most of all it’s an entertaining story for animal lovers and sci-fi fans alike.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Sparrow by Brian Kindall
Young Timothy Sperling lives with his uncle in the Wellbeck Tower in the decaying town of Candela. From his attic bedroom, Timothy arbitrarily wishes for snow on a falling star. His wish is granted, but it spells disaster for the town, and Timothy and a famous explorer team up to save the town.
Sparrow has a classic European fairy tale feel mixed with a little Roald Dahl melancholy to tell an enchanting and gentle fantasy story. Our hero, Timothy, is a lonely and sensitive boy, yet loyal and willing to do the right thing. It makes him a great role model for both boy and girl readers and injects some traditional storytelling into the modern middle grade genre.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Witch Test by Katie L. Carroll
Liza is on the outs with her friends after she kisses the boy that her best friend, Abby, has a crush on. In retaliation, Liza tells the rest of the eighth grade that Liza is a witch. Little does she know, Liza is from a line of witches, and she and a new group of friends help her find her place in school, in her family, and in the world.
Though not a traditional horror or supernatural story, the horror of Witch Test is in the real world bullying that Liza goes through throughout the story. It also takes place in the fall and explores the history of witchcraft and its practice, giving it a very ethereal feel, and it makes the horrors of middle school more tolerable.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
The Cat Who Chased Ghosts by Nic Minnella
When Timmy Thompson and his parents move to his late aunt’s rundown house in Pendleford, he takes a liking to an orange tabby cat named Whiskers and befriends the eccentric old lady next door named Mrs. Krantz who tells Timmy that Whiskers is his protector. As he explores the supernatural events taking place in his new house, he finds that Mrs. Krantz was right, and Whiskers aids him and his two new friends on an otherworldly quest.
The Cat Who Chased Ghosts feels like a classic 80s adventure movie for kids. It has a great setting, a fun and fast pace that blends horror and comedy, a great group of characters, and it’s age appropriately scary for its readers.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
I Know What UFO Did Last Summer by Kevin Garone
Marvin Caldwell and his best friend, Jace, befriend a new girl named Nora, and the three of them look for proof of extraterrestrials in their neighborhood. Unfortunately, they find the proof they’re looking for and go on adventure in their own backyard.
This horror/sci-fi story blends humor and action to create an intense epic tale with unreliable narrators, twists, and turns, and ultimately a great installment into the alien genre. There are high stakes, yet things never get too intense for its middle grade audience.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
The Hidden Diary by Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar
Alyssa Morgan moves to Webbing with her mother and younger brother after her parents’ divorce. The home they move into has been abandoned for 50 years after the previous owners vanished without a trace. In her new room, Alyssa finds an old diary that may lead to solving this mystery.
This is a great introductory mystery novel for middle grade readers. It teaches kids how to look for clues within the story to help figure out the resolution. Alyssa is a wise beyond her years heroine and is a great character that oldest children who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders can relate to.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Bot Camp by Paul Clarke
Daniel is thrilled to be attending a special bot camp hosted by his muse, Bernard Barker, on Barker’s remote island. Not long after he arrives, though, the island goes into lockdown, and Daniel and a group of other bot-building misfits have to battle evil robots in order to save the day.
Bot Camp is a classic sci-fi story about a very timely topic. It shows what technology can do in the right and wrong hands and how the people you most admire can let you down, but those you least expect can bring out the best in you.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Which book on this list are you most interested in reading? Leave your answers in the comments!
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