22 New Middle Grade Books For Your Middle Schooler To Read This Summer

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Is there anything more wonderful than seeing your middle schooler read? It doesn’t matter if it’s a graphic novel or a thriller or even a romance, I think all of us just love seeing our growing-faster-than-we’d-like tweens and teens pick up a book. Once they read one, you suddenly want to make sure they read another — and summer is the perfect time to build out your middle schooler’s library.

Even if your kid isn’t a big bookworm, there are plenty of new middle-grade books to pique their interest this summer. All of the books on this list are new for the upcoming season, and there’s a wide variety, from romance and mystery to coming-of-age fiction and graphic novels. And because these middle grades can be such a tough age, many of the books on this list feature a lot of diversity and storytelling. Think LGBTQIA+ characters, neuro-divergent characters, themes of racism and sexism, and a whole lot of talk about identity and figuring out who you are.

Summer is such a great time of year to read. Long, slow days with nowhere to be? Sign all of us up — especially your middle schooler with these 22 new books.

(Disclaimer: All the books on this list are recommended for kids between the ages of 8 and 14, but use your own discretion on the books you feel are best for your child.)

Graphic Novels

Graphic novels count as reading, period. These are great options if your middle schooler hasn’t really found a book they love yet, but they’re also fantastic options for the kid who gobbles up novels in a weekend, too. There are a bunch of options as well, from romance and adventure to coming-of-age.

Landing in Place

A story of finding who you are — and rebelling against the path laid before you — Landing in Place is a gorgeous graphic novel with themes on identity, religion, and societal expectations. Anisa is an Egyptian-American who wants to focus on art, but she’s expected to follow in her sister Reem’s footsteps on the premed track. When her first semester ends in failure, she begs her parents to let her stay with her grandfather in Cairo to find herself, to find her voice, and to find her roots.

Release date: May 19, 2026

Neverlanders: Get Lost

The second installment in the Neverlander series, Neverlanders: Get Lost finds our heroes trying to relax after saving Neverland — but being met with horror instead. As the magic tree, the source of Neverland’s power, is slowly dying, the entire crew must get together with an old Neverland friend to save the place they love — before they grow up too much to return.

Even if your kid isn’t a Peter Pan fan, this graphic novel series is such a fun shift in the story with some beloved characters and a whole lot of adventure.

Release date: August 11, 2026

Bite Me

If you thought vampires were over, you’re sorely mistaken. Bite Me is a supernatural graphic novel about a vampire, Poe, who has a giant crush on a girl named Jolie, who turns out to be a vampire slayer. Poe ends up surviving a slaying by Jolie, but while she’s full of anger and wants vengeance, she’s torn when Jolie seems excited to see Poe return.

Release date: August 25, 2026

Opting Out

Themes around identity are abundant in Opting Out, this gorgeous graphic novel about a seventh-grader named Saachi, who’s having a real moment of stress as all of her friends, including her bestie, start worrying more about having boyfriends and girlfriends. And as Saachi’s body changes, she starts to wonder what it means to not feel like a girl or a boy. All the pangs of middle school are here in this story, and it’s a great choice if you’ve got a kiddo who’s feeling them, too.

Mixed Feelings

Sixth grade is a whole lot, and Mixed Feelings is the graphic novel that explains it beautifully. When Sara has her first day of middle school and learns that she’s suddenly got leg hair everywhere, that her bestie isn’t in any of her classes, and that her mixed race makes her feel like she doesn’t belong in any clubs at school, she’s pretty much done. But once she joins drama club, she hopes to find her people — and a whole lot of humor — along the way. This one is laugh-out-loud funny and beyond relatable.

Fruitcake

Everyone in middle school is struggling to find themselves, and in Fruitcake, that means eighth grader Rex is really having a tough time. All of his friends are coupling up, and he thinks he might have a crush on a girl named Charlotte — until his childhood best friend Drew kisses him. Now Drew pretends like he doesn’t know Rex at school, and Rex is incredibly confused. Why can’t he just be himself and not care what others think? (Been there, Rex. Been there.)

