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New & Coming Soon Books for Middle Schoolers July 2026 |
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Sleepless
by Gordon Korman
Well, now they have plenty of extra time... because they no longer need to sleep. None of them knows why this is happening to them. All they know is that they have to keep it a secret from their families and their friends. And while they keep it a secret, they can use their extra hours to become better than everyone else. Each of them thinks they're alone in their sleeplessness. But once they find each other, they know it can't be just an accident. Suddenly they're forced to ask: What's keeping them awake at night?
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Girl from the Ashes
by India Hill Brown
Gianna and Carter John are best friends, but they couldn't be more different. Gianna is small for her age, gets straight A's, and is the teacher's favorite. Meanwhile, Carter John gets in trouble no matter what he does, just because he's tall and his voice is loud. Then one day while working on a class project in the town library, Carter John gets in trouble yet again and reaches his breaking point. As his anger builds, a stack of books flies off the shelf, hitting the librarian. Now everywhere he goes, strange things are happening. The smell of smoke hangs in the air. Sparks fly when Carter John gets in trouble. And he hears the voice of a young girl singing a song . . . a song about burning . . .When fires start breaking out around town, Carter John and Gianna are determined to figure out who's responsible. They are certain that these are no normal fires . . . Something terrible once happened where the town library now stands, and someone's trying to send them a message about it. But who is she--and why is she determined to get revenge?
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Airrelle of the Maroon Witches
by Sumayyah Beck
Anyone can become a witch in Missen Dessalin. If you can find the Missen, that is. Some say the whole reason it was called a Missen is because it was a gathering place for those who wanted to stay missin'. Twelve-year-old Airrelle Bookman, born and raised in Missen Dessalin by two witch parents, has been waiting for magic to call to her for years now. She just has to secure her four patron animals, complete four rites, master four skills, and pass the initiation ceremony. Then she'll be a fully confirmed maroon witch, able to fly beyond the walls of the Missen as she pleases. Just like her parents, older siblings, and best friend Hosniya. When the time for her trial finally seems to arrive, so do familial troubles and threats to the very safety and secrecy of Missen Dessalin itself. But an ordinary girl from beyond the protected walls of Missen, one who has grown up in our own tumultuous and unenchanted world, may just be the key to Airrelle's troubles. Informed by the history of maroon societies and inspired by the fantasy worlds of Studio Ghibli, Airrelle of the Maroon Witches is a beautiful coming of age story about a shy but resourceful girl discovering her own power.
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Monster and Apprentice
by Jessica Khoury
After a life on the streets Rolan is chosen to apprentice under a feared monster hunter to slay Cryptics--deadly magical creatures born of secrets in this middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Witcher and Demon Slayer. Rolan Strider has never belonged--not at school, not in the city of Crisanth, and definitely not in the life of his crime-lord father. So when he's caught vandalizing one of the city's lanterns--a serious offense in a world where darkness breeds monsters--he expects prison. Instead, he's claimed by the Arcanist, a legendary warrior who hunts Cryptics: terrifying creatures born from the secrets people hide. Dragged beyond the safety of the city, Rolan is forced to train under Luc's harsh guidance--learning to read, fight, and wield Arcana, the strange power drawn from slain Cryptics. And for the first time, Rolan begins to feel at home. But the beast Luc has been hunting for years is closer than Rolan ever imagined--and tied to his own past in ways that could destroy them both. To survive, Rolan must face the truth, wield the power of the very secrets he fears, and decide who he wants to be in this action-packed adventure: an outlaw, a hero...or something else entirely.
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Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero
by Erin Entrada Kelly
Eleven-year-old Sofia Mendoza is a gamer, not a camper. She should be at home building landscapes and fighting monsters in Sandbox, not deep in the forest with six other kids, who might as well be playing her favorite game in tutorial mode.Even worse, there's something off about this summer camp. There are creepy, mechanical vultures, cloaked NPC figures, and the only adult is Monarch, a grim woman in combat boots.And then the game of elimination begins.Sofia may be caught in the clutches of Camp Forestjaw, but she'll do anything to survive. Anything. The problem is, in Forestjaw, everything you've ever done--no matter how long ago--comes back to you . . .
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The Haunting of Old Splinter
by Jack MacKay
Innocent wishes turn decidedly sinister in this chilling horror for fans of Katherine Arden and R. L. Stine. Peter and his half brother, Adrian, live in the shadow of Old Splinter--a formerly lavish estate now in ruins. Rumored to have once housed an eccentric magician, it's now home to little more than spiderwebs and mold. Tasked with renovating the crumbling mansion on behalf of their wealthy uncle, Peter's stepdad is at his wits' end. And the cracks are beginning to show in their once-happy cottage. A mysterious local legend may be their only hope. The wishing claw, a magical hand that grants your deepest desires, has spell-bound townsfolk for centuries. If it's real--if he can find it--then Peter might just save his family But wishes are tricky things and they always come with a price. What starts innocently enough soon unearths much more than Peter bargained for, including a dark secret lurking in the walls of the mansion...and a monstrous hunger that comes knocking at his door.
