Hartford School Summer 2026 Reading Suggestions

The titles in this list are merely suggestions. Students may choose to read any middle grade book for summer reading!

Updated May 13, 2026
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Mount Laurel Library Mount Laurel Library
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Hartford School Summer 2026 Reading Suggestions

The titles in this list are merely suggestions. Students may choose to read any middle grade book for summer reading!

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Korman, Gordon
Paper Book
The amazing New York Times bestseller about what you can do when life gives you a second chance. Chase's memory just went out the window. Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember...
Out of my mind
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller for three years and counting and now an original film on Disney+! "A gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes." --School Library Journal (starred review) "Unflinching and realistic." --Kirkus...
Fish in a tree
Hunt, Lynda Mullaly
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller . An emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who's ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn't fit in. "Fans of R.J. Palacio's Wonder will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship...
Thirst
Bajaj, Varsha
Paper Book
" A New York Times Bestseller The riveting story of a heroic girl who fights for her belief that water should be for everyone. Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to...
Save me a seat
Weeks, Sarah
Paper Book
A new friend could be sitting right next to you.Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they're both stuck in the same place: SCHOOL.Joe's lived in the same town all his life, and was doing just fine until his best friends moved away and left him on his own. Ravi's family just...
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...
Maizy Chen's Last Chance
Yee, Lisa
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER . NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST . ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family's Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family. NAMED...
Ways to make sunshine
Watson, Ren?
Paper Book
Shine your light! From the #1 New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Author Award winner Renée Watson, the first book in a young middle grade series about Ryan Hart, a girl who is pure spirit, kindness, and sunshine. ...
Grenade
Gratz, Alan
Paper Book
Here it is! The hugely anticipated follow-up to Gratz's NYT bestselling, critically acclaimed phenomenon REFUGEE. This is another searing and heart-pounding look at kids making their way through war.A New York Times bestseller!It's 1945, and the world is in the grip of war.Hideki lives...
Front desk
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
Four starred reviews and over ten best-of-year lists!* "Many readers will recognize themselves or their neighbors in these pages." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewWinner of the Asian / Pacific American Award for Children's Literature!* "Many readers will recognize themselves or their...
We dream of space
Kelly, Erin Entrada
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book * BookPage Best Books * Chicago Public Library Best Fiction * Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee * Horn Book Fanfare * New York Times Notable Children's Book * School Library Journal Best Book * Today Show Pick * An ALA Notable Book ...
The Hindenburg disaster, 1937
Tarshis, Lauren
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis provides a birds-eye view of one of America's most ghastly accidents ever be captured on film, the Hindenburg Disaster of 1937.The greatest flying machine ever built is about to crash...For eleven-year-old Hugo Ballard, flying on the...
City spies
Ponti, James
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! A GMA3 Summer Reading Squad Selection! "Ingeniously plotted, and a grin-inducing delight." --People "Will keep young readers glued to the page...So when do I get the sequel?" --Beth McMullen, author of Mrs. Smith's Spy School...
Spy school
Gibbs, Stuart
Paper Book
"Combines Alex Rider's espionage skills with a huge dose of the sarcasm of Artemis Fowl." --School Library Journal Can an undercover nerd become a superstar agent? In the first book in the New York Times bestselling Spy School series, Ben Ripley sure hopes so-...
Hero
Lupica, Mike.
Paper Book
From the #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica comes the story of one unsuspecting boy poised to follow in his superhero father's footsteps Fourteen-year-old Billy Harriman can feel the changes. The sharpening of his senses. The incredible strength. The speed, as though...
Holes
Sachar, Louis
Paper Book
This groundbreaking classic is now available in a special anniversary edition with bonus content. Winner of the Newbery Medal as well as the National Book Award, HOLES is a New York Times bestseller and one of the strongest-selling middle-grade books to ever hit shelves!
The dragonet prophecy
Sutherland, Tui
Paper Book
Discover where it all began! The #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series takes flight in this epic adventure of five dragons destined and determined to save their world. Clay has lived his whole life under the mountain. The MudWing dragonet knows that war is raging...
The lightning thief
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times Bestseller Percy Jackson and the Olympians series now streaming on Disney+! The hardcover edition of the first book in Rick Riordan's thrilling middle grade series, filled with magic, Greek mythology, and plenty of monsters...
The wishing spell
Colfer, Chris
Paper Book
The first book in Chris Colfer's #1 New York Times bestselling series The Land of Stories, about two siblings who fall into a fairy-tale world! The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Their world is about to change. ...
The one and only Ivan
Applegate, Katherine.
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestselling and Newbery Award-winning novel The One and Only Ivan is now a major motion picture streaming on Disney+ This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of...
The Last Kids on Earth
Brallier, Max
Paper Book
A Netflix Original series! The first book in the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling series, with over 7 million copies in print! "Terrifyingly fun! Delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs."--Jeff Kinney, author of the #1 ...
Into the wild
Hunter, Erin.
Paper Book
Epic adventures. Fierce warrior cats. A thrilling fantasy world. It all begins here. Read the book that began a phenomenon--and join the legion of fans who have made Erin Hunter's Warriors series a #1 national bestseller. For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the...
The Mona Lisa vanishes : a legendary painter, a shocking heist, and the birth of a global celebrity /|cNicholas Day, with art by Brett Helquist
Day, Nick
Paper Book
"The tale of a stunning art heist with a contagious love of stranger-than-fiction true stories!"--Steve Sheinkin, Newbery Honor-winning author of Bomb The true story of how Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece became the most famous painting in the world after being stolen from the...
