Best Books for Kids 2021

28 Books Found

Filtered by 'Middle Grade'
  • Amari and the Night Brothers

    After the disappearance of her brother Quinton, Amari Peters is recruited into a hidden magical society. As she trains to become a junior agent, will she be able to uncover the truth of what happened to her brother?
    Cover of Amari and the Night Brothers
  • Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

    In this joyful celebration of First Nations heritage, 16 Indigenous authors share original, interwoven stories, all culminating at the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
    Cover of Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids
  • El ascenso del rey enano (Leyendas de la serpiente emplumada)

    Ilustrado por Charlene Bowles | Basada en la leyenda y la cultura maya, esta historieta muestra que un héroe puede surgir de cualquier lugar y triunfar. Este cuento está lleno de aventuras y hazañas. Pero, al final de cuentas, ¿qué podría ser más heroico que la bondad?
    Cover of El ascenso del rey enano (Leyendas de la serpiente emplumada)
  • Barakah Beats

    Nimra, a young Muslim girl desperate to fit in at her new school, accepts an invitation to join a popular eighth-grade boy band. Worried that her parents will find out, she intends to drop out before the big talent show, but acting on that plan proves harder than she imagined.
    Cover of Barakah Beats
  • Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna

    Petra has dreams of going to school and learning to read. Instead, she must lead her grandmother and younger siblings to safety from the army of Federales during the Mexican Revolution. Through her resilience, can Petra both save her family and make her dreams a reality?
    Cover of Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna
  • Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood

    A euphoric celebration of Black boyhood featuring 17 stories by contemporary Black male and nonbinary authors. Sampling popular genres and formats like Afrofuturism, realistic fiction, comics, and verse, these uplifting stories about Black male youth are not to be missed.
    Cover of Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood
  • Burying the Moon

    Illustrated by Sonali Zohra | In this vibrantly illustrated novel in verse, Latika bravely confronts the problem of inadequate sanitation in her rural Indian village, a global issue with a dangerous impact on women and girls.
    Cover of Burying the Moon
  • Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls

    Things are not easy for Cece. Her family is experiencing domestic violence, and now her sister has disappeared. In this mesmerizing Latinx novel rooted in Aztec mythology, Cece has to learn forbidden magic in order to rescue her sister from El Sombrerón.
    Cover of Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls
  • Cuando brillan las estrellas: Una historia inolvidable

    Traducido por José C. Vales | Han pasado siete años desde que Omar y su hermano Hassan huyeron de Somalia, a un campo de refugiados en Kenia. Omar está perdiendo la esperanza de poder regresar o tener un futuro fuera del campamento. Todo cambia cuando puede ir a la escuela.
    Cover of Cuando brillan las estrellas: Una historia inolvidable
  • Cuentos sagrados de América

    Ilustrado por Amanda Mijangos | Traducido por David Bowles | Durante miles y miles de años, los pueblos indígenas han viajado a través de las Américas, creando y transmitiendo historias. Esta impresionante recopilación honra a los pueblos originarios de estas tierras.
    Cover of Cuentos sagrados de América
  • The Dreamweavers

    Twins Mei and Yun must embark on a magical adventure to save their grandfather after a mysteriously spoiled batch of his mooncakes earns a prince's wrath. To succeed, they must break a poet's vengeful curse—with or without the guidance of the Jade Rabbit.
    Cover of The Dreamweavers
  • The Last Cuentista

    Twelve-year-old Petra is put in stasis on a shuttle bound for an uninhabited planet. Centuries later, she wakes as one of the few surviving travelers, and the only one not reprogrammed by the menacing Collective that has taken over the ship. Can her cuentas save them all?
    Cover of The Last Cuentista
  • The Magical Imperfect

    Etan has stopped speaking and no one knows how to help. Malia stays at home due to constant bullying. During the 1989 Bay Area earthquakes, their community of immigrant refugees help the two discover that the best form of healing comes from within.
    Cover of The Magical Imperfect
  • The Many Meanings of Meilan

    Twelve-year-old Meilan Hua's world is turned upside down when her family relocates from a big city Chinatown to small town Ohio. As she attempts to settle in, she gets renamed at school. Can Meilan find the power in her name and assert who she is?
    Cover of The Many Meanings of Meilan
  • Maya and the Robot

