Staff Picks - Middle Grade

Updated August 22, 2025
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Sheets
Thummler, Brenna
Paper Book
2018 Barnes & Noble Best Book"" background-color:="" /> 2021 Amazon Teacher's Pick "For days after reading Brenna Thummler's Sheets I have been wandering my neighborhood, haunted, enchanted, and in need of freshly pressed clothing." --...
Four eyes
Ogle, Rex
Paper Book
A humorous and heartwarming middle-grade graphic memoir about fitting in, facing bullies, and finding the right pair of glasses. Sixth grade isn't as great as Rex thought it would be. He's the only kid who hasn't had a growth spurt, and the bullies won't let him forget it. His...
Darkstalker
Sutherland, Tui
Paper Book
The first-ever special edition of the New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series soars back in time to the origin of Pyrrhia's most dangerous dragon: Darkstalker.Three dragons. One unavoidable, unpredictable destiny. This is the beginning... of the end.In the SeaWing kingdom, a young...
Amazing immortals : a guide to gods and goddesses around the world
Williams, Dinah
Paper Book
A culturally diverse, fact-filled, and gorgeously illustrated introduction to over 80 gods and goddesses from around the world--a perfect introduction to mythology for young readers. With heroic deeds, family drama, pulse-pounding battles, and shape-shifting magic, mythology...
Dealing with dragons
Wrede, Patricia C.
Paper Book
Meet Princess Cimorene--a princess who refustes to be proper. She is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomobyish smart...   And bored.   So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon. And not just any dragon, but Kazul--one of...
Dealing with Dragons
Wrede, Patricia C.
Ebook
Meet the princess who rescues herself and the female dragon who would be king in this first fantasy adventure in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.   The traditional duties of a princess fail to please Cimorene, the daughter of a very proper king. She is...
Navigating Early
Vanderpool, Clare.
Paper Book
"Just the sort of book that saves lives by igniting a passion for reading." --James Patterson   "Reminiscent of Huckleberry Finn." --The Wall Street Journal   A Michael L. Printz Honor Winner   From the author of Newbery...
Navigating Early
Vanderpool, Clare.
Paper Book
"Just the sort of book that saves lives by igniting a passion for reading." --James Patterson   "Reminiscent of Huckleberry Finn." --The Wall Street Journal   A Michael L. Printz Honor Winner   From the author of Newbery...
Nightbooks
White, J. A.
Paper Book
A boy is imprisoned by a witch and must tell her a new scary story each night to stay alive. This thrilling contemporary fantasy from J. A. White, the acclaimed author of the Thickety series, brings to life the magic and craft of storytelling.  Alex's original hair-raising...
The hatmakers
Merchant, Tamzin
Paper Book
The most important rule to follow when you hunt for hat ingredients is this: keep wildness in your wits and magic in your fingertips. In Cordelia's London, magic is real and is woven into objects created by the five Maker families: the Hatmakers, the Bootmakers, the Watchmakers, the...
The haunted mask
Stine, R. L.
Paper Book
A young girl buys the most frighteningly life-like Halloween mask ever--only to discover that she can't take it off.
Momo Arashima steals the sword of the wind
Sugiura, Misa
Paper Book
A thrilling fantasy series about a twelve year old girl who sets out to save her Shinto goddess mother--and the world--by facing down demons intent on bringing chaos. "A grand adventure." --Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fablehaven "A wild...
Artemis Fowl
Colfer, Eoin.
Paper Book
AT JUST TWELVE YEARS OLD, ARTEMIS FOWL IS A CRIMINAL GENIUS. No scheme is too dastardly, no plot too devious. And he's just discovered that fairies are real. Poor fairies. But these are not the cuddly creatures of bedtime stories. They are armed. They are...
Artemis Fowl
Colfer, Eoin.
Paper Book
AT JUST TWELVE YEARS OLD, ARTEMIS FOWL IS A CRIMINAL GENIUS. No scheme is too dastardly, no plot too devious. And he's just discovered that fairies are real. Poor fairies. But these are not the cuddly creatures of bedtime stories. They are armed. They are...
Inkheart
Funke, Cornelia
Paper Book
Meggie loves books. So does her father, Mo, a bookbinder, although he has never read aloud to her since her mother mysteriously disappeared. They live quietly until the night a stranger knocks at their door. He has come with a warning that forces Mo to reveal an extraordinary secret-a storytelling...
Inkheart
Funke, Cornelia
Paper Book
Meggie loves books. So does her father, Mo, a bookbinder, although he has never read aloud to her since her mother mysteriously disappeared. They live quietly until the night a stranger knocks at their door. He has come with a warning that forces Mo to reveal an extraordinary secret-a storytelling...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...
Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone
Rowling, J. K.
CD
Read by Jim Dale 8 hours 17 minutes, 7 CDs Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable muggle aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...
Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
This highly acclaimed, international bestseller tells the captivating and hilarious story of a young boy who starts off as an unloved orphan mistreated by his hideous relatives, and ends up a hero in the world of magic when he is accepted at a famous school of witchcraft and wizardry. Text copyright...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy until he is rescued by an owl, taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly duel. The Reason: HARRY POTTER IS A WIZARD!
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Loved by millions of readers worldwide, let the first story in the greatest children's book series of all time take you on an unforgettable journey. The hope and wonder of Harry Potter's world will make you want to escape to Hogwarts again and again. The magic starts here! ...

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