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Weird But True! Usa: Expanded Edition: 350 Fascinating Facts about the Fifty States
by National Geographic Kids
It's weird. It's true. And now, it's red, white, and blue Explore the wonderfully wacky side of the United States of America in Weird But True style--updated with 50 new facts to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence Did you know that there is a floating post office in Michigan? Or that a library book checked out by George Washington was returned to a New York City library 221 years late? Maybe you'd be amazed to discover that the ink used to print U.S. paper money is magnetic? In this latest book in the Weird But True series, you'll encounter all kinds of bizarre people, places, events, and things that make our country unique. This all-American Weird But True is sure to entertain at Fourth of July barbecues, Team USA watch parties, America 250 celebrations and all year round--just don't pass the potato candy, which was a truly weird treat during colonial times. Get ready to explore wonders, facts, stats, tidbits, and trivia about America's 50 states and territories.
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Red, White, Blue and Uncle Who?: The Stories Behind Some of America's Patriotic Symbols
by Teresa Bateman
Have you ever wondered how the Liberty Bell got cracked? Did you know the wild turkey almost became the national bird of the United States? And who is Uncle Sam, anyway? Answer all these questions and many more as you explore the history behind seventeen well-known monuments and symbols of the United States of America--including the Great Seal, the Pledge of Allegience, the Capitol Building and more. Descriptions of each symbol include the history behind it, the people involved in creating it, and intriguing trivia. Important dates are highlighted, helping to create a timeline of when these patriotic symbols became accepted parts of our nation's history. John O'Brien's black-and-white cartoon illustrations on nearly every page add a touch of humor to the engaging text. An index is included.
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Sleuth & Solve: Human Body: 20 Mind-Twisting Mysteries
by Victor Escandell
We all have a body, but how much do you really know about yours? Through twenty mini mysteries, secrets of the human body will be revealed with humor, wit, and intrigue. Ready, set, investigate Welcome to the world of Sleuth & Solve: Human Body, where readers channel their inner Sherlock as they practice deduction, inference, and logical reasoning to solve a series of mind-twisting mysteries, all contained in our very own human bodies!
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Dare You to Dance: (A Graphic Novel)
by Rebecca Mock
From the award-winning illustrator of The Four Points series comes a heartfelt middle grade graphic novel about a small-town ballerina attending a prestigious dance workshop. Determined to push herself, she picks the best dancer in class to compete against--only to discover that what her rival really needs is...friendship. Gracie is ready to take on the ballet world -- starting with the Young Dancer Summer Workshop in New York It's a two week summer course, and while she misses her family in Ohio, she is ready to show this ballet school that she has what it takes. Too bad none of the other students got the memo and now Gracie feels like she's already being left in the dust Luckily, she knows the best way to get herself motivated is with a good rival and who better to pick than the star of the class, Sariah Except Sariah doesn't seem interested in a fun competition with Gracie. In fact, she's so serious that it seems like she barely enjoys dancing at all? Can Gracie break through to Sariah and find the exciting rival she wants? Or is this rivalry, and Gracie's future in ballet, both doomed before it can even start?
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Hand-Me-Down: A Graphic Memoir
by Damian Alexander
From the author of the highly praised debut Other Boys comes a moving graphic memoir about the love we pass down across generations. Perfect for fans of Hey, Kiddo and Flamer.Damian's mother died when he was a baby, and he has lived with his grandma ever since. Now, all he has left of his mother are old photos and the stories Nanny shares with him. Nanny has a lot of stories, some about his mom and some about her own childhood growing up in foster care. When Damian feels lonely, he imagines what life was like when his mother and grandmother were middle schoolers like him. Through memories, stories, and daydreams, he feels closer to the mother he lost and begins to see the mother he found.
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History Smashers: The Space Race
by Kate Messner
Myths Lies Failed satellite launches? Head to the launch pad, the History Smashers are busting the biggest misconceptions about the Space-Race, and the facts are blasting off in 10-9-8... On April 14, 1969, President John F. Kennedy announced that the U.S. would put a man on the moon kicking off the Space Race, right? WRONG The Space Race was already well underway by 1969...and honestly, the U.S. was lightyears behind the Russians when it came to space exploration. Alright, but once the U.S. got going, it was smooth sailing to the stars, right? Not exactly. Space exploration always comes with risk, and the truth is to learn about our universe, it took the work of many scientists, politicians, and passionate every day citizens like you. Grab your helmet and join New York Times bestselling author Kate Messer as she leads the History Smashers to dispel the misconceptions and outright myths about tensions between the U.S. and Russia during the consequential Space Race.
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Offside: A Graphic Novel
by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
From the author of the USA Today and Indie bestselling Invisible, a must-have graphic novel about five very different students who may just have more in common than they thought. Winning is everything. For the first time ever, the Jackson Middle School soccer team is going co-ed--thanks to Nicky's determination. Now Nicky and Fabiola are on a team with Al, Palmer, Seba, and the rest of the boys... but that doesn't mean they're all on the same side. Team captain Al is going to do whatever he can to keep the girls off the team, just the way his father wants. When Al and Nicky's rivalry threatens to tear the team apart, everyone's going to have to pick sides. That is, until Palmer looks into why Nicky joined the team, and he starts to realize that there's a bigger problem than what's on the field... And maybe the only way to truly win is together.
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Wolf's Belly
by John August
An engaging and surprising retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that follows Lu (aka Little Red) and her grandmother into the wolf's belly--a magical dimension home to all the wolf has ever eaten.
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