Staff Picks - Middle Grade

Updated August 22, 2025
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Animorphs. The invasion
Grine, Chris
Paper Book
The wildly popular, bestselling sci-fi series by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant returns in a new full-color graphic novel series, adapted by Chris Grine.Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He could tell you about the night he and his friends saw a strange light in the sky that...
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...
Tales of the rails : legendary train routes of the world
Adams, Nathaniel
Paper Book
Jump on board a visual journey that will draw readers young and old into the magic of traveling by train, the sense of adventure and discovery as you look around at the world passing by.Learn about the trains like the bullet train Shinkansen and the most ambitious, daring and important train...
Amazing immortals : a guide to gods and goddesses around the world
Williams, Dinah
Paper Book
A fact-filled, culturally diverse, 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...
Dealing with dragons
Wrede, Patricia C.
Paper Book
Cimorene is everything a princess isnotsupposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart. . . . And bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon . . . and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.
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 quite sure...
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...
Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Vol. 1: Deserted Island Diary
Rumba, Kokonasu.
Paper Book
Join your favorite characters from Animal Crossing(tm): New Horizons for all-new adventures in this official manga! Read the gag-filled adventures of four goofy residents living among the Animal Crossing(tm): New Horizons characters. Includes a bonus...
The hatmakers
Merchant, Tamzin
Paper Book
An enchanting fantasy adventure about the importance of bravery, resourcefulness, and following your heart from a debut celebrity author. The most important rule to follow when you hunt for hat ingredients is this: keep wildness in your wits and magic in your fingertips. ...
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
Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius-and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and...
Artemis Fowl
Colfer, Eoin
Paper Book
Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius-and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and...
Inkheart
Funke, Cornelia Caroline.
CD
From the author of the sensational New York Times bestseller The Thief Lord comes a thrilling new adventure about magic and self-discovery. Meggie lives a quiet life alone with her father, a bookbinder. But her father has a deep secret--he possesses an extraordinary...
Inkheart
Funke, Cornelia Caroline.
Paper Book
From internationally acclaimed storyteller Cornelia Funke, the first book in the bestselling, magical epic. Inkheart is a modern classic that has stolen the hearts of generations of young readers. One cruel night, Meggie's father reads aloud from a book called INKHEART-- and an evil ruler...
Itch
Farquhar, Polly
Paper Book
When everything around you is going wrong, how far would you go to fit in? Isaac's sixth grade year gets off to a rough start. For one thing, a tornado tears the roof off the school cafeteria. His mother leaves on a two month business trip to China. And as always. ....
Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...
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 sorcerer's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
For use in schools and libraries only. Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Harry Potter à l'école des sorciers
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter & the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...
Harry Potter & the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...
Harry Potter & the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...
Harry Potter & the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...
Harry Potter & the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...
Harry Potter & the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...
Harry Potter & the philosopher's stone
Rowling, J. K.
Paper Book
Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a...

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