After a long day at the beach, the pool, the backyard, etc, there is nothing better than a popsicle followed by flopping down on a comfy surface to relax and read. Grab the attention of the kids who immediately claim boredom the minute they come inside with these Top 5 Diverse Middle Grade Books for Summer Reading.
Explore these exciting new children's books below to celebrate kids from all backgrounds enjoying summer adventures.
Comment below with other new titles to help our readers
find new favorites for their bookshelves at home
and in the classroom!
•Top 5 Diverse Middle Grade Books for Summer Reading •
THE MISFITS: A COPYCAT CONUNDRUM
Oof! After solving the case of the Royal Rumpus, Olive Cobin Zang and her elite team of underdogs are on top of the world. As the awkward, crime-fighting Misfits, they’re acing every mission thrown at them from NOCK (aka No One Can Know, the covert agency they work for).
But when their classmate Zeke starts receiving threatening notes, the Misfits are stumped. They’re no strangers to danger, but this case is a total head-scratcher. Who would target kind, friendly Zeke . . . unless he’s not what he seems to be?
At the same time, unusual earthquakes start shaking up San Francisco just as priceless art goes missing, and the Misfits are called to investigate. Is it a coincidence that the city is under attack while Zeke is getting mysterious messages? Or is it all just a cover for a scheme bigger than any they’ve faced before?
For other Misfit adventures from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, don't miss The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum!
THE MISFITS: THE COPYCAT CONUNDRUM
Written by Lisa Yee and Illustrated by Dan Santat
Published by RandomHouse Books
A HERO'S GUIDE TO SUMMER VACATION
Reality proves more epic than fantasy in this family road trip story starring a reluctant young hero and his curmudgeonly grandfather.
Gonzalo Alberto Sánchez García has never considered himself the hero of his own story. He’s an observer, quietly snapshotting landscapes and drawing the creatures he imagines emerging from them. Forced to spend the summer with his estranged grandfather, Alberto William García—the very famous reclusive author—Gonzalo doesn't expect to learn that heroes and monsters are not only the stuff of fantasy.
But that’s precisely what happens when Gonzalo’s CEO mother, Veronica, sends Alberto on tour to promote the final book in his fantasy series for children and Gonzalo must tag along, even though he feels no connection to his grandfather or the books. Together, they embark on a cross-country road trip from Mendocino to Miami in a classic 1968 Oldsmobile Cutlass S convertible named Mathilde. Over the course of ten epic days on the highway, they will slay demons, real and imagined; confront old stories to write new ones; and learn what it truly means to show up for your family.
A HERO'S GUIDE TO SUMMER VACATION
Written by Pablo Cartaya
Published by Kokila Books
BUMPS IN THE NIGHT
The middle grade horror debut from USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard in which a girl stays with her grandmother in Trinidad for the summer and discovers that she comes from a long line of witches.
Thirteen-year-old Darika Lovelace is in big trouble. The kind of trouble that means she’s being sent off to her grandmother in the Caribbean. She should be grateful, but instead she’s angry. Angry at her dad and step-mom for sending her away for an entire summer. Angry at her mom who went away and never came back.
But the island is definitely not what she remembers! The minute she steps off the plane, strange things start happening, including being stalked by a baby iguana. When she meets a ragtag group of children on her Granny’s estate, she knows they are not what they seem, but after they promise to take her to her long-lost mom, she leaps at the chance.
Thrust into an incredible adventure involving strange monsters, a supernatural silk cotton tree, and a mysterious maze, soon the truth about her unique magical roots comes to light. She’s the island’s only hope, but unless she learns to believe in magic, all will be lost.
BUMPS IN THE NIGHT
Written by Amalie Howard
Published by Yearling Books
ENCOUNTER AT OWL ROCK
In this exhilarating alien sci-fi adventure perfect for fans of Jordan Peele’s Nope, Lamar Giles and Kwame Mbalia, twin brothers must stop aliens from taking over their Atlanta suburb.
There’s something weird going on in South Bank…and the Young brothers are at the center of it.
Cypress and Oakley Young are polar opposites and if it weren’t for being identical twins, no one would ever guess they were related. Cy is a budding film director and this summer, he’s filming his latest movie at the abandoned theme park with Oak and their best friend Jaz as his actors. He loves directing, because being the director means calling the shots, being in absolute control of how the story turns out. Except Oak’s wild imagination can’t be contained. Tired of hearing about his brother’s dreams and alien conspiracy theories, Cy snaps at him. But before he can patch things up, Oak vanishes into Owl Rock, this huge otherworldly granite formation at the center of the park, leaving only his skateboard behind.
When Orion Industries, the company that’s been excavating beneath Owl Rock and snapping up property all around town, start searching for Oak with a little too much interest, it’s up to Cy and Jaz to find Oak first and uncover the true secrets of Owl Rock. This heartening whirlwind adventure is ready to thrill as two brothers discover we’re not alone in the universe.
ENCOUNTER AT OWL ROCK
Written by Rucker Moses
Published by Nancy Paulson Books
SMOKE & MIRRORS
Spending the summer with his aunt as the only Black kid in a small Midwestern town was bad enough, but now Andy Carter's summer has been effectively ruined.
His dad's parole hearing is postponed, he misses his friends, and–when an old barn burns down–he's stuck taking the blame. Andy is sentenced with helping the barn's owner, a cantankerous old man, renovate his crumbling mansion–a mansion that hides a mystery.
It was once owned by the famous magician the Red Knave. In 1954, the Knave was a wanted suspect in the town's most infamous murder before disappearing without a trace.
The whole town is sure the Red Knave is guilty, but to Andy, things just don't add up. Investigating a mystery from the '50s isn't the same as spending time with his dad, but Andy can't help but be drawn into the Red Knave's exciting world of magic and illusion. To solve the Knave's final vanishing act, Andy teams up with another boy he doesn't quite trust. Secret by secret, they try to uncover the Red Knave's identity and learn why his last performance came to such a tragic end.
With a gripping combination of hidden doors, shocking twists, and deep emotional heart, Smoke & Mirrors asks the question: How much of the truth is what you can get people to believe?
SMOKE & MIRRORS
Written by Rosalyn Ransaw
Published by Amulet Books
Need more diverse children's book recommendations?
Check out this resource:
Don't miss all our diverse books recommendations on KidLitTV!
Bethany Edwards is an elementary educator as well as a reading and literacy specialist. On Biracial Bookworms, she focuses on multiracial and multicultural resources for teaching literacy skills using reading, travel, and learning multiple languages. Additionally, she offers online and self-paced courses for parents and caregivers on Biracial Bookworms Academy.
Connect with Bethany on Biracial Bookworms
|
Leave Your Comment