Marvelous Middle Grade Fiction
The CBC looks for a theme to spotlight in each month’s Hot Off the Press list so that we can alert parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and all children’s book enthusiasts to cool new offerings from our member publishers.
Addressing readers aged 8-12, middle grade books fill a much needed gap between simple introductory chapter books and the darker, deeper themes of young adult fiction. While these books can present weighty topics, they are typically couched in a more optimistic light, with protagonists overcoming hardships and learning the value of empathy, courage, and kindness. In celebration of this oft-overlooked, but exceedingly important category, we’re spotlighting some fabulous new middle grade fiction from our March Hot Off the Press list. From profound tales of family turmoil to daring, adventurous exploits to sweet and silly animal stories, you’re sure to find a fantastic read for your favorite tween.
The Adventures of the Flash Gang, Episode Three—Berlin Breakout, by S.J. Waugh, M.M. Downing (Regal House Publishing / Fitzroy Books) — Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Places / Travel, Friendships, ages 7-12.
In 1936 twelve-year-old streeter Lewis Carter finds himself in Berlin, Germany, at the heart of Nazi territory, on a convoluted trail to uncovering the whereabouts of his long-missing, presumed-dead father, Professor Harold Carter. Lewis is armed with a street map, an address…and of course his best friend, Pearl Alice Clavell. But even Pearl’s wealthy and somewhat suspect connections cannot protect them from the dangers that lurk at every swastika-draped corner. As they draw closer to finding Lewis’s father, they discover that the professor is at the center of a deadly plot that threatens global stability and the very outcome of the impending war. The two friends must use all their street wiles—with the help of a Flash or two—to save the day, as well as their skins!
Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire! A Recipe for Trouble, by Sarah Todd Taylor (Nosy Crow) — Historical Fiction, Mystery / Thriller, Places / Travel, Friendships, ages 7-12.
A fast-paced adventure full of daring action and delicious cakes!
Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire will whisk you away on a glamorous and high-stakes adventure, full of daring action and delicious cakes!
Baker by day, spy by night – Alice Éclair leads an exciting double life!
A mysterious message sends Alice on a mission aboard France’s most glamorous train, the Sapphire Express. Alice must sneak on board posing as a pastry chef and discover which passenger is an enemy agent before they reach their final stop. But everyone on the train seems to be hiding something…
Armed with her whisk, her wits, and her will to succeed, Alice has a spy to catch.
The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt, by Gabrielle Prendergast (Orca Book Publishers) — Neurodiversity, Family / Community, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, ages 7-12.
Sara isn’t great with strangers: she has selective mutism, so being in a new place isn’t always easy.
Sara’s little brother is born premature. He looks small and red, like a baby bird, so she calls him Birdy. Because she can’t visit him often, she writes him letters about everything that’s happened since he’s been born—like how her mom and stepdad are sending her to Toronto to stay with her half-sister, Abby. And how Abby lives in this amazing storage container house on a vacant lot and hopes to build a whole community of them for unhoused people. Sara discovers she too has ways of getting things done—like passing the librarian a note asking for books instead of saying it out loud, or talking to the dogs at the homeless encampment as a way of meeting their people. When she sees that the mayor and the police are making things harder for the unhoused community, Sara realizes she can be an advocate—through her letters—and that there’s more than one way to stand up for what you believe in and make your voice heard.
Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker, by Heidi Heilig (HarperCollins / Greenwillow Books) — Action / Adventure, Friendships, Fantasy, Places / Travel, ages 7-12.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler meets Indiana Jones! A young adventurer races to break the family curse by repatriating the artifacts her famed ancestor “saved.” Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Kwame Mbalia, and Rena Barron.
Cincinnati Lee’s great great (great?) grandfather is famous. His adventures discovering ancient artifacts have been made into movies, and his work is widely respected by museums across the world. The thing is, in that line of work, you’re bound to get cursed. And that leaves your great great (great?) granddaughter to break the curse by returning the artifacts you “preserved.”
Cincinnati’s own adventure begins in the Cosmopolitan Museum in New York City, where her single mom works and Cincinnati has grown up. Soon she learns about the ancient Spear of Destiny—and its potential to right all the wrongs in her family’s past. Or bring about the end of the world. It all depends on whose hands it falls into. Cincinnati must beat two relic hunters to the spear, and her quest will take her to surprising locations throughout the city and even across the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, she’ll make a new friend (which is not the easiest thing to do), make some enemies (surprisingly easy to do), and ultimately learn what makes the world worth saving. Acclaimed author Heidi Heilig makes a dazzling middle grade debut with an irrepressible hero, a compelling cast of friends and enemies, nonstop action, and a thoughtful approach to viewing our responsibilities to each other and the world around us.
