There is some great new middle grade fiction for those book devouring middle grade readers out there! Here are eight new titles we recommend you check out. (Pun intended.) 

The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue

A multicultural tale of two families and seven kids who win the lottery and buy a big house where they all live together.
 

 

 

 

 

Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

A fast-paced, suspenseful adventure story, Scar Island is home to Slabhenge Reformatory School for boys. When a freak-lightening storm kills all the adults, the boys find themselves free but trapped on the island, which seems to be sinking into the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

Me and Marvin Gardens by A.S. King

A story about a boy in conflict with a greedy, polluting, developer, who finds a strange creature that needs his protection. 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

A semi-autobiographical, multicultural, coming of age story, set in 1960s New York City.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flying Lessons & Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh

An upbeat collection of short stories from award-winning children’s authors and including ability diverse, culturally diverse, & LGBTQ characters.

 

 

 

 

 

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng

A character-driven, first person narrative, about a boy and his dog on an accidental road trip with a cast of unlikely traveling companions.

 

 

 

 

 

The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish

A moving, angst-filled, suspenseful, coming of age story about Ethan who is suffering the loss of his best friend and a move from a city to a small beach town and a girl named Coralee who may be just what Ethan needs but comes with her own baggage and secrets.

 

 

 

 

 

A Crack in the Sea by H.M. Bouwman

Historical fantasy with a large cast of characters and some good world-building. Pip, a boy who can speak to fish, and his sister Kinchen set off on an adventure with a set of magical twins.

 

 

 

 

 

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!