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New & Coming Soon Books for Middle Schoolers December 2025 |
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Displaced
by Patrick Ochieng
Fourteen-year-old Kimathi has a comfortable life in the suburbs of western Kenya--until a contentious election explodes into violence. His father is killed, his house is destroyed, and he and his mother and sister must flee. They find themselves in a camp for internally displaced persons, who've been driven from their homes but haven't left their country.Kim struggles to adapt to his new reality: living in a tent, facing prejudice at the local school, and struggling to get basic supplies. His family even has to buy water by the jug, paying high prices controlled by a ruthless gang of water sellers.Gradually, Kim makes friends at the camp and starts to rebuild his life. Together, he and the other kids hatch a plan to get the camp a reliable water supplyalong with some hope.
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Pasta Girls
by Taylor Tracy
In this queer, contemporary, and neurodiverse spin on Romeo and Juliet from Stonewall Award Honor author Taylor Tracy, two New York City girls from warring restaurateur families befriend each other during the busiest week for their respective Italian eateries: the Feast of San Gennaro.
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The Ink Witch
by Steph Cherrywell
A trans girl discovers that her boring mother comes from a powerful and dangerous family of witches.
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The Free State of Jax
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Tired of living with his neglectful and bullying relatives, twelve-year-old Jax finds solace on a nearby lake where he creates his own micronation, only to find himself entangled in a mystery that threatens his newfound freedom and forces him to confront family secrets.
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The Stolen Songbird
by Judith Eagle
When Caro finds a stolen masterpiece in her missing mother's suitcase, she's thrust into a thrilling art-heist caper in 1950s London. When Caro Monday's mother disappears on one of her jaunts across the globe, Caro is forced to stay with her miserable great-aunt all the way across town. To make matters worse, Caro's beloved rabbit, His Nibs, isn't allowed to come with her. Of course, Caro sneaks him into her aunt's strict household anyway. Although Caro's wild behavior exasperates her dour aunt, she never dreamed of the trouble she finds herself in when she discovers a small painting of a thrush hidden in the lining of her suitcase--a stolen masterwork that some dangerous art thieves are desperately searching for! Catapulted into a caper with more twists and turns than the alleys of London, Caro and her friends, including budding fashion designer Horace, expert knitter Albie, and a wise gentleman of the road--not to mention His Nibs himself--must unravel a decades-old mystery and return the purloined picture before the thieves hunt them down. Plenty of surprises and a diverse cast of memorable characters await in this rousing art-themed adventure.
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At the Speed of Gus
by Richard Scrimger
A smartly funny and sympathetic story about being different and understanding that there is more than one way to see the world.This new novel from middle grade master Richard Scrimger will reach so many kids who need to see that their brains are a gift.Augustus (Gus) Constantine's brain moves fast, and not necessarily on a straight track. His mind (and mouth) operates at a different speed than everyone else he knows. This might have something to do with the fact that Gus has ADHD. Sometimes it feels like the best thing about him, and sometimes it lands him in a load of trouble.For example, one morning, Gus takes morning announcements wildly off script. Even though he hears nothing but laughter from fellow students at Pendrell Elementary, he's finally pushed Miss Funn (who's anything but) and Principal Gorby (who's getting tired of Gus's endless jokes and unfiltered stream of consciousness) to the limit.Now he's suspended for two whole days. With nothing else to do, Gus takes up his sister's invitation to take the ferry to meet her at her college. But on the ferry, Gus's thoughts begin to race. He's having trouble concentrating and can't calm down. At the speed of Gus's brain, the ride gets wilder and wilder, until it's hard to tell what's real from what's imagined. But despite the convoluted road he takes, can he still find a way to get to his destination?Fast-paced, funny and deeply sympathetic, At the Speed of Gus is about not always fitting, but figuring out how to find your own way.
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Cooking Up Change: Grandma's Recipes from a Year in Black History
by Michael Platt
Cooking Up Change is both a celebration of Black history and an invitation to experience it through the lens of food. With biographies of figures who shaped important events and mouthwatering recipes that carry their essence, this book will inspire future leaders with real stories of trailblazers who helped to change the world. One event per month is highlighted. After sharing the story of a person related to each event--such as Dorothy Height for International Women's Day in March--Platt pairs each moment with a delectable recipe that carries the essence of the occasion. All the stories and recipes featured are inspired by his grandmother; the person who guided him in unearthing his Black heritage and moved him to fall in love with cooking.
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Scholastic Year in Sports 2026
by James Buckley
The ultimate book for young sports fans is back with the past year's top sports stories.Look back on another year in sports with Scholastic, featuring exciting and all-new coverage for 2025.
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The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World
by Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt's blockbuster book, The Anxious Generation, has sparked a global conversation about the effects of smartphones and social media on young people's development, and has inspired millions of parents, teachers, and leaders to take action. Now, Haidt and Catherine