I got into reading as a kid because books provided answers to a lot of questions, particularly questions about childhood. Who better to teach you life lessons than someone your own age, even if that person is fictional? When I read middle grade books today, I’m still drawn to those life lesson stories. Below are 11 recommendations of great coming of age stories for middle grade readers.
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Breaking News by Frank Morelli
Eighth graders Tony Ravello and Libby Lennon become arch enemies when they begin working for rival student newspapers. Then, $1,000 is stolen from a student fundraising event, and the two must team up to find out who did it.
Part mystery, part middle school drama, Breaking News is your classic tug of war story that challenges multiple viewpoints and shows just how powerful the printed word can be. It’s fun and low stakes but also takes its conflict seriously.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Blood and Silver by Vali Benson
In 1880, Carissa Beaumont, her mother, and her mother’s madam move to Tombstone, AZ to work at a brothel. When her mother’s opium addiction catches up with her, Carissa is forced to work for her mother’s employer for free.
The town doctor takes pity on them and introduces Carissa to a local opium dealer who helps to get her mother clean. Carissa then befriends the dealer’s niece, and the two of them discover a hidden tunnel of silver which they plan to use to help Carissa and her mother break free of their situation once and for all.
Though it’s a very dark book with some very adult situations, Blood and Silver is a great first adult read for an older middle grade reader. It deals with a dark corner of American history, the lengths that women had to go to in order to survive, and the unlikely allies that one can make to help them out of desperate situations.
You can read my full review here!
Daisy and the Missing Mona Lisa by J.T. Allen
Daisy Tannenbaum is living in Paris with her Aunt Mill when she gets an offer to help Aunt Mill’s old friend, Felix, with his art collection at his eerie chateau for a few weeks. In return, Felix gifts Daisy with an impressive replica of the Mona Lisa. But when Felix turns up dead, his family accuses Daisy of stealing the painting, and Daisy and her friends work to try to keep the painting out of the wrong hands so that they can’t use it to steal the real Mona Lisa.
Full of authentic characters, adventurous plot points, and a sweeping setting, this mystery novel is an epic middle grade caper that would inspire any kid to want to travel the world, go on their own adventures, and solve important mysteries by any means necessary.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball by S.P. O’Farrell
Simone lives in Paris with her parents and her younger sister, and she’s secretly a spy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When a notorious thief threatens to steal a valuable painting, she’s tasked with attempting to catch the crook in the act while simultaneously helping her father, who owns a struggling chocolate shop, prepare for the chocolatiers’ ball which he hopes will get the shop back on track.
A coming of age story with a remarkable series of events, a unique premise, and a lovable hero, Simone LaFray is expertly written and presents great role model for preteen girls who juggle many hats in their own lives.
You can read my full review here!
Sheltered: When A Boy Becomes a Legend by Jacob Paul Patchen
When the United States is attacked by terrorists, James finds himself hunkering down alone in his family’s bunker. When he emerges, he teams up with a group of survivor children known as The Risers who make a plan to retaliate and save their imprisoned fellow Americans.
This hardcore war story featuring kid heroes is unapologetically brutal and realistic while also incredibly hopeful. It shows young readers what kids are truly capable of when given the chance.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
The Long-Lost Locket by David Gorman
While visiting Waldameer Amusement Park in Erie, PA, a group of kids find an old necklace. Hoping to return it to the rightful owner, they go on a quest to find out who it belongs to and whose picture is inside.
A fun and gentle summer mystery story, The Long-Lost Locket is the first in a series by the author whose family owns this real world amusement park, making it a very realistic story with a setting that readers can visit themselves and have their own adventures with their family and friends.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Shelby and the First Ride by Marty Kay Jones
When Shelby Simone moves from the city to the country, she’s devastated to have to leave her friends. The one consolation is that her parents allow her to take horse riding lessons. She’s thrilled until the lessons begin, and between her apprehension with riding a horse for the first time and the bullies in her class who make fun of her, she begins to question if riding is really for her.
A classic coming of age tale featuring a beloved girl theme, horses, Shelby and the First Ride is a great summer story, particularly for those who feel displaced, whether it’s because of a move, a change in friend groups, or they’re struggling while trying a new activity. It has a hopeful ending that shows what can come from sticking with something and finding someone who believes in you enough to keep you trying.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
WECU Inc. by Rick Stevens
An unlikely group of kids start a mystery club in their apartment building in the city. While solving mysteries, they also work on writing a mystery series, and the activities bond them as a group.
A traditional kid detective story with a unique premise, a strong message of friendship, and a variety of mysteries, WECU Inc. is a modern Scooby-Doo story that will inspire kids to get their friends together and look for mysteries to solve in their own backyard, or in this case, high rise building.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson
Jess Jezowski lives with her large family in Michigan. A traditional tomboy, Jess doesn’t like being called a girl, dressing up, or even having long hair. When she gets a doll for Christmas, she turns it into a boy doll and talks for it, much to the entertainment of her family. In doing so, she finds that she can use the doll to say the things to her family that she never had the courage to say about herself.
North of Tomboy is a wonderfully written story featuring episodic chapters, realistic dialogue, and a very important message about being yourself and finding acceptance to be your authentic self around the people you love.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
The Mountain of Dempsey Molehill by Julie Stroebel
The Molehill Family battle town tradition when Mr. Molehill runs for town mayor, hoping to overthrow the current mayor and his strict rules for the town. While the family pitches in to help him win his campaign, they end up doing more harm than good by creating controversies that challenge the town’s narrow-minded viewpoint while remaining unapologetically themselves.
This book is full of misadventures, a lovable family, and a great message about the challenges and triumphs of being the “weird” family in town. Readers will find themselves not only rooting for the Molehills but wanting to become a member of the family, showing them just how much more fun and authentic it is to be an outsider.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Moon Pies and RC Cola at the Rexall by Kristene Fields
Scooter Finley dreams of being a filmmaker one day. To earn the money to buy his film equipment in order to enter a competition, he and his little sister, Kiki, form a landscaping business along with Teeny’s friend from school, Chuey. Throughout the summer, the kids battle the heat, financial setbacks, and ultimately come to terms with their pasts to learn a valuable lesson about their places in the world.
Moon Pies and RC Cola at the Rexall is a sophisticated yet fun and realistic portrayal of an untraditional, yet admirable family. It’s not afraid to explore tough issues in a way that kids will not only understand but want to explore and sympathize, if not empathize, with the kid heroes.
You can read my full review and interview with the author here!
Which book from this list do you most want to read? Leave your answers in the comments below!
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