Middle Grade Novels of 2012

Author	Shannon Messenger
ISBN	1442445939

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers...

Author	Christopher Healy
ISBN	0062117432

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming....

Author

Caroline Starr Rose

I’ve known it since last night:
It’s been too long to expect them to return.
Something’s happened.

May is helping out on a neighbor’s Kansas prairie homestead—just until Christmas, says Pa. She wants to contribute, but it’s hard to be separated from her family by 15 long,...

Author	Rebecca Stead
ISBN	0385737432

When seventh grader Georges (the S is silent) moves into a Brooklyn apartment building, he meets Safer, a twelve-year-old coffee-drinking loner and self-appointed spy. Georges becomes Safer's first spy recruit. His assignment? Tracking the mysterious Mr. X, who lives in the apartment upstairs....

Author	Lynne Kelly
ISBN	0374312370

After ten-year-old Hastin’s family borrows money to pay for his sister’s hospital bill, he leaves his village in northern India to take a job as an elephant keeper and work off the debt. He thinks it will be an adventure, but he isn’t prepared for the cruel circus owner. The crowds that come...

Author	Lisa McMann
ISBN	1442407719

Second book in the middle grade dystopian fantasy series, Unwanteds.

The battle is over. The magical barrier between the dreary land of Quill and the fantastical world of Artimé is gone. Now residents of both places are free to mingle, but tensions are high. The artistic warriors of Artimé...

Author	Jerry Spinelli
ISBN	0060281359

Jake and Lily are twins. Even though they seem pretty different—Jake is the calm one and Lily has a temper; Lily is obsessed with trains and Jake collects cool rocks—they feel exactly the same, almost like two halves of one person. When one of them gets hurt, the other can feel it. They can communicate...

Author	Sarah Prineas
ISBN	0061921033

“We live here, my girl, because it is close to the Way, and echoes of its magic are felt in our world. The Way is a path leading to another place, where the people are governed by different rules. Magic runs through them and their land.”With her boundless curiosity and wild spirit, Fer has always felt...

Author	Stuart Gibbs
ISBN	1442421827

Can a normal, average kid become a superstar secret agent? Maybe not, but it’ll be fun to watch him try!

Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: C.I.A. or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In...

Author	Stefan Bachmann
ISBN	0062195182

Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.

In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings--Peculiars--and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.

One day a mysterious...

Author	Lana Krumwiede
ISBN	0763659371

In twelve-year-old Taemon’s city, everyone has a power called psi—the ability to move and manipulate objects with their minds. When Taemon loses his psi in a traumatic accident, he must hide his lack of power by any means possible. But a humiliating incident at a sports tournament exposes his disability,...

Author	Rob Buyea
ISBN	0385742053

The kids and teacher of Because of Mr. Terupt are back in this warm-hearted sequel.

Fifth-grade was full of unforgettable events for Mr. Terupt and his class at Snow Hill School. Seven students were particularly affected by Mr. Terupt. Now those seven students are back, and they've been granted...

Author	Brandon Mull
ISBN	1416997946

The second epic installment of Brandon Mull’s #1 New York Times bestselling fantasy series!

After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known—yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows...

Author	Barry Wolverton
ISBN	0062027913

Barry Wolverton's masterful middle-grade debut, Neversink, is an epic tale of some very un-epic birds, a fast-paced and funny story of survival, friendship, and fish, in the vein of Watership Down and Kathi Appelt's The Underneath.

Along the Arctic Circle lies a small island called Neversink,...

Author	Anne Nesbet
ISBN	0061963135

The Cabinet of Earths, Anne Nesbet’s debut novel for tweens, blends fantasy, science, and horror into an irresistible story in the vein of the classic His Dark Materials series.
 
Twelve-year-old Maya is miserable when she has to move from California to Paris. Not speaking French at a school...

Author	Joanne Levy
ISBN	1599908360

After she’s hit by lightning at a wedding, twelve-year-old Lilah Bloom develops a new talent: she can hear dead people. Among them, there’s her overopinionated Bubby Dora; a prissy fashion designer; and an approval-seeking clown who livens up a séance. With Bubby Dora leading the way, these...