Einstein the Penguin, by Iona Rangeley; illustrated by David Tazzyman (Kane Miller Books) — Animals, Action / Adventure, Humor, Family / Community, ages 7-12.
In the classic tradition of Paddington comes this wonderfully witty, heartwarmingly humorous madcap adventure series for reading aloud or reading alone. Quirky illustrations perfectly capture the mood of the stories and the endearing, eccentric, and unforgettable characters.
The Stewart family are in for a surprising and hilarious adventure when a backpack-bearing, brighter-than-expected penguin turns up at their door! As they adjust to life with Einstein, young amateur sleuth Imogen and shy little brother Arthur team up to discover why their new friend is there and help him achieve his goal.
The Girl and The Robot, by Oz Rodriguez, Claribel A. Ortega (Disney Publishing / Disney Hyperion) — BIPOC Characters and Creators, Sci-Fi, Friendships, STEM / STEAM, ages 7-12.
An out-of-this-world story about friendship, empowerment, and . . . running from federal agents?
E.T. meets cult classic The Iron Giant in this middle grade light sci-fi from Emmy Award-winner Oz Rodriguez and New York Times best-selling author Claribel A. Ortega, perfect for fans of Witchlings.
With a little heart, you can fix anything.
Mimi Perez fixes things. Phones, tablets, speakers, printers. She gets it from her dad—helping him at the family e-repair shop was always one of Mimi’s favorite things to do. But ever since Papi was deported, there’s a lot more than electronics that need fixing in Mimi’s world. Things too big for any twelve-year-old to handle on her own.
Mimi hustles around her Brooklyn neighborhood trying to earn enough money to finally fix her family. There’s no time for school or friends, but Mimi knows it will all be worth it the day Papi comes home. Then her ex-friends approach her with a proposition: enter a robotics competition with them, and they could win $50,000. It could be her chance.
Not part of the plan? A mysterious robot crashing to earth. From space.
The robot is scared, alone, and broken, and federal agents are after her. Mimi does what any street-smart electronics repair person would do: she takes the robot home, fixes her up, and in the process, makes herself a friend.
Suddenly, Mimi is anything but alone. She’s part of a robotics team. She’s sheltering a robot. She’s dodging federal agents. And keeping all of it a secret from her mom.
Join a girl and a robot on their life-changing sci-fi adventure in this coming-of-age story that celebrates kids in STEM, first-gen communities, and the power of friendship.
In the Dragon’s Fiery Lair, by Lois Wickstrom, Jean Lorrah; illustrated by Ada Konewki (Gripper Products / Look Under Rocks) — Fantasy, Family / Community, Coming of Age, Action / Adventure, ages 7-12.
A hidden curse. A thoughtful daredevil. Is this youngster’s accidental plunge into the fantastical about to unlock a wonderful surprise?
Amy is eager for excitement. On the brink of turning twelve and discovering if she’s inherited her late dad’s magic, the hard-working girl can barely wait to take a trip to the cave where the truth will be revealed. But when she and her mom step past the entrance, a terrible rockslide traps them inside the mountain.
Deciding to risk exploring the dark cavern, Amy is shocked to run into an invisible dragon who swears he protects every maiden he finds. And after she accidentally sets off a spell, the great beast decides he needs to teach her how to control her newfound power before someone gets hurt.
Can the daring young girl stop her sorcery from going wrong and get home safely?
In the Dragon’s Fiery Lair is a delightful middle-grade fantasy. If you like brave characters, fun mysteries, and magical twists, then you’ll love Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah’s clean adventure.
Isle of Ever, by Jen Calonita (Sourcebooks / Sourcebooks Young Readers) — Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, ages 7-12.
Two hundred years ago, an island disappeared. Benny has just two weeks to find it.
Everly “Benny” Benedict and her mom have always managed to get by, though they’re broke most of the time. But all that could change. Benny’s just learned she’s the sole heir to the vast fortune of Evelyn Terry, a mysterious ancestor from the 1800s!