Dead Ends!: Flukes, Flops & Failures That Sparked Medical Marvels
Fitzharris, Lindsey
Paper Book
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year | A Chicago Public Library Best Kids' Book of the Year | A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year From New York Times bestselling author Lindsey Fitzharris, a riveting middle grade nonfiction book...
History Smashers: Ancient Egypt
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Myths! Lies! Secret mummy curses? Grab your head lamp, the award-winning History Smashers are headed to Ancient Egypt to dig up the truth about this incredible early civilization--and the many myths that will be buried once and for all. A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF...
The American Revolution
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth behind the Revolutionary War with beloved educator/author Kate Messner. The fun mix of sidebars, illustrations, photos, and graphic panels make this perfect for fans of I Survived! and Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales. On...
Who Was John F. Kennedy?
McDonough, Yona Zeldis
Paper Book
The man who saved the lives of his PT-109 crewmen during WWII and became the 35th president fought-and won-his first battle at the age of two-and-a-half, when he was stricken with scarlet fever. Although his presidency was cut short, our nation's youngest elected leader left an indelible mark on the...
Swim team
Christmas, Johnnie
Paper Book
"Combines wonderful characters and history to create a story that will make you want to dive right in!" JERRY CRAFT, author of the Newbery Medal-winning New Kid A splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas! Bree can't wait for...
Becoming Muhammad Ali : a novel
Patterson, James
Paper Book
Two literary heavy-hitters--New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander and the world's #1 bestselling author James Patterson--deliver a knockout critically acclaimed bestselling biographical novel about cultural icon Muhammad Ali. ...
Fast Pitch
Stone, Nic
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes a challenging and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a softball player looking to prove herself on and off the field. Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the...
Ali Cross
Patterson, James
Paper Book
In this blockbuster story from the world's #1 bestselling author, Alex Cross's son Ali is eager to follow in his father's footsteps as a detective, but when his best friend goes missing, what price will he have to pay to solve the mystery?   ...
Blood in the Water
Jackson, Tiffany D
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller! Winner of the Edgar Award! Mega bestselling and award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson (The Weight of Blood; White Smoke) makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with a can't-put-it-down murder mystery set...
Framed!
Ponti, James
Paper Book
A budding genius gets recruited by the FBI to find stolen art in this first book in the hilarious middle grade mystery series that has "elements of Alex Rider, James Bond, and Sherlock Holmes" (School Library Journal) from New York Times bestselling, Edgar Award­-winning James Ponti...
Insignificant events in the life of a cactus
Bowling, Dusti
Paper Book
"Aven is a perky, hilarious, and inspiring protagonist whose attitude and humor will linger even after the last page has turned." --School Library Journal (Starred review) Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator...
The Sherlock Society
Ponti, James
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! In the tradition of Nancy Drew, four kids and one grandfather in Miami tackle a decades-old mystery in this first book full of "atmosphere, history, and lively humor" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) in the Sherlock Society middle...
Guest : a changeling tale
Hahn, Mary Downing
Paper Book
From the master of spookiness, Mary Downing Hahn. When malicious sprites called the Kinde Folke snatch Mollie's baby brother and replace him with a hideous changeling, Mollie travels through eerie, perilous lands to save him. When her adorable baby brother is replaced by an ugly, ill...
Small spaces
Arden, Katherine
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic. After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie who only finds solace in books discovers a...
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 wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
A New York Times BestsellerAn IndieBound BestsellerAn ALA Notable Book for ChildrenA School Library Journal Best of the Year PickA Kirkus Best Children's of the Year PickCan a robot survive in the wilderness? When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is alone on a...
Dogtown
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
The New York Times bestseller, Indie bestseller, and Amazon Best Children's Book from beloved authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko and with illustrations by Wallace West, Dogtown is at once an uplifting story and a page-turning adventure, sure to find a forever home...
Outside
Holm, Jennifer L
Paper Book
From three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm, a chilling but heartfelt story of a girl being raised in a compound who doesn't understand how isolated and unusual her life is... until she must encounter the outside world. Whatever you do, don't leave home. ...
The city of Ember
DuPrau, Jeanne.
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * Ember is the only light in a dark world. But when its lamps begin to flicker, two friends must race to escape the dark. This highly acclaimed adventure series is a modern-day classic--with over 4 MILLION copies sold! The city of Ember was built as a last...
Masterminds
Korman, Gordon
Paper Book
A group of kids discovers they were cloned from the DNA of some of the greatest criminal masterminds in history for a sociological experiment.
Among the hidden
Haddix, Margaret Peterson
Paper Book
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke, an illegal third child, has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm in this start to the Shadow Children series from Margaret Peterson Haddix. Luke...
A Rover's Story
Warga, Jasmine
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestseller * Best Book of the Year from The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library The One and Only Ivan meets The Wild Robot in this unique and deeply moving middle grade novel about the journey of a fictional...
Alone
Freeman, Megan E.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Perfect for fans ofHatchet and the I Survived series, this "riveting, immersive" (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade debut novel in verse from a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet tells the story of a young girl who wakes up one day to...
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...
Odder
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
Over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list! From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wishtree and The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, a touching and lyrical tale about a remarkable sea otter, perfect for summer...
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