It’s time for another summer reading list! This one is all about middle grade tweens and young teens. Read on for the top 50 epic books from every genre that will keep them reading all season long!

Of all the summer reading lists that I write each year, the middle grade one has to be my favorite. Even though I personally read more off the YA book list than anything, there’s just something about middle school fiction that makes me feel all warm and happy inside.

Tween books are filled with epic adventures of self-discovery. From magical stories like Harry Potter to hilarious coming of age stories like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, they flawlessly capture what it’s like to be stuck in the middle of childhood and adulthood.

While I’m a huge advocate of letting your kids choose their own books to read, if they’re not sure what to read, below are some fantastic recommendations for their own summer reading list!

Middle Grade Summer Reading List: 50 Epic Books for Tweens

Before we get started with our summer reading list for tweens, let’s go over a couple of quick details so you know what to expect below.

• Some of these books are part of a series  and they may not be the first one in it. I’ve noted the series name, though, so you can start from the beginning.
• The majority of these books either came out in the last 90 days or are coming out before the end of the summer.
• I’m breaking the list up into genre chunks of 5 so it’s not so overwhelming. It’s hard since some books cross genres, but I tried.

Head’s up, this post contains affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase through them, I get a tiny commission at no extra charge to you. Also, while I’m working with the publishers of some of these books in other posts, no one has paid to be included on this list.

Fantasy Books

1. Aru Shah & the Song of Death (A Pandava Novel Book 2)by Roshani Chokshi
2. Keeper of the Lost Cities Box Set by Shannon Messenger
3. Artemis Fowl Collection by Eoin Colfer
4. Warriors: The Broken Code #1: Lost Stars by Erin Hunter
5. The Spinner of Dreams by K.A. Reynolds (August 27th)

Remember above I said that I was working with a few publishers of books on this list? Well, Keepers of the Lost City is one of them. I currently have all seven books ready for my own summer reading enjoyment, and I’m really looking forward to diving in! The 8th book in the Keepers of the Lost City series releases in November, so now is a great time for your tween (and you!) to get all caught up on the adventures of Sophie, a 12-year-old with telepathic abilities.

Also, Artemis Fowl is on this list even though the last book came out years ago because the series recently relaunched with new covers, and because it’s finally getting a movie version.

Middle Grade Science Fiction Stories

6. Dragon Pearl (Rick Riordan Presents) by Yoon Ha Lee
7. Game of Stars (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #2) by Sayantani DasGupta
8. The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander
9. Maximillian Fly by Angie Sage
10. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe (Sal and Gabi, #1) by Carlos Hernandez

Dragon Pearl is one of those books that transcends genres. While the Korean mythology story sounds more fantasy than sci-fi, it has a significant “space” element, hence the categorization. I’m a huge fan of Rick Riordan Presents because rather than write about mythology that he doesn’t really connect with , he uses his influence (and name) to help elevate books written by people who actually live in those cultures and grew up with the stories.

Epic Adventure Books

11. Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
12. The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
13. Wild Rescuers: Escape to the Mesa by StacyPlays
14. Last Kids on Earth Survival Guide by Max Brallier
15. A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

If your tween loves epic adventures with plenty of heart, I recommend The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. The story follows the adventures of Coyote, who lives in a school bus with her dad ever since losing her mom and sisters. When she finds out that the park where they all buried a treasure box is about to be demolished, she plots to get her dad to drive her 3,600 miles back home in 4 days…without him even realizing he’s doing it.

Tween-Appropriate Horror Stories

When I was a tween, I was reading horror novels by Dean Koontz and John Saul, so “appropriate” isn’t really the right word. “Geared towards tweens” would be more accurate for these selection.

16. The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner (Aug 6th)
17. City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab (book 2 comes out in September)
18. Doomsday (The Doomsday Series Book 1) by R.L. Gemmill
19. The Gods of Lava Cove (Bonegarden Book 2) by Karsten Knight
20. Serafina and the Seven Stars Robert Beatty (July 9th)

I loved Victoria Schwab’s melodic writing in “This Savage Song,” so City of Ghosts feels like a natural choice to top my list of tween-appropriate horror reads. Cass, a girl who can peel back the Veil between the living and dead, heads to one of the most haunted places in Scotland with her TV-host parents. What could possibly go wrong?

Tween Humor (Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

21. Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid by Jeff Kinney
22. Trapped in a Video Game (Book 5): The Final Boss by Dustin Brady
23. Mr. Lemoncello’s All-Star Breakout Game by Chris Grabenstein
24. Big Nate: Payback Time! by Lincoln Peirce
25. Middle School: Born to Rock (Middle School Series Book 11) by James Patterson

Although Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid is my top choice in this category, I talked about that in detail just a couple of weeks ago. James Patterson’s Middle School: Born to Rock is a very close second. In the 11th book in the series, Rafe Khatchadorian’s little sister starts her own girl band and needs his help. Will his crazy ideas work, or will things go horrifically wrong on all levels?

Coming of Age & Heartfelt Stories

26. The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake
27. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
28. Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
29. To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitze
30. Far Away  by Lisa Graff

It’s hard to choose a favorite here, but I’ll go with The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James. It’s a touching story that’s just begging to be made into a movie. Sunny St. James decides she needs a new life plan to go with her new heart, and that includes connecting with her lost mother. The plan also includes “find a new best friend” and “kiss a boy,” but what happens when that new best friend IS a boy?