    Illustrated by Christine Almeda | Fifth grade gets off to a rough start for Maya until she is gifted an unfinished robot. An engineering legacy is uncovered and inspiration ignites as Maya learns to embrace her ingenuity and finds friendship in an unlikely place.
    Cover of Maya and the Robot
  • The Monsters of Rookhaven

    Illustrated by Edward Bettison | Mirabelle and her peculiar family live in an uneasy peace with the village of Rookhaven. When Jem and Tom stumble into Mirabelle’s world, readers will discover who the real "monsters'' are. Black line art adds to the otherworldly atmosphere.
    Cover of The Monsters of Rookhaven
  • The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as Told to His Brother)

    How does a family cope with a missing child? What if he suddenly returns and claims he was whisked away to a magical land? This contemplative mystery examines a family's struggle to support and shield their found son as their community grows more skeptical of his claims.
    Cover of The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as Told to His Brother)
  • El nieto del Cóndor de los Andes a Barcelona

    Ilustrado por Kim Amate | Nahuel, un niño de diez años, viaja de una pequeña aldea en los Andes peruanos hasta Barcelona para reunirse con su madre. Una gran historia para reflexionar sobre la acogida de immigrantes que deben empezar su vida en un nuevo país.
    Cover of El nieto del Cóndor de los Andes a Barcelona
  • Niña morena sueña

    Traducido por Ximena Gómez | Jacqueline Woodson relata su niñez en Brooklyn. Con sus poemas honra a la familia, a la amistad, y a un vecindario que sin duda cambiará.
    Cover of Niña morena sueña
  • Nuncaseolvida (Neverforgotten)

    Ilustrado por Iván Rickenmann | Traducido por Aida Salazar | ¿Qué pasaría si lo que más amas en el mundo te fuese arrebatado de repente? Esta historia sobre el olvido es una hermosa metáfora de las cosas que se pierden y nunca se pueden recuperar.
    Cover of Nuncaseolvida (Neverforgotten)
  • Ophie's Ghosts

    Black history meets ghost story as Ophie Harrison abruptly moves to Pittsburgh with her mother. Working as a maid at Daffodil Manor, Ophie wants to help a glamorous ghost be at peace. Will Ophie unlock the mystery or get herself in more trouble than it is worth?
    Cover of Ophie's Ghosts
  • Pencilvania

    Illustrated by Sofia Moore | Mourning the loss of her mom, Zora destroys her art with a thick scribble. But the scribble retaliates by pulling Zora and her sister into Pencilvania, a magical realm where drawings come to life! Zora must be brave to save her sister and her art.
    Cover of Pencilvania
  • A Place to Hang the Moon

    Three orphaned siblings are evacuated from London to the English countryside at the dawn of WWII. As the siblings bounce between billets, they're unsure if they will ever find the perfect home. Heartwarming and perfect for fans of classic children's literature.
    Cover of A Place to Hang the Moon
  • Red, White, and Whole

    Reha is trying to find a balance between wanting to be American like her friends at school and pleasing her traditional immigrant parents at home. When her mother gets sick, Reha is determined to make her feel better by being the perfect daughter.
    Cover of Red, White, and Whole
  • Root Magic

    In 1963 South Carolina, twins Jezebel and Jay are learning traditional Gullah rootwork. What looks like simple remedies are soon discovered to contain very powerful magic. Facing natural and supernatural threats, will the twins learn enough to save their family and heal their town?
    Cover of Root Magic
  • Starfish

    Ellie is constantly bullied for her weight and, as a result, writes her own "Fat Girl Rules." With the help of a new friend, Ellie embarks on an empowering journey toward body positivity and reclaims her self-worth.
    Cover of Starfish
  • Thanks a Lot, Universe

    Brian feels like a social misfit, and his anxiety worsens after his mom engages in self-harm. He finds solace in a budding friendship with his popular basketball teammate, Ezra. What will Ezra's friends say when they find out he has a crush on Brian?
    Cover of Thanks a Lot, Universe
  • Too Bright to See

    Bug feels different from others. As Bug grieves the death of a beloved uncle, can the ghosts in their old house guide Bug on their journey of self-discovery?
    Cover of Too Bright to See