2027 Middle School Nutmeg Nominees

Updated April 28, 2026
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1

Black bird, blue road /
Pasternack, Sofiya.
Paper Book
In this historical fantasy novel, praised as a "rich, omen-filled journey that powerfully shows love and its limits*" and "propulsive, wise, and heartbreaking,"** Ziva will do anything to save her twin brother Pesah from his illness--even facing the Angel of Death himself. From Sydney...

2

Boy 2.0 /
Baptiste, Tracey.
Paper Book
An action-packed superhero story from New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste. Win "Coal" Keegan has just landed in his latest foster home, with a big, noisy, slightly nosy family named the McKays. They seem eager to welcome Coal, but he's wary of trusting them. So, he...

3

The fire, the water, and Maudie McGinn /
Pla, Sally J.
Paper Book
Neurodivergent Maudie is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, but will she find the courage to tell him a terrible secret about life with her mom and new stepdad? This contemporary novel is a must-read for fans of Leslie Connor and Ali Standish. A Schneider Family Book Award winner! ...

4

The last mapmaker /
Soontornvat, Christina.
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book A Walter Dean Myers Honor Book  From Christina Soontornvat, the visionary and versatile author of three Newbery Honor Books, comes a high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. In a fantasy adventure every bit as...

5

Louder than hunger /
Schu, John,
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book "Every so often a book comes along that is so brave and necessary, it extends a lifeline when it's needed most. This is one of those books." --Katherine Applegate, author of the Newbery Medal-winning,...

6

Parachute kids /
Tang, Betty C.
Paper Book
ABA Indie Bestseller National Book Award Longlist Title Asian/Pacific American Award Honor Book 4 Starred Reviews This funny, fast-paced, and heartrending story about three siblings living on their own as undocumented new immigrants is...

7

The probability of everything /
Everett, Sarah.
Paper Book
"One of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever)." --Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club NPR Books We Love 2023 | Publishers Weekly Best of 2023 | Winner of the Governor General's Literary Awards for Young People's Literature A heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an...

8

Queen of the tiles /
Alkaf, Hanna.
Paper Book
They Wish They Were Us meets The Queen's Gambit in this "stunning...unforgettable" (Publishers Weekly) thriller set in the world of competitive Scrabble, where a teen girl is forced to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend when her Instagram comes back to life...

9

The tenth mistake of Hank Hooperman /
Choldenko, Gennifer,
Paper Book
Everyone will be rooting for a happy ending for Hank, a boy struggling to hold his family together when his mom doesn't come home, in this gripping story from Newbery Honor winner Gennifer Choldenko. "One of those rare and important books . . . Hank Hooperman may well be the most...

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