Author

Nikki Loftin

When Lorelei's old school mysteriously burns down, a new one appears practically overnight: Splendid Academy. Rock-climbing walls on the playground and golden bowls of candy on every desk? Gourmet meals in the cafeteria, served by waiters? Optional homework and two recess periods a day? It's every...

Author	Peter Lerangis
ISBN	0545298415

A LIFE ON THE LINE
When seven members of his family were kidnapped by the Vespers, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill knew he was in for the fight of his life. He knew he was up against an impossibly powerful enemy. And Dan knew the odds were that some of his family members wouldn't make it.
But even as...

Author	Lois Lowry
ISBN	0547887205

They called her Water Claire. When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn’t exist. That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen. That it had been stolen from her body. Claire had a son. But what became...

Author	James Dashner
ISBN	0545386969

Scholastic's next multi-platform mega-event begins here! History is broken, and three kids must travel back in time to set it right!

When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble upon the secret of time travel -- a hand-held device known as the Infinity Ring -- they're swept up in a centuries-long...

Author	Stephanie Burgis
ISBN	1416994491

The feisty Kat Stephenson is back in the second installment of the Regency era magical trilogy Kirkus Reviews calls “enjoyable mayhem.”

Nowhere in England is safe from the mischief and magic of Kat Stephenson: Her eldest sister has finally wed, but when a scandalous accusation threatens...

Author	Sharon Creech
ISBN	0061892327

From Newbery Medal winner and bestselling author Sharon Creech comes a grand, sweeping yarn that is a celebration of the great and unexpected gifts of love, friendship, and forgiveness. With a starred review from Kirkus Reviews calling it an "enchanting tale to treasure," The Great Unexpected captures...

Author	Lauren Oliver
ISBN	0061978086

Evocative of Alice in Wonderland, this novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver is a bewitching story about the reaches of loyalty and the enduring power of hope. Perfect for fans of the author’s other middle grade novels: Liesl & Po and the Curiosity House series.

Looking...

Author

Amber McRee Turner

Cass has been waiting for her mom to come home for months. When her mother returns to them and they throw a party for her, her father springs the news that they were all going to go on a road trip together as a family. Cass's mother has other plans and abandons them to Florida where she has replaced them with...

Author	John Flanagan
ISBN	0399256202

The adventure continues in the Ranger's Apprentice companion trilogy!

Hal and the Herons have done the impossible. This group of outsiders has beaten out the strongest, most skilled young warriors in all of Skandia to win the Brotherband competition. But their celebration comes to an abrupt...

Author	Jeramey Kraatz
ISBN	0062095471

The first in a thrilling, action-packed middle grade trilogy, which School Library Journal declared "will likely find the same wide appeal as Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books.

The Cloak Society: An elite organization of supervillains graced with extraordinary powers. Ten years ago...

Author	Jasmine Richards
ISBN	0062010077

Magic, Djinn, Ogres, and Sorcerers. Thirteen-year-old Zardi loves to hear stories about fantastical beings, long banned from the kingdom of Arribitha. But anyone caught whispering of their powers will feel the rage of the sultan—a terrifying usurper who, even with his eyes closed, can see all....

Author	Shannon Hale
ISBN	1599908735

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding.There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who...

Author	Sara Pennypacker
ISBN	0061964204

Stella loves living with Great-aunt Louise in her big old house near the water on Cape Cod for many reasons, but mostly because Louise likes routine as much as she does, something Stella appreciates since her mom is, well, kind of unreliable. So while Mom "finds herself," Stella fantasizes that someday...

Author	Adam Rex
ISBN	0062060023

Cold Cereal Facts Serving size 1 chapter Number of servings 40
Primary human characters 3
Scottish Play Doe, aka Scottpossible changeling Erno Utz genius Emily Utz supergenius Magical creatures at least 3
Mick Leprechaun (or Clurichaun)
Harvey Pooka (rabbit-man)
Biggs indeterminate...

Author	Jennifer E. Smith
ISBN	0316179582

Enter the world of The Storm Makers, where there's magic behind every forecast.
What starts as an ordinary summer turns exciting and perilous for twins Ruby and Simon when strange occurrences begin happening on their farm -- sudden gusts of wind, rainstorms, and even tornado warnings -- that...

