Middle-grade books are the ones that last with us for a lifetime; it’s the golden age of reading, where we find our love for reading nestled in a good book that sparks our imaginations, motivates us to do good in the world, and drives us to be better friends. Sometimes, the lessons we learn come shrouded in a cauldron’s smoke or hidden in a dragon’s lair. Join us as we ignite the passion for young readers in our lives with middle-grade fantasy featuring main characters who possess superhuman talents.
The Bookwanderers By Anna James, Illustrated by Paola Escobar
Matilda Pages, Tilly for short, finds comfort in her grandparents’ bookshop. When Anne of Green Gables and Alice from Wonderland start showing up in the store, Tilly discovers that she can bookwander into the stories she loves the most. This magical story takes readers on adventures into books in a book for some fun and excitement, where danger lurks behind a single page. I highly recommend this book for the younger bookworms in your life because there’s nothing better than imagining you can hop into the pages of your favorite story to join them on an adventure.
The Witches of Anderson House: A Spell for Disaster by Jennie Poh and Dave Lowe
Myrtle Stormwhisper has retired from practicing magic when a knock at the door from a young neighbor beckons her back. Former broomstick-riding champion, Myrtle, leans on her witchy friends to find the courage to ride a broom again. There are many witches in the Anderson House who don’t practice the craft anymore but help Myrtle in this laugh-out-loud tale that reminds readers you’re never too old — or too young — to have an adventure.
Emma and the Love Spell by Meredith Ireland
Emma Davidson is hiding a few secrets during the summer between sixth and seventh grade. Despite the promise she made to her parents not to use her powers, it’s Emma’s last chance to keep her best friend and secret crush, Avangeline, from moving away. Just one little love spell to keep Avangeline’s parents from getting a divorce would solve everything. This middle-grade novel has a little bit of everything: a Korean American adopted main character, queer representation, summer love, and magic that controls the weather.
Fall of the School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
Two brothers, one good and one evil, watch over the Endless Woods at the School for Good and Evil. When the School Masters get their loyalty tested, bonds are broken. Readers are taken on a journey to see what happens when loyalty is corrupted and the School Masters are at war with each other. This book ties up some loose ends from the prequel while providing enough twists and turns to keep any young reader hooked along the way.
In the Dragon’s Fiery Lair by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah, Illustrated by Ada Konewki
Upon inheriting her father’s magic, Amy takes a trip to the cave where the Magic Academy tests children on their 12th birthday. Before she can get there, a rockslide traps her and her mom inside the mountain. In their effort to explore the cavern in the dark, Amy runs into an invisible dragon who swears to protect them. When she accidentally sets off a magical spell, the dragon declares to help her with her newfound power before someone gets hurt. Is it enough to help them escape the mountain?
Brume: The Dragon Awakens by Jérôme Pélissier, Illustrated by Carine Hinder
Brume has plenty to prove to the people in the village if she’s going to be the Next Witch. When she tries her first spell, she somehow covers the whole village in fog. Brume readies for adventure with her pig, Hubert, and her best friend, Hugo, to figure out if the fog came from her or an awakened dragon. This enchanting middle-grade graphic novel is sure to capture audiences far and wide with detailed imagery and bewitching adventure.
Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu
Onyeka moved to England from Nigeria with her mother as a baby. She’s always been self-conscious about her hair, which often causes people to stop and stare. When Onyeka discovers that her Afro hair possesses psychokinetic powers, her mother tells her that her powers make her a Solari, a secret group of people with superpowers from Nigeria. Whisked off to the Academy of the Sun, Onyeka learns how to wield her newfound power, but she will be tested in a battle to find the truth. Fans of Marvel will love this fast-paced middle-grade novel.
The Ability by M.M. Vaughan, Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno
Christopher Lane doesn’t have anyone in his corner. His teachers think he’s just a liar and a thief, and his mom doesn’t want to deal with him. A visit from the Ministry of Education leads to an invitation for Christopher to attend Myers Holt Academy. The new school opens Christopher’s eyes to a whole new world where the human brain is capable of much more. But during all his trips into other people’s minds, Chris finds himself forced to face the consequences of his experiments, or his new life will be over before it really began.
The Girl With the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts
Those around her shun Katie due to her silver eyes and use of strange powers to scare them away. Once her grandmother passes away, Katie and her mother move to a new town in an attempt to start over. When a neighbor begins asking too many questions, Katie finds out that there are others like her. It might be the oldest book on this reading list, but having telekinetic powers is still well-loved by middle-grade readers everywhere who would love to throw rocks with their mind.
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
Descendants of the Red King all receive some of his powers, which is where Charlie Bone gets his powers from. Charlie can hear the people in photographs talking as if they were standing right next to him. Sent to Bloor Academy by his scheming aunts, he learns how to use these gifts. Many strange things happen at Bloor Academy, and Charlie is determined to uncover the truth behind the many mysteries that arise. An excellent series for middle-grade readers who might be too young yet for some of the other, more mainstream, magical school books, will find plenty to love about Charlie Bone.
Geeked Out by Obert Skye
Wattle Jr. High has transformed into a dystopian outpost where the principal hides from the students and the school is run by a tyrannical secretary, Darth Susan. As they’re hiding from the jocks (again), Tip and his friends, Owen, Xen, and Mindy, stumble into a hidden room where they’re bitten by spiders, transforming the crew of geeks into the League of Average Mediocre Entities (LAME). Sarcastically fun, middle-grade readers who love the other popular epistolary novels are sure to reread this one over and over.
The Super Life of Ben Braver by Marcus Emerson
Ben Braver is a normal kid who enjoys spending his summers watching TV and eating candy. But when he hears another kid calling for help, Ben can’t help but jump into action to try to save the day like his favorite comic book heroes. When the saving doesn’t go as planned, he’s invited to a school for kids with special powers. Part book and part graphic novel, middle-grade readers will love the mixed-media style, which enhances the story and drives home the punchlines.
Where There Be Monsters by Alby C. Williams
Glory Brown is the daughter of innkeepers whose family has been managing the inn for generations. Desperate for adventure, Glory jumps at the first chance she gets to use her Moxie, a power reserved only for children, and become a spherinaut like her mother. But there’s more mischief outside her home in The Seam, threatening the balance between worlds. Glory is a perfect heroine for middle-grade readers, spunky and determined without feeling overdone for the story.
Magical witches and psychokinetic powers abound in these middle-grade fantasy books that are sure to bewitch the readers in your life. Whether the lessons are floating through space or come to us through spider bite infections, it’s the enchanting experiences along the way that can shine through to inspire us.
Add more books to your young reader’s TBR with The 10 Best New Middle Grade Books of 2024.
Find these books and more on our Middle Grade Novels for the Inquisitive Teen bookshelf on Bookshop.org.