There’s a catch, though. First, Benny needs to play—and win—a game: following clues that are more than a century old, she must find her way to the tiny island Evelyn wrote about in her diary. It was somewhere off the shoreline of Evelyn’s hometown, but according to legend, it vanished long ago and hasn’t appeared on maps for hundreds of years. Yet Benny has only a couple of weeks to locate it. If she’s successful, she’ll collect the inheritance. But what if there’s more than a fortune at stake in this game? What if Benny has to break an ancient curse to win?
Piper’s Story, by W. Bruce Cameron (Tor Publishing Group / Starscape) — Animals, Friendships, Family / Community, Action / Adventure, ages 7-12.
This cat is the new top dog.
Piper is a kitten with big goals and a bigger attitude. She loves her girl, Riley, who showers her with attention and treats her like the queen she is. But Riley lives with other inferior creatures like her smelly brother Jackson and his slobbery dog Tank. Riley’s house is simply not fit for a cat of Piper’s stature!
So she hatches the perfect plan — she’ll escape and find a new home for her and Riley. But she quickly learns that home isn’t something you can find that easily.
The Stream Team: Battle Squad, by Nick “Nick Eh 30” Amyoony; E.C. Myers; illustrated by Ronaldo Barata (Andrews McMeel Publishing) — Action / Adventure, Sports / Games / Recreation, Social Emotional Learning, Friendships, ages 7-12.
Never back down, never give up!
Thirteen-year-old Teddy Habib dreams of being a pro gamer. He just never expected he’d end up in the big leagues. And no, not the big esports competitions, like NickEh30. Big leagues as in if he doesn’t win this game, the world as we know it is doomed.
When a mysterious new game developer unleashes a bug that’s turning everyone into the “Glitched,” the government’s Special Division steps in. They recruit Teddy; his best friend, Stackz; Teddy’s loyal and surprisingly cuddly German shepherd, Rocco; the indomitable TeenyTerrorPlays; and the agile Keke_Klutch to infiltrate the game.
But if the Stream Team fails . . . well, it’s GAME OVER.
The Strongest Heart, by Saadia Faruqi (HarperCollins / Quill Tree Books) — Mental / Physical Health, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths, Family / Community, ages 7-12.
From beloved middle grade author Saadia Faruqi comes a poignant exploration of the impact of mental illness on families—and the love and hope that it takes to begin telling a different tale.
Mo is used to his father’s fits of rage. When Abbu’s moods shake the house, Mo is safe inside his head, with his cherished folktales: The best way to respond is not to engage. Apparently, his mama knows that too—which is why she took a job on the other side of the world, leaving Mo alone with Abbu.
With Mama gone, the two move to Texas to live with Mo’s aunt and cousin, Rayyan. The two boys could not be more different. Rayyan is achievement-driven and factual; Mo is a “bad kid.” Still, there is a lot to like about living in Texas. Sundays at the mosque are better than he’d expected. And Rayyan and his aunt become a real family to Mo.
But even in a warm home and school where he begins to see a future for himself, Mo knows that the monster within his father can break out and destroy their fragile peace at any moment…
The Trouble With Sunshine, by Yamile Saied Méndez (Scholastic / Scholastic Press) — Death / Grief / Loss, Social Activism / Equality / Feminism, Animals, Family / Community, ages 7-12.
THE TROUBLE WITH SUNSHINE IS IT COMES EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU DON’T DESERVE IT.
Dorani’s mom, Isa, taught her to be bold and challenge the rules if they don’t seem fair. People are more important than rules. But she never taught Dorani how to do it all without her. So, when Isa dies on the way to speak with the principal about Dori’s latest revolution, Dori loses her voice. Her grief and guilt become the loudest parts of her.
Moving from vibrant Miami to quiet, middle-of-nowhere Wyoming with her aunt feels like the punishment she deserves. She spends most of her time with their newest horse, Sunshine. Sunshine was involved in an accident that’s left her skittish and hard to care for. Tia Ivette knows her behavior comes from fear, and she is trying everything to make Sunshine brave again. But Dori knows grief can feel like fear… and grief is just love with no place to go.
Speaking up for Sunshine reminds Dori that the very best parts of her mother live on through her, and so when she starts to notice that the rules at her new school unfairly target specific students, she knows just what her mother would do…
For more great book suggestions, be sure to check out the full March Hot Off the Press list!
List compiled by CBC’s resident book connoisseur, Brooke Pisarsky. Check out other Hot Off the Press Spotlight book lists on our blog.
