I read 49 middle school or late elementary school fiction books this year. I wish I had time to talk about them all, but I did face up 18 of my favorites, although just looking at some of the great ones that didn’t make the cut makes me sad because they were so good!

If you have a topic that you want a recommendation for, please ask!

Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy (escaping a cult)

The Truth About Triangles by Michael Leali (family business, fighting parents, LGBTQ main character)

Ava Lin Best Friend by Vicky Fang (simple for the youngers, with illustrations)

Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up by Jenn Bishop (best friends, basketball)

Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston (neglect, foster care)

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko (neglect, foster care)

Carter Avery’s Tricky Fourth-Grade Year by Rob Buyea (ADHD, first friendships)

Tig by Heather Smith (neglect, LGBTQ uncles)

Grow Up, Luchy Zapata by Alexandra Alessandri (friendship breakup)

Rise of the Spider by Michael P Spradlin (Nazi recruitment)

Lost Kites and Other Treasures by Cathy Carr (family secrets)

Mama’s Chicken and Dumplings by Dionna Mann (matchmaking)

My Life as a Potato by Arianna Costner (mascot)

Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart (loss of mother)

The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Mendez (soccer)

The Decomposition of Jack by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb (roadkill)

Frindle and Frindle Files by Andrew Clements (90s classic and current sequel)