Tween Reads

Discover recent releases for tweens.
Updated May 8, 2026
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The Moon Without Stars
Miller, Chanel.
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The Newbery Honor-winning author of Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All explores the way growing up, finding friends, and discovering who you are can be both awkward and empowering in this heartfelt middle school novel. ★ "Genuine and...
Graciela in the Abyss
Medina, Meg.
Paper Book
"A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A sea ghost, a mortal boy, and a dangerous enchanted harpoon . . . A Newbery Medalist takes us far beneath the waves in this extraordinary foray into...
The nine moons of Han Yu and Luli
Glaser, Karina Yan
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER * INDIE NEXT PICK * FIVE STARRED REVIEWS! Breathtaking suspense, unforgettable characters, and a pinch of magic combine in the dual stories of two young people--one in 731 China, and one in 1931 Chinatown--on perilous journeys...
Stamped (for kids) : racism, antiracism, and you
Cherry-Paul, Sonja
Paper Book
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER This chapter book edition of the groundbreaking #1 bestseller by luminaries Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds is an essential introduction to the history of racism and antiracism in America  
Starfish
Fipps, Lisa
Paper Book
A PRINTZ HONOR BOOK . Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this poignant novel-in-verse. "In her debut novel, Starfish, Lisa Fipps confronts diet culture and fat phobia head-on. . . . The book reads as if Ellie herself is writing these poems, which...
Out of my heart
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Melody faces her fears to follow her passion in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novel Out of My Mind. Melody, the huge-hearted heroine of Out of My Mind, is...
A scar like a river
Graff, Lisa
Paper Book
From bestselling author Lisa Graff, this important coming-of-age story follows a thirteen-year-old with a mysterious scar on her face--and a big secret she feels pressured to keep. Fallon Little has a secret--and it's not how she got the enormous scar that divides...
A sea of lemon trees : The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez
Águila, María Dolores.
Paper Book
This Newbery Honor-winning book is based on the true story of Roberto Alvarez and the Lemon Grove Incident. Vivid and uplifting, this middle grade debut novel-in-verse follows one young child's courage to stand up for what is right, and the determination of the Mexican community. Perfect for...
A Kid Like Me
Feuti, Norm.
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Jeff Kinney and Terri Libensen, A Kid Like Me is a timely exploration about finding your place in the ever-evolving social landscape that is middle school, written and illustrated by award-winning graphic novelist Norm Feuti.  Ethan doesn't...
A year without home
Bidania, V. T.
Paper Book
A poignant novel in verse about a Hmong girl losing and finding home in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. For fans of Jasmine Warga and Veera Hiranandani. "As gripping as it is informative and as beautiful as it is heartbreaking, A Year Without Home does what all great books...
Pony
Palacio, R. J.
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NAMED ONE OF THE BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL "Perfection." -The Wall Street Journal The bestselling author of Wonder returns with an enthralling adventure about a boy...
The Experiment
Stead, Rebecca.
Paper Book
"Many twists await in this fast-moving and optimistic story by one of today's most inventive writers for readers ages 8-12." --The Wall Street Journal From the Newbery Medalist and national-bestselling author Rebecca Stead, here is a bold story that will appeal to fans of...
The incredibly human Henson Blayze
Barnes, Derrick
Paper Book
All eyes in the small town of Great Mountain, Mississippi, have been on Henson Blayze since he first showed star power in youth football. Now a thirteen-year-old phenom playing his first varsity game, he stuns the crowd with his sheer talent and drive. Knowing they're seeing a national legend in the...
Recognize! : an anthology honoring and amplifying Black life
Hudson, Cheryl Willis
Paper Book
In the stunning follow-up to The Talk- Conversations About Race, Love & Truth, award-winning Black authors and artists come together to create a moving anthology collection celebrating Black love, Black creativity, Black resistance, and Black life. "A multifaceted,...
From the desk of Zoe Washington
Marks, Janae
Paper Book
#1 Kids Indie Next List * Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of the Year * SLJ Best Book of the Year * Kirkus Best Book of the Year * Junior Library Guild Selection * Edgar Award Nominee * Four Starred Reviews * Bank Street Best...
This is our rainbow : 16 stories of her, him, them, and us
Locke, Katherine
Paper Book
The first LGBTQA+ anthology for middle-graders featuring stories for every letter of the acronym, including realistic, fantasy, and sci-fi stories by authors like Justina Ireland, Marieke Nijkamp, Alex Gino, and more! A boyband fandom becomes a conduit to coming out. A former...
