If not for its cast of quirky characters, Rob Buyea’s Perfect Score would read like a treatise against testing. As it is, though, the book feels grounded.
Browsing: ages 9 & up
Alan Gratz’s Refugee is a profoundly moving novel. And it’s particularly poignant against the backdrop of today’s politics around the world.
Annie Parnell is revisiting the world Betty MacDonald created in a new series, Missy Piggle-Wiggle, and she’s joined forces with Ann M. Martin to do it.
Author Scarlett Thomas offers a new take on magic in Dragon’s Green, the excellent first book in her Worldquake series for middle graders.
Lindsey Becker’s The Star Thief is unlike any other middle-grade novel I’ve read. It’s part magic, part steampunk and part mystery.
“When the Sea Turned to Silver” is a beautiful novel. Not only are Grace Lin’s illustrations intricate and beautifully rendered, her prose is, too.
Karen Romano Young’s latest novel for middle-graders, “Hundred Percent,” is a tribute to the ups and downs of middle school.
Tahereh Mafi’s “Furthermore” is unlike any book I’ve ever read. This makes every turn of the page exciting and unexpected.
If you or your child is a fan of “Princess Academy,” by Shannon Hale, then “The Scourge,” by Jennifer A. Neilsen, should be added to your to-be-read list.
“The Lost Twin” is the first book in the Scarlet and Ivy series by Sophie Cleverly, which was first published in the U.K. It’s a fun read for middle readers.