Great New Children’s Books for Older Readers
Title: Nothing Else But Miracles
By: Albus, Kate
Published: 2023
Suggested ages and title descriptions are from the publisher or each item's library catalog record.
Historical Fiction (World War 2)
Ages 9 to 12
When 12-year-old Dory Byrne's pop left New York City's Lower East Side to fight Hitler, he promised her and her brothers that they'd be safe. Like he always said, "the neighborhood will give you what you need." But when a new landlord threatens their home in the community that's raised them and kept them safe, the secret elevator--and the abandoned hotel it leads to--provides just the solution they need.
Title: Between Two Brothers
By: Allen, Crystal
Published: 2024
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Isaiah "Ice" Abernathy has always worshiped his older brother, Seth. For years they've been not just brothers but best friends--and as Seth starts his senior year, Ice is eager to spend as much time with his brother as he can, making memories before Seth goes to college. But when Seth announces he's leaving much earlier than expected, and then he misses an important event--one he'd promised to attend--it causes a major fight.
Title: Something Like Home
By: Arango, Andrea Beatriz
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction/Verse Novel
Ages 10 to 14
When a lost dog helps Laura find a way home to her family, they discover family in each other along the way.
Title: Duel
By: Bagley, Jessixa
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel
Ages 8 to 12
Sixth grader Lucy is brand-new to middle school, and when her older sister GiGi--the undisputed queen bee of eighth grade--humiliates her in the cafeteria, Lucy snaps and challenges her to a fencing duel.
Title: Ready, Set, Dough!
By: Baptist, Kelly J.
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 10
Sixth-grader Zoe sets her sights on winning a laptop by becoming the top cookie-dough seller in her class, but as she becomes more obsessed with winning, she begins to lose sight of what is really important.
Title: Two Tribes
By: Bowen Cohen, Emily
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel
Ages 8 to 12
Mia is still getting used to living with her mom and stepfather, and to the new role their Jewish identity plays in their home. Feeling out of place at home and at her Jewish day school, Mia finds herself thinking more and more about her Muscogee father, who lives with his new family in Oklahoma. Her mother doesn't want to talk about him, but Mia can't help but feel like she's missing a part of herself without him in her life.
Title: The Last Unexplored Place on Earth
By: Brown Aly
Published: 2023
Non-Fiction (Deep Sea/Science)
Ages 9 to 12
Alvin Submersible, a deep-sea vessel that can sink miles below the surface, takes readers on a tour of the ocean floor where they will explore underwater volcanoes, discover lost hydrogen bombs, hear about storied shipwrecks and meet hundreds of new species living far beneath the waves.
Title: Of All Tribes: American Indians and Alcatraz
By: Bruchac, Joseph
Published: 2023
Non-Fiction/History
Ages 10 to 14
On November 20, 1969, a group of 89 Native Americans--most of them young activists in their twenties, led by Richard Oakes, LaNada Means, and others--crossed San Francisco Bay under the cover of darkness. They called themselves the "Indians of All Tribes." Their objective was to occupy the abandoned prison on Alcatraz Island ("The Rock"), a mile and a half across the treacherous waters.
Title: One Big Open Sky
By: Cline-Ransome, Lesa
Published: 2024
Historical Fiction (1870s)
Ages 8 to 12
"In the 1870s, a Black family undertakes a perilous wagon journey westward for a tenuous shot at freedom in Nebraska.
Title: Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key
By: Crowder, Tracy Occomy
Published: 2023
Mystery
Ages 9 to 13
In 2008 South Side Chicago, ten-year-old Montgomery "Monty" Carver's hunt to find the origins of a mysterious golden key leads him to discover the rich history of his community.
Title: Mari and the Case of the El Cocodrilo
By: Cuevas, Adriana
Published: 2023
Supernatural/Superstition
Ages 8 to 12
Mari never suspects that failing to toss her effigy in the fire would bring something much worse than sneering words at school: a curse of bad luck from El Cocodrilo. At first, it's just possessed violins and grade sabotaging pencils, but once El Cocodrilo learns that he becomes more powerful with each new misery, her luck goes from bad to nightmarish as the curse spreads to her friend Keisha.