A Tale of Plagues and Perfumes
Halpern, Jake.
Paper Book
"A stunningly original fantasy world that will blow your mind." --Eoin Colfer, #1 New York Times-bestselling author "A delightful, redolent adventure--I couldn't put it down! . . . I'll never sniff a spice drawer the same way again." --Catherine Gilbert Murdock,...
The Poisoned King
Rundell, Katherine.
Paper Book
Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as "an instant classic" (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)! *This spectacular book features...
The curse breaker
Calonita, Jen
Paper Book
The highly anticipated second book in the New York Times bestselling Isle of Ever series by Jen Calonita! The game is far from over! In fact, it's only just begun. Having finally reached the Isle of Ever, Everly "Benny" Benedict thinks she's won the game of clues her ancestor Evelyn...
Three Blue Hearts
Kelly, Lynne.
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . From the bestselling author of Song for a Whale comes a deeply moving story about a boy, an octopus, and the extraordinary bond that changes their lives forever. Max can't seem to escape the big, looming shadow of his politician dad. But for the next...
Paradise on fire
Rhodes, Jewell Parker
Paper Book
From award-winning and bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age survival tale exploring issues of race, class, and climate change.​   Addy is haunted by the tragic fire that killed her parents, leaving her to be raised by her...
Finding lost
Sloan, Holly Goldberg
Paper Book
A stray dog leads to major change for Cordy and her grieving family in this heartwarming novel by the beloved author of Counting by 7s. "It's impossible to read a book by Holly Goldberg Sloan without coming away wiser, kinder, and happier. She is a singular talent indeed."...
Rialto
Milford, Kate.
Paper Book
A standalone mystery from a New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award-winning author set in a contemporary world tinged with magic, in which two sisters spend summer vacation in a small town in the shadows of abandoned amusement park that is not what it seems. Ivy and...
Bye Forever, I Guess
Meadows, Jodi.
Paper Book
Can a guarded gamer girl lower her shield for a new friend... or more-than-friend? "EARNEST AND LAUGH-OUT-LOUD... PITCH PERFECT."--Publishers Weekly, starred review Thirteen-year-old Ingrid's been living a double life. At school, she's her popular...
Attack of the Black Rectangles
King, A. S.
Paper Book
Award-winning author Amy Sarig King takes on censorship and intolerance in a novel she was born to write. When Mac first opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic and finds some words blacked out, he thinks it must be a mistake. But then when he and his friends...
Rise up! : how you can join the fight against white supremacy
Fleming, Crystal Marie
Paper Book
This urgent book explores the roots of racism and its legacy in modern day, all while empowering young people with actionable ways they can help foster a better world and become antiracists. Why are white supremacists still openly marching in the United States? Why are...
The Library of Unruly Treasures
Birdsall, Jeanne.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . In this funny, winning, and unexpected adventure from the New York Times bestselling, National Book Award-winning author of the Penderwicks series, a girl finds herself an unlikely hero when she stumbles upon a big secret about little creatures.
Candace, the Universe, and Everything
Smith, Sherri L.
Paper Book
A speculative middle grade novel about three generations of Black girls connected across time and space through a wormhole in their school locker. A School Library Journal and Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year What if your locker was a...
The Teacher of Nomad Land A World War II Story
Nayeri, Daniel.
Paper Book
Winner of the National Book Award * Named Amazon's #1 Children's Book of 2025    In the shadow of World War II, two orphaned siblings embark on a perilous journey across the mountains of Iran--where survival depends on finding a common language in a world torn...
The talk : conversations about race, love & truth
Hudson, Cheryl Willis
Paper Book
Thirty diverse, award-winning authors and illustrators invite you intotheir homes to witnesstheconversationsthey have withtheir children about race in America today in this powerful call-to-action that invites all families to be anti-racists and advocates for change. "Project s love...
Uncomfortable conversations with a black boy
Acho, Emmanuel
Paper Book
Adapted from Emmanuel Acho's New York Times bestseller Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, comes an essential young readers edition aimed at opening a dialogue about systemic racism with our youngest generation. Young people have the power to affect...
Scarlet Morning
Stevenson, Noelle.
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * USA TODAY BESTSELLER * NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER From the powerhouse creator of Nimona comes a breathtaking illustrated novel, the start of a duology, following two orphans who leave the only home they've...
The only black girls in town
Colbert, Brandy
Paper Book
A Bank Street Best Book of 2021! From award-winning YA author Brandy Colbert comes a debut middle-grade novel about the only two Black girls in town who discover a collection of hidden journals revealing shocking secrets of the past. Beach...