Manga & Graphic Novels

31. Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale
32. Hilo: Then Everything Went Wrong by Judd Winick
33. Zo Zo Zombie, Vol. 3 by Yasunari Nagatosh
34. Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff
35. Disney Manga: Descendants – Evie’s Wicked Runway Book 1 (Disney Descendants) by Jason Muell

I’ll be honest, I don’t really know much about this genre. My son loves anime, but as far as manga goes, he mainly reads a webtoon called Unordinary by uru-chan. He absolutely loves it and looks forward to new installments every Thursday. From this list, though, I really love the cover of Sunborn Rising. The concept sounds really intriguing, too. The illustrated fantasy novel about the collapse of a land called Cerulean even has an app for interactive reading.

Historical Fiction for Tweens

36. Anna Strong and the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring: A Spy on History Book by Enigma Alberti and Laura Terry
37. The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA by Brenda Woods
38. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
39. Pirate Boy of Sydney Town by Jackie French
40. Stolen Girl by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Can a war save a life? When it helps you escape your abusive mother, I suppose in a way it can. That’s exactly what happens in The War That Saved My Life. Ada, a 10-year-old girl with a twisted foot and an even more twisted mother, sneaks along with her brother, who’s been sent away to keep him safe during WWII. She finds sanctuary, solace, and a new life with caregiver Susan. Will she be able to hold onto this new life, or will she end up back with her cruel mother?

Nonfiction: Biographies, Autobiographies and Such

41. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
42. We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders by Harry Belafonte
43. Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic: A Comedian’s Guide to Life on the Spectrum by Michael McCreary
44. Dreaming in Code: Ada Byron Lovelace, Computer Pioneer by Emily Arnold McCully
45. Fly Girls Young Readers’ Edition: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O’Brien

Although it’s geared more towards the older end of middle school through the teen years, Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic is a must-read for anyone both on the spectrum and off. For those on the spectrum, McCreary uses humor and wit to give them a relatable voice. Those off the spectrum get an inside look that helps them better understand ASD.

Nonfiction: Reference, Science, Nature, and Such

46. National Geographic Kids Almanac 2020 by National Geographic Kids
47. Can You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography by Ella Schwartz
48. Awesome Physics Experiments for Kids: 40 Fun Science Projects and Why They Work by Erica Colón PhD
49. 5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) 3 by National Geographic Kids
50. The Young Adventurer’s Guide to (Almost) Everything by Ben Hewitt and Luke Boushee

Beat back boredom, prevent summer brain drain AND give kids a chance to learn a science usually reserved for high school students with Awesome Physic Experiments for Kids. The 40 projects use materials that are easy to find, and Colón explains the theory behind them in a way tweens can understand.

Need more recommendations? Check out the latest middle grade fiction bestsellers on Amazon!

SaleBestseller No. 1

Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life (Middle School, 1)

• Patterson, James (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 336 Pages - 11/06/2012 (Publication Date) - jimmy patterson (Publisher)

$8.68

Amazon

Bestseller No. 2

Carson Dellosa The 100+ Series: Grade 7-8 Reading Comprehension Workbook, Vocabulary, Biography, Fiction & Nonfiction, 7th Grade & 8th Grade Reading ... or Homeschool Curriculum (Volume 22)

• English (Publication Language)
• 128 Pages - 01/01/2003 (Publication Date) - Instructional Fair (Publisher)

$12.99

Amazon

Bestseller No. 3

Fourth Grade Fairy

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Cook, Eileen (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 177 Pages - 04/19/2011 (Publication Date) - Aladdin (Publisher)

$7.99

Amazon

Bestseller No. 4

I Was a Third Grade Spy

• Auch, Mary Jane (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 96 Pages - 01/14/2003 (Publication Date) - Yearling (Publisher)

$7.99

Amazon

SaleBestseller No. 5

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story

• Sold as 1 Each.
• Ages and grade: Ages 10 - 14 years and grades 5th - 9th. Publication date: 10/04/2011. Subject: People & places - Africa, historical - general, children s-general, children s-historical fiction-Africa.
• Language: English. Format: Paperback. Dimensions: 7.5" x 5" x 0.4".
• A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story. Author: Linda Sue Park.
• Number of pages: 128. Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
• Park, Linda Sue (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 128 Pages - 10/04/2011 (Publication Date) - Clarion Books (Publisher)

$6.17

Amazon

SaleBestseller No. 6

Hatchet

• Great product!
• Paulsen, Gary (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 192 Pages - 12/26/2006 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

$5.41

Amazon

SaleBestseller No. 7

The Book Thief

• Paperback
• Zusak, Markus (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 608 Pages - 09/11/2007 (Publication Date) - Knopf Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

$7.83

Amazon

SaleBestseller No. 8

A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet)

• Madeleine L'Engle (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 256 Pages - 05/01/2007 (Publication Date) - Square Fish (Publisher)

$6.74

Amazon

Bestseller No. 9

Ava & Carol Detective Agency Series: Books 1-3 (Book Bundle 1): Middle Grade Mystery Adventure Action for Girls Ages 8-15 Children

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Lockhaven, Thomas (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 400 Pages - 11/26/2018 (Publication Date) - Twisted Key Publishing, LLC (Publisher)

$7.99

Amazon

SaleBestseller No. 10

Charlotte's Web: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

• Hardcover Book
• White, E. B (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 192 Pages - 04/10/2012 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins (Publisher)

$7.99

Amazon

With all these epic books for tweens, I’m sure your own middle grader won’t have any problem finding a few great selections for their own summer reading list!

Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API