Title: The Dreamatics
By: Cuevas, Michelle
Published: 2023
Fantasy
Ages 8 to 12
The theatre's troupe call themselves the Dreamatics, and each night when a girl named Luna goes to sleep, they produce her spectacular dreams: dreams of memories, family, and her beloved dog, Murph. But when something devastating happens in Luna's waking life, the theatre falls under new management in the form of the Bad Dreams. Now it's up to a loyal stagehand named Dormir and the Dreamatics to put things right and restore balance in their world and in Luna's.
Title: The Partition Project
By: Faruqi, Saadia
Published: 2024
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
As Dadi (her father) starts to settle into life in Houston and Maha scrambles for a subject for her documentary, the two of them start talking--about Dadi's childhood in northern India, and about the Partition that forced her to leave her home and relocate to the newly created Pakistan. As details of Dadi's life are revealed, Dadi's personal story feels a lot more like the breaking news that Maha loves so much.
Title: Ruptured
By: Fritz, Joanne
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Phoebe navigates fear, grief, and hope for recovery about when her mother has a ruptured brain aneurysm while their family is on vacation, and right after her mother shares that she's planning to leave Phoebe's father.
Title: The Nightmare King
By: Hermon, Daka
Published: 2023
Horror
Ages 8 to 12
Things haven't been the same since Shane's accident. One minute he was a normal kid playing a game of tag with his friends, and the next he's the boy who came back from the dead. Now, every time Shane falls asleep, he's pulled into a dark world where the evil Nightmare King reigns. The King is collecting children and keeping them as treasure. Despite the threat of capture by the Nightmare King, he can't stay awake forever. Shane will have to take matters into his own hands...if he gives himself over to his nightmares, can he hold on to the good in himself long enough to bring down the King?
Title: Alebrijes
By: Higuera, Donna Barba
Published: 2023
Dystopia/Science Fiction
Ages 10 to 14
When Gabi is caught stealing precious fruit from the Pocatelan elite, Leando takes the fall. But his exile proves more than he ever could have imagined--far from a simple banishment, his consciousness is placed inside an ancient drone and left to fend on its own. But beyond the walls of Pocatel lie other alebrijes like Leandro who seek for a better world--as well as mutant monsters, wasteland pirates, a hidden oasis, and the truth.
Title: Eagle Drums
By: Hopson, Nasuġraq Rainey
Published: 2023
Indigenous Folktale
Ages 8 to 12
Winter approaches, and there's much to do if Piŋa's family wants to be prepared: hunting, fishing, gathering, and more. Now, Piŋa must travel up the mountain to collect obsidian for knapping -- the same mountain where his two older brothers disappeared. As he leaves, Piŋa reassures his parents that he will not succumb to the same fate as his brothers. He will return. But when he reaches the mountaintop, he is confronted by a terrifying eagle god named Savik, who gives the boy a choice: Follow me, or die like your brothers.
Title: Drawing Deena
By: Khan, Hena
Published: 2024
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
When aspiring artist Deena's anxiety reaches a breaking point, both she and her mother learn the importance of asking for help, and that, with the right support, she can create something truly beautiful.
Title: Slugfest
By: Korman, Gordon
Published: 2024
Sports/Humor
Ages 8 to 12
Yash is the best athlete at Robinette Middle School--so good, in fact, that he's already playing on the high school's JV sports teams. Imagine his shock when he learns that his JV practices have kept him from earning a state-mandated credit for eighth-grade PE. To graduate, he has to take Physical Education Equivalency--PEE, also known as 'Slugfest'--in summer school. Yash gets to know his fellow 'slugs'.
Title: Farther Than the Moon
By: Lackey, Lindsay
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 10 to 14
All thirteen-year-old Houston Stewart has ever wanted is to become an astronaut. His dreams feel like they're finally coming true when he's accepted to the highly-competitive Junior Astronaut Recruitment Program---if only he could bring his little brother, Robbie, with him. Ever since their dad left, Houston and Robbie have been inseparable. It's hard to tell where Houston's love of space ends and where Robbie's begins. But Robbie's cerebral palsy and epilepsy mean he needs medical attention at home, so Houston is forced to take this giant leap for the two of them all on his own.