Bad Cheerleader
Thayer, Alex
Paper Book
A dyslexic bookworm joins her school's cheerleading squad to investigate her sister's strange behavior in this insightful and sharp middle grade novel about the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. Seventh grader Bag loves to read. It doesn't come easy to her, thanks to her dyslexia,...
Some of Us Are Brave
Faruqi, Saadia.
Paper Book
From the acclaimed author of The Strongest Heart comes a stirring new novel from the perspectives of three very different kids who are navigating the waters of fear and friendship through the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.  It's a humid...
Yusuf Azeem is not a hero
Faruqi, Saadia
Paper Book
At a time when we are all asking questions about identity, grief, and how to stand up for what is right, this book by the author of A Thousand Questions will hit home with young readers who love Hena Khan and Varian Johnson--or anyone struggling to understand recent U.S. history and how it still...
The Last Resort
Kelly, Erin Entrada.
Paper Book
The next evolution in storytelling from New York Times bestselling, Newbery Medal Winning author Erin Entrada Kelly! Twelve-year-old Lila has two goals for the summer: 1. Win back the friends who ditched her for being "too dramatic" 2. Stop being so dramatic ...
The AI Incident
Thomas, J.E.
Paper Book
The Wild Robot meets Restart when Colorado's unluckiest foster kid battles a rogue AI robot at school. Malcolm Montgomery is the new kid at Shirley Chisholm Charter Middle School. In no time at all, he's been slapped with the weird kid label. Is it because he's a...
The Winter of the Dollhouse
Schlitz, Laura Amy.
Paper Book
"In the small-scale world of Laura Amy Schlitz's novel The Winter of the Dollhouse, the emotional stakes are both intimate and enormous. . . . [She] is a masterly storyteller." --The New York Times Book Review This captivating coming-of-age story is touching,...
What is Black Lives Matter?
Wilson, Lakita
Paper Book
From the #1 New York Times bestselling series comes the latest title in the Who HQ Now format for trending topics. It tells the history of a political and social movement that advocates for non-violent civil disobedience and protests against incidents of police brutality--and all racially...
Dream
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! The highly anticipated follow up to Wish, which has spent six years on the New York Times bestseller list and is beloved by over two million readers. Dream follows a small...
Return of the thief
Turner, Megan Whalen
Paper Book
The thrilling, twenty-years-in-the-making conclusion to the New York Times-bestselling Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. The epic novels set in the world of the Queen's Thief can be read in any order. This beloved and award-winning series began with the...
Coach
Reynolds, Jason.
Paper Book
Three starred reviews! In this "beautifully executed victory lap" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) to Jason Reynolds's award-winning and New York Times bestselling Track series, meet Coach as a boy striving to come into...
The dark times of Nimble Nottingham
Black, Ryan James
Paper Book
Set during World War II, a twelve-year-old orphan who accidentally unleashes a shadow monster onto the streets of London must team up with unlikely allies to hunt it down. "The twists and surprises just keep on coming. My kind of book!"-R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps and...
The beautiful something else
Van Otterloo, Ash
Paper Book
Full of humor and heartbreak, this story about a nonbinary character navigating a binary world is perfect for fans of Alex Gino and Kyle Lukoff. It's exhausting trying to be the perfect daughter. Still, getting good grades without making any waves may be the only way to distract from the...
Defiant : growing up in the Jim Crow South
Hudson, Wade
Paper Book
As the fight for equal rights continues, Defiant takes a critical look at the strides and struggles of the past in this revelatory and moving memoir about a young Black man growing up in the South during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. For fans of It's Trevor Noah- Born a Crime,...
So Much Trouble
Green, John.
Paper Book
"When I'm faced with a Pilkey fan looking to branch out, this graphic novel is the first book I reach for... If eight books aren't enough, the spinoff series, Agents of S.U.I.T., continues the fun." ―The New York Times More than four million copies in print!
Time lions and the chrono-loop
Seneviratne, Martin
Paper Book
A laugh-out-loud, edge-of-your-seat time-travel adventure perfect for fans of The Last Last-Day-of-Summer and City Spies from New York Times bestseller, Krystal Sutherland. Twins Pearl and Patrick are no ordinary twelve-year-olds. They're geniuses, hiding in...
Schooled
Sumner, Jamie
Paper Book
A Golden Kite Award Winner for Young Readers and Middle Grade Fiction An "insightful and absorbing" (Shelf Awareness, starred review) novel from acclaimed author Jamie Sumner about new schools, unexpected friendships, and overcoming loss. ...
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