Welcome back to our celebration of the best middle-grade books of 2024! In Part One, we explored a mix of magical adventures, heartwarming friendships (like Crosley and John), and stories of courage and resilience. Now, in Part Two, we’re diving into even more incredible reads that promise to capture your imagination, spark important conversations, and introduce unforgettable characters. Whether you’re looking for stories about overcoming challenges, exploring history, or embarking on fantastical journeys, this list has something special for every middle-grade reader. So, let’s turn the page and discover the next round of must-reads for 2024!

Note: Book descriptions are from Amazon, and we have not personally read all of them. 

Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II
by Adam Gidwitz 

Max Bretzfeld doesn’t want to move to London.

Leaving home is hard, and Max is alone for the first time in his life. But not for long. Max is surprised to discover he’s been joined by two unexpected traveling companions, one on each shoulder, a kobold and a dybbuk named Berg and Stein.

Germany is becoming more and more dangerous for Jewish families, but Max is determined to find a way back home and back to his parents. He has a plan to return to Berlin. It merely involves accomplishing the impossible: becoming a British spy.

The first book in a duology, Max in the House of Spies, is a thought-provoking World War II story as only acclaimed storyteller Adam Gidwitz can tell it—fast-paced and hilarious, with a dash of magic and a lot of heart.

 

Mishka
by Edward van de Vendel & Anoush Elman

Roya, her three brothers, and their parents have a new family member: Mishka, a bunny rabbit. He soon becomes a beloved part of their new home, and gradually, the rabbit—and Roya—get to hear the story of the family’s journey from Afghanistan to the Netherlands. The story is told from different perspectives every time: big Bashir, gentle Hamayun, tough Navid, and sometimes Mom and Dad. Mishka and Roya listen.

Anoush Elman and Edward van de Vendel became friends upon Elman’s arrival in the Netherlands, and fifteen years later, they decided to write a story for younger readers about his family’s experience. This gorgeous chapter book — illustrated throughout in full color — is a tender, lyrical story of a young girl processing a new country, new school, and new friends — and a bunny escape! — in a story readers and parents will treasure.

Quagmire Tiarello prides himself on not needing anything from anybody. Sure, his mom is skipping work again and showing signs of going into one of her full-out spins, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. He’s used to her up-and-down moods, even if this time it feels a little different.

Then his mom disappears, and Quag must find shelter with an uncle he didn’t know he had. Should he come clean about his mother’s mental health challenges? Or can he use his carefully honed skills to bluff long enough to find his mom and get home? Readers will root for Quag as he rethinks his world and learns to accept help from the people who love him.

 

 

Shark Teeth
by Sherri Winston

Sharkita “Kita” Hayes is always waiting.
Waiting for her mama to mess up.
Waiting for social services to be called again.
Waiting for her and her siblings to be separated.
Waiting for her worst fear to come true.

But Mama promises things are different now. She’s got a good job, she’s stopped drinking, stopped going out every night-it’s almost enough to make Kita believe her this time. But even as Kita’s life is going well, she can’t shake the feeling that everything could go up in flames at any moment. When her assistant principal and trusted dance coach starts asking questions about her home life, Kita is more determined than ever to keep up appearances and make sure her family stays together-even if it means falling apart herself.

As the threat of her family being separated again circles like a shark in the water, the pressure starts to get to Kita. But could it be that Kita’s worst fear is actually the best thing that could happen to her family . . . and to her?

 

Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of the American Indian Boarding Schools 
by Dan SaSuWeh Jones 

Little Moon There Are No Stars Tonight was four years old when armed federal agents showed up at her home and took her from her family. Under the authority of the government, she was sent away to a boarding school specifically created to strip her of her Ponca culture and teach her the ways of white society. Little Moon was one of thousands of Indigenous children forced to attend these schools across America and give up everything they’d ever known: family, friends, toys, clothing, food, customs, and even their language. She would be the first of four generations of her family to go to Chilocco Indian Agricultural School.

Dan SaSuWeh Jones chronicles his family’s time at Chilocco, starting with his grandmother Little Moon’s arrival when the school first opened and ending with him working on the maintenance crew when the school shut down nearly one hundred years later. Together with the voices of students from other schools, both those who died and those who survived, Dan illuminates the lasting legacy of the boarding school era.

 

Weirdo
by Tony Weaver Jr.

Eleven-year-old Tony Weaver, Jr. loves comic books, anime, and video games and idolizes the heroic, larger-than-life characters he finds there. But his new classmates all think he’s a weirdo. Bullied by his peers, Tony struggles with the hurt of not being accepted and tries to conform to other people’s expectations. After a traumatic event shakes him to his core, he embarks on a journey of self-love that will require him to become the hero of his own story.

Weirdo is a triumphant, witty, and comedic story for any kid who’s ever felt awkward, left out, or like they don’t belong. An adolescent survival guide that will give every reader the confidence to make it to the other side.