Romance

Your middle schooler doesn’t have to be “in” to dating or boys or girls or anything for these romance books to still hit. They’re just sweet and lovely.

Good Luck, Babe!

Besties Noelle and Yumi have been stuck like glue forever — until they have an awkward kiss the summer after junior year. Going no-contact, the two haven’t spoken in over a year until their favorite reality show offers them a last-minute spot... on an “all-couples” season. Can they pretend to be a real couple again to win the prize money? Or will it all fall apart in the absolute worst way? In Good Luck, Babe! there’s a whole lot of heart, humor, and nostalgia.

Release date: June 23, 2026

13 Little Love Stories

For the Swiftie middle schooler, there’s 13 Little Love Stories, a sweet anthology of thirteen contemporary romances inspired by Taylor Swift songs. Some of the YA authors include Julie Murphy, Sara Shepard, Jennifer Dugan, and Sloan Harlow.

Release date: June 30, 2026

Thrillers & Mysteries

Reminder: All of these books are meant for kids around age 12 and up. Thrillers, horror stories, and mysteries are always great choices for the kid who likes their adrenaline up. Just read the summary to make sure one of these isn’t going to give your kid nightmares all summer long!

Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero

A story set at a summer camp where an 11-year-old really doesn’t want to be and things are a little creepy? Oh, yes. Sign everyone up. In Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero, 11-year-old Sofia Mendoza does not fancy herself a camper — she’s a gamer. And seeing the camp through the eyes of a gamer really sets the stage for this creepy story where everything you do in Camp Forestjaw comes back to you. Reviewers are calling this a Black Mirror meets Goosebumps type of story about what happens when technology goes terribly wrong.

Release date: July 21, 2026

In Case I Go Missing

For a Fargo-like thriller, there’s In Case I Go Missing, a YA mystery about a teen detective, Sarah Vincenty, who goes missing. When the police refuse to put much effort into finding her, Sarah’s best friend Fenny must do the work instead. Luckily, Sarah left behind a binder titled “In Case I Go Missing.”

Release date: May 26, 2026

Doe

In Doe, high school cheer captain Maris is obsessed with her squad. She’s got a mom with depression and an absent father and lives in a crappy little town, and being on the mat and with her cheer team always makes everything better. When a new girl joins the team and a rivalry starts between the two, Maris turns to a supernatural, ancient creature for help. But we all know that the promises creatures like Doe make usually end up only working out for them — and not for the girls who need them.

Release date: June 23, 2026

The Hardest Ones to Fool

In The Hardest Ones to Fool, Amelia Wu takes great pride in being whoever she wants to be in her three different relationships. With each of her partners, she gets to be a different version of herself and reap the benefits of each relationship — but when her best friend ends up dead, all of her plans start to unravel. This is a story of identity, of what happens when you want something too much, and a perfect lesson in the effects of scamming.

Release date: August 4, 2026

I Know You Started It

A middle school fire leaves an entire student body wondering what happened in I Know You Started It. Was it an accident? A prank? Arson? Four friends really want to figure out who started the fire and why — and each of them has their own reasons for wanting to be the person who solves the mystery. But what happens when they can’t? Will the wrong person be blamed? Is the arsonist watching them and keeping one step ahead? This is a great kid-friendly mystery to start with if you’re unsure how much your middle schooler will love a thriller.

Fantasy, Sci-Fi, & Historical

If your middle schooler loves a fantastical world, a fight against technology, or just a big dose of whimsy, these books should top their reading list.

The Genie Game

Set in a reimagined Los Angeles, The Genie Game is about a girl named Valentine who must compete in a “magical system designed to exploit her” while trying desperately to uncover the whereabouts of her missing sister. But the powers that control the city — The Trio Trust — will do anything they can to keep her and the underground resistance, GENIE, she’s joined, in her place.

Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveler

Summarized as Back to the Future meets Judy Blume, Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveler tells the story of a 13-year-old girl who ends up traveling to a new century every New Year’s Eve. And if you thought being 13 now was tough, imagine trying to figure it all out in ancient Rome. This story has so many laugh-out-loud moments, is incredibly sweet and tender, and will feel extremely relatable to every middle school girl who felt like she had to figure it all out.

Release date: May 12, 2026

Strixhaven: Omens of Chaos

Your kids don’t have to know how to play the Magic: The Gathering card game to enjoy this fantasy novel, but they might want to after they finish reading. Strixhaven: Omens of Chaos is the story of a girl named Eula Blue who was supposed to be a mage before the war destroyed everything. But when she receives an invitation to study magic at a school called Strixhaven, she jumps at the chance and gets a whole lot more than she bargained for.

Facts & Niche Interests

Got a middle schooler who loves nonfiction and learning all the interesting “Hey, did you know?” stories? Then these are the books you want. Perfect for getting them off screens and relying on search engines, these books are going to start a whole lot of conversations.

Captivating History for Curious Kids

This one may start on the younger side of the age range, but the collection of nonfiction historical short stories is going to be perfect for anybody who loves facts and interesting tidbits. Covering over 5,000 years of human history, Captivating History for Curious Kids will have readers learning all kinds of incredible stories, like the baker who survived the Titanic and the emperor who had a pet polar bear.

Who Got Game? Football

For football-lovers, there’s Who Got Game? Football. In this book are facts about the NFL, trivia tidbits, and information on star players, stats, and records that sports fans will just gobble up. This is a must if your kid loves football but maybe hasn’t found a book they love yet — they’re going to devour this one. This series also has other sports history books if you find your middle schooler liking this one!

Release date: August 18, 2026

Family & Coming-Of-Age

For stories about family, friendships, coming-of-age, and just general life, these are the ones to add to your kid’s bookshelf. They, of course, all have some kind of lesson, but the relatability factor is high — a must for a middle schooler.

Don’t Feed the Lion

Hailed by Jake Tapper as a book that will give kids the tools to recognize and stand up to hate, Don’t Feed the Lion is a story about how antisemitism affects a Jewish family, especially 13-year-old Theo. No matter how much they want to ignore the hate, they know they can’t — and they need their friends and teammates to know they can’t either. This book will bring up all sorts of feelings and is the perfect starter to a conversation about doing the right thing.

Sleepless

If you’ve got a tween or teen who’d rather stay awake all night than even think about going to bed, Sleepless is going to be one of those epic stories they’ll love. The book is about five kids who are suddenly unable to sleep and up all night every night — and they have no idea why. They keep the secret hidden from family and friends, but when they each realize how many of them are going through this, they know they have to figure it out. It’s funny, it’s smart, and it really brings to light the conversation of what we’d all do if we just had the time.

Release date: July 7, 2026

Javier and the Cone of Uncertainty

The fourth in the The Kids Under the Stairs series, Javier and the Cone of Uncertainty focuses on the quiet, artistic one of the group, Javi. He seems so calm and pulled together on the outside, but as his sketchbook proves, there’s a lot more under the surface — and now a hurricane that shares Javi’s name is headed for his home on his 13th birthday. The fear and stress and chaos of a huge storm coming in bring to light some of Javi’s big emotions, and he’ll have to face them — and some big changes — as the storm surges.

Release date: May 12, 2026

The Chismosas Only Book Club

If you want your middle schooler to read something on par with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, try The Chismosas Only Book Club. The story follows four Chicanas as they go through everything from their freshman year of high school to their first periods and crushes, talking about it all in their book club. One of the girls’ families owns a bookstore, where the girls find stories that reflect their own lives, giving them what they need to feel confident, stand tall, and keep going. It’s a beautiful story about friendship, identity, and confidence, and it all feels so cozy and magical in the bookstore setting.

Release date: May 26, 2026



source https://www.scarymommy.com/entertainment/new-books-for-middle-schooler-to-read-this-summer

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