The Someday Birds
Sally J. Pla
Charlie is autistic, keeps a list of birds he wants to see before he dies, and is now being driven across the country by people he barely knows. Sally J. Pla's warm road-trip novel is one of the most sensitively drawn portrayals of neurodiversity in middle grade fiction — funny, tender, and true.
8–12 yrsThe One and Only Bob
Katherine Applegate
Bob the street dog from Ivan's mall is searching for his lost sister when a hurricane threatens everything he has built. A worthy companion to Ivan — funny, warm, and genuinely exciting.
8–12 yrsAmina's Voice
Hena Khan
Amina is Pakistani-American, loves music, and is terrified of performing in public. When her mosque is vandalised, the community has to come together — and Amina has to find her voice in more ways than one. A warm, grounded novel about identity, belonging, and where you call home.
8–12 yrsEach Little Bird That Sings
Deborah Wiles
Comfort Snowberger's family runs the funeral parlour in their small Southern town, so Comfort knows a lot about death. But she's never had to face her own grief until now. Deborah Wiles's warm, funny, heartbreaking novel about loss and the people who carry us through it.
8–12 yrsThe Witches
Roald Dahl
A boy and his grandmother go to war against the Grand High Witch and her coven of child-hating witches. Roald Dahl's most genuinely frightening story — and one of his very best.
8–12 yrsThe Christmas Pig
J.K. Rowling
Jack's beloved toy pig CP is lost on Christmas Eve. His replacement, the Christmas Pig, comes to life and leads Jack on a magical journey to the Land of the Lost to find CP before midnight. A heart-stopping adventure about the things we love most.
8–12 yrsMy Brain Needs Glasses
Annick Vincent
Written by a specialist in ADHD, this book explains attention deficit disorder through the eyes of a child who discovers that their brain just needs a little help to focus — like someone who needs glasses to see clearly. Empowering and practical.
8–12 yrsHarriet the Spy
Louise Fitzhugh
Harriet keeps a secret notebook full of sharp, honest observations about everyone around her. When it's discovered, everything falls apart. A witty, ahead-of-its-time novel about empathy, honesty, and finding your voice.
8–12 yrsThe One and Only Ivan
Katherine Applegate
Ivan has lived in a shopping mall for years, surrounded by animals who were once free. Based on a true story, this is a tender, imaginative novel told from the perspective of a gorilla who discovers his voice.
8–12 yrsCrenshaw
Katherine Applegate
Jackson's family is struggling, and an imaginary cat named Crenshaw reappears from his childhood to help him face a truth he is not ready to admit. Katherine Applegate deals with childhood poverty with honesty and compassion.
8–12 yrsThe Last Straw
Jeff Kinney
Greg's father threatens military school, and Greg will do anything to avoid it. Another perfectly observed instalment in one of the funniest ongoing children's series.
8–12 yrsTwo Naomis
Audrey Vernick
Naomi Marie and Naomi Key have nothing in common except their name — until their parents start dating each other. Audrey Vernick's funny, honest novel captures the awkward, reluctant process of a new family forming, told from both Naomis' perspectives.
8–12 yrsDiary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney
Greg Heffley is navigating middle school with a combination of ambition, laziness, and truly spectacular bad luck. Jeff Kinney's illustrated diary series is one of the most widely read children's series of the 21st century — and genuinely funny.
8–12 yrsThe Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
Karina Yan Glaser
The five Vanderbeeker children have two weeks to convince their grumpy landlord not to evict them from their beloved brownstone. Karina Yan Glaser's warm, funny, fast-moving series is about community, belonging, and what it means to fight for the place that holds you.
8–13 yrsPutting on the Brakes
Patricia Quinn
A practical, empowering guide for children with ADHD that explains what ADHD is, how it affects everyday life, and what children can do to make things easier for themselves. One of the most useful books a child with ADHD can own.
8–12 yrsLittle House in the Big Woods
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Ingalls Wilder recalls her childhood in a log cabin in the Wisconsin woods, where her family lived entirely from what they could grow, hunt, and make. A vivid, warm portrait of a vanished way of life.
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