Title: Ghost Book
By: Lai, Remy
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel/Chinese Mythology
Ages 8 to 12
July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren't real. So she pretends they don't exist. Which is incredibly difficult now, as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world.
Title: Tethered to Other Stars
By: Leahy, Elisa Stone
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Seventh grader Wendy Toledo knows that black holes and immigration police have one thing in common: they can both make things disappear without a trace. When her family moves to a new all-American neighborhood, Wendy knows the plan: keep her head down, build a telescope that will win the science fair, and stay on her family's safe orbit. But that's easier said than done when there's a woman hiding out from ICE agents in the church across the alley, and making Wendy's parents very nervous.
Title: Tiger Daughter
By: Lim, Rebecca
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 10 and up
Both Wen and Henry dream of escaping their town, and together they come up with a plan to take an entrance exam for a selective school far from home. When tragedy strikes, it will take all of Wen's resilience to get herself and Henry through the storm.
Title: Chinese Menu: The History, Myths and Legends of Your Favorite Foods
By: Lin, Grace
Published: 2023
Food/History/Chinese Folklore
Ages 8 to 12
The origin stories of each Chinese dish told using the framework of Chinese cuisine--oftentimes based in folklore, both ancient and contemporary.
Title: The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman
By: Lowe, Mari
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Shaindy is a twelve-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl who struggles in school and has no good friends. She watches with envy as her next-door neighbor, Gayil, excels socially and academically. They have little to do with each other, and it comes as a surprise when Shaindy looks out her window one September evening and sees Gayil staring out at her from her own window with a sign reading "Want to know a secret?" The secret (at first) is that Gayil has a key fob that will allow them to break into their school after hours.
Title: Medusa
By: Marsh, Katherine
Published: 2024
Mythology/Adventure
Ages 8 to 12
At the Accademia del Forte, a mysterious international boarding school in Venice, Ava and her brother, Jax, discover that the Olympian gods founded the Accademia to teach the descendants of mythological monsters how to control their emotions and their powers and become functioning, well-adjusted members of society. But not everything at the Accademia is as it seems.
Title: Where Are the Aliens?: The Search for Life Beyond Earth
By: McAnulty, Stacy
Published: 2023
Non-Fiction
Ages 10 and up
Spoiler: Scientists haven't discovered life beyond Earth, not even a single teeny-tiny organism. But there's a whole lot of outer space, and humans have searched only a fraction of a fraction of it. So do you believe in the possibility of life out there? Or do you think Earth is perfectly unique in its ability to grow organisms?
Title: Like a Charm
By: McNicoll, Elle
Published: 2023
Magic/Adventure
Ages 8 to 12
Ramya Knox is used to feeling cursed. People only notice her long enough to call her a troublemaker. Except Grandpa. He sees Ramya and her neurodiversity as enchanting. But when Grandpa dies, Ramya's world loses its charm...until she discovers he left behind one big secret: that magic is real and Ramya can see it. Trolls, vampires, kelpies, and more fantastical beings hide in the shadows for Ramya to discover. But the Hidden Folk need protection from the most dangerous creatures of all: the sirens.
Title: The Witch's Wings and Other Terrifying Tales (Are You Afraid of the Dark?)
By: Mejia, Tehlor Kay
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel/Horror
Ages 10-13
A new Midnight Society gathers around the campfire to share urban legends, folklores, and all manner of spooky stories. These three terrifying tales feature haunted buses, monstrous creatures, and spine-chilling mysteries guaranteed to have you reaching for the light switch!
Title: Welcome to Our Table
By: Mucha, Laura
Published: 2023
Non-Fiction
Ages 7 to 10
Food is not just for filling our tummies. It brings people together, helps us make memroies, and allows us to explore the world. In this ... book filled with facts and phrases, children can learn all about what people in other countries eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as where our food comes from, and the stories, cultures, and traditions behind what we eat.
Title: Ink Girls
By: Nijkamp, Marieke
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel
Ages 8 to 12
In a vibrant city that thrives on trade and invention, two girls from very different walks of life join forces to fight censorship and protect the people they love.
Title: Eli Over Easy
By: Stamper, Phil
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
The last few months have been pretty tough for Eli. He moved to New York City and left his small town in Minnesota with his extended family and everyone he knows. He hasn't made any new friends. And his mom died unexpectedly, shattering his whole world. He misses Mom more and more every day, but Dad refuses to talk about her, leaving Eli alone in his grief. Then Eli finds a stash of instructional cooking videos his mom made, revealing her dream of being a celebrity chef. With the help of the cute new neighbor boy, Mathias, Eli decides to follow his mother's recipes using her videos.
Title: Coyote Queen
By: Vitalis, Jessica
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Twelve-year-old Fud feels trapped. She lives a precarious life in a cramped trailer with her mom and her mom's alcoholic ex-boxer boyfriend, Larry. Fud can see it's only a matter of time until Larry explodes again, even if her mom keeps on making excuses for his behavior. If only Fud could find a way to be as free as the coyotes roaming the Wyoming countryside: strong, smart, independent, and always willing to protect their own
Title: Ways to Build Dreams
By: Watson, Renee
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 7 to 10
Middle school is just around the corner for Ryan Hart, which means it's time to start thinking about the future--and not just how to prank her brother, Ray! During Black History Month, Ryan learns more about her ancestors and local Black pioneers, and their hopes for the future, for her generation.
Title: More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
By: Williams, Yohuru
Published: 2023
Non-Fiction
Ages 10 to 14
Without diminishing the words of Dr. King, More Than a Dream looks at the march through a wider lens, using Black newspaper reports as a primary resource, recognizing the overlooked work of socialist organizers and Black women protesters, and repositioning this momentous day as radical in its roots, methods, demands, and results.
Title: Shark Teeth
By: Winston, Sherri
Published: 2024
Realistic Fiction
Ages 9 to 12
Seventh-grader Sharkita "Kita" embarks on a tumultuous journey to keep her family together while handling the consequences of her mother's alcoholism.
Title: Remember Us
By: Woodson, Jacqueline
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 10 and up
It seems like Sage's whole world is on fire the summer before she starts seventh grade. As house after house burns down, her Bushwick neighborhood gets referred to as "The Matchbox" in the local newspaper. And while Sage prefers to spend her time shooting hoops with the guys, she's also still trying to figure out her place inside the circle of girls she's known since childhood. A group that each day, feels further and further away from her.
Title: Jawbreaker
By: Wyman, Christina
Published: 2023
Realistic Fiction
Ages 8 to 12
Max Plink's life is complicated. Her parents aren't getting along. The school bullies are relentless, and her own sister is the cruelest of them. Worst of all, her mouth is a mess. With a mismatched puzzle of a jaw, Max has a Class II malocclusion, otherwise known as a severe overbite. She already has braces, which means she lives on Advil and soft foods after each orthodontist appointment. But now Max has to wear painful (and totally awkward) orthodontic headgear nicknamed "the jawbreaker." Could things get any worse? Yes..
Title: A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits)
By: Yee, Lisa
Published: 2024
Humor/Friendship
Ages 8 to 12
Olive Cobin Zang has… issues. And they mostly aren’t her fault. (No, really!) Though she often slips under the radar, problems have a knack for finding her. So, imagine her doubts when she’s suddenly dropped off at the strangest boarding school ever: a former castle turned prison that's now a “reforming arts school!” But nothing could’ve prepared Olive for RASCH (not “rash”). There, she’s lumped with a team of other kids who never quite fit in, and discovers that the academy isn’t what it seems-and neither is she.
Title: Atana and the Firebird
By: Zhou, Vivian
Published: 2023
Graphic Novel/Fantasy
When Ren, a rare firebird, crashes into her life, mermaid Atana, determined to protect Ren, embarks on an adventure that takes them to strange new islands and entangles them with the powerful Witch Queen, who holds the key to Atana's past.