Author	Juliet Bell
ISBN	0399256458

A young girl makes her fractured family whole again with the help of a very special book

When eleven-year-old Ella's mother has to be hospitalized to undergo a dangerous cancer treatment, Ella spends the summer at "Broken Family Camp" with her eccentric grandmother, whom she's never met....

Author

Sherwood Smith

Just right for fans of Tamora Pierce and Patricia C. Wrede!

When twelve-year-old Lady Lilah decides to disguise herself and sneak out of the palace one night, she has more of an adventure than she expected--for she learns very quickly that the country is on the edge of revolution. When she sneaks...

Author	Carol Antoinette Peacock
ISBN	0670013862

A poignant and compelling story of friendship, family, and love

Wen has spent the first eleven years of her life at an orphanage in rural China, and the only person she would call family is her best friend, Shu Ling. When Wen is adopted by an American couple, she struggles to adjust to every part...

Author	Kelly Barnhill
ISBN	0316056731

In most fairy tales, princesses are beautiful, dragons are terrifying, and stories are harmless. This isn’t most fairy tales.

Princess Violet is plain, reckless, and quite possibly too clever for her own good. Particularly when it comes to telling stories. One day she and her best friend,...

Author	Rick Riordan
ISBN	1423163001

What dangers do runaway demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn't take kindly to intruders? How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of...

Author

John Claude Bemis

In Casseomae's world, the wolves rule the Forest, and the Forest is everywhere. The animals tell stories of the Skinless Ones, whose cities and roads once covered the earth, but the Skinless disappeared long ago.

Casseomae is content to live alone, apart from the other bears in her tribe, until...

Author

Helene Boudreau

Jade begins her summer confused. Yes, there's that whole "will this be a leg-day or a tail-day" kind of confusion, but Jade's got even bigger problems: it's been three weeks since Mom returned to the ocean with no news of her whereabouts. Plus, it's been twenty-one days since Jade first kissed her mer-boy...

Author	Joyce Shor Johnson
ISBN	0983824010

350 A.D. Ireland Twelve-year-old Robyn must decide her future at the coming of age ceremony, but choosing the right path is a challenge. Most girls in Robyn's village will choose traditional roles of healing, midwifery or farming. Others will choose to be warriors or go into Brehon law. None of these...

Author	Donna Gephart
ISBN	0385740522

Olivia Bean knows trivia. She watches Jeopardy! every night and usually beats at least one of the contestants. If she were better at geography, she would try out for the show’s kids’ week. Not only could she win bundles of money, she’d get to go to the taping in California, where her dad, who left...

Author	Laura Amy Schlitz
ISBN	0763653802

The master puppeteer, Gaspare Grisini, is so expert at manipulating his stringed puppets that they appear alive. Clara Wintermute, the only child of a wealthy doctor, is spellbound by Grisini’s act and invites him to entertain at her birthday party. Seeing his chance to make a fortune, Grisini accepts...

Author	Jennifer Roy
ISBN	1442439203

Every girl wishes she was a princess—and Claire’s cousin is living the dream! But will this  royal romance end in disaster?

Eleven-year-old Claire Gross is fascinated by all things royal—especially because her very own cousin Belle is engaged to the Prince of England! Even though...

Author	Vivian Vande Velde
ISBN	0547738501

Grace Pizzelli is the average one, nothing like her brilliant older sister, Emily, who works for Rasmussem, creators of the world’s best virtual reality games. The games aren’t real, though—or at least they weren’t. Now Emily has hidden herself inside a pink and sparkly game meant for little...

Author

Randi Reisfeld

Ever since her police officer father was killed a few months ago, Grace Abernathy hasn't wanted to do much of anything. She's pulled away from her friends, her grades are plummeting . . . it's a problem. The last thing Grace wants is to be dragged into her older sister Regan's plan to train a shelter dog as...

Author	Allan Stratton
ISBN	0061976083

Hans doesn't know who he is or where he came from. When he was a baby, he washed ashore in a wooden box and was adopted by the conniving grave robber Knobbe the Bent. Now fate has thrown him together with Angela von Schwanenberg, a young countess fleeing for her life from the evil Archduke Arnulf and his dreaded...

Author	Tom Angleberger
ISBN	1419701940

Award-winning author Tom Angleberger flexes his comic muscle in this hairy adventure story with twists at every turn.

Regular kid Lenny Flem Jr. is the only one standing between his evil-genius best friend—Casper, a master of disguise and hypnosis—and world domination. It all begins...

Author	Diana López
ISBN	0545418224

A heartfelt novel about the disturbing “choking game” trend—and one girl’s struggle for self-acceptance.

If she could—if her parents would let her—eighth-grader Windy would change everything about herself. She’d get highlights in her hair, a new wardrobe; she’d wear...

Author	Michael A. Rothman
ISBN	0985169710

The Riverton family had been enjoying a simple summer vacation when, through a fluke of nature, they found themselves in a strange new land. The Riverton brothers quickly realize that in this world, they have gained unusual powers. Powers that their parents fear will attract the attention of Azazel...

Author	Rebecca Wade
ISBN	0060774975

Maisie Holt.

This is her book.

It's an old house, one her family plans to stay in for only a short while; but for Hannah Price, secrets soon come creeping out of every corner of Cowleigh Lodge.

First there's the old and dusty book of children's fairy tales that belonged to a young...

Author	Mary Sullivan
ISBN	0399256849

A timely, eye-opening novel showing how war affects families on both sides

Ever since her brother Sef left for Iraq, Cassie has felt like her life is falling apart. Her parents are fighting over her brother having gone to war. Her smart, beautiful sister is messing up. Her little brother, who...

Author	Vanessa Curtis
ISBN	1405257210

Set in a sprawling Victorian manor, a classic ghost story with a stunning twist

I look up at the dark, unblinking eyes of the house and I get the weirdest feeling . . . It's the feeling of being pulled into something and being unable to stop it happening . . .

Tabitha is used to changing...

Author	Mike Jung
ISBN	0545335485

Can knowing the most superhero trivia in the whole school be considered a superpower? If so, Vincent Wu is invincible.

If not (and let’s face it, it’s “not”), then Vincent and his pals Max and George don’t get any props for being the leaders (and, well, sole members) of the (unofficial)...

Author	Stacy DeKeyser
ISBN	1442433280

As a foreigner living abroad in Taiwan, I find local superstitions fascinating. The first baseball game I went to had a caffeine-wired hyperman using a microphone and cheering in Mandarin while fans echoed back his words all the while pounding their thunderstix in ear-deafening patterns. One time,...

Author	Kim Baker
ISBN	1596437650

Junior Library Guild Selection

This is the story of THE LEAGUE OF PICKLE MAKERS.

Ben: who began it all by sneaking in one night and filling homeroom with ball-pit balls.

Frank: who figured out that an official club, say a pickle making club, could receive funding from the PTA.

Oliver:...

Author	T.L. Clarke
ISBN	0984499334

PDF version free from the author for honest review


This book picks up where the first Gabby Girls Adventure ends…the four friends (Gabrielle, Jessica, Zora, and Rosalinda) have found out that they are part of a magical group. They now are to move to a different “school” and learn...

Author	Christina Diaz Gonzalez
ISBN	0375869298

Ani believes she is just an insignificant whisper of a 12-year-old girl in a loud world. This is what her mother tells her anyway. Her father made her feel important, but he's been off fighting in Spain's Civil War, and his voice in her head is fading. Then she meets Mathias. His family has just moved to Guernica...

Author	Irene Latham
ISBN	1596437553

No kid knows more about zoo life than Whit. That's because he sleeps, eats and even attends home-school at the Meadowbrook Zoo. It's one of the perks of having a mother who's the zoo director and a father who's the head elephant keeper. Now that he's eleven, Whit feels trapped by the rules and routine of...

Author	Erin Fry
ISBN	0761462201

Bennett Robinson loves baseball, especially watching Dodgers’ games with his dad while munching on burgers and fries—the perfect “game food.” Baseball even helped Bennett and his dad get over his mom’s death from cancer. But there’s no way Bennett could ever play baseball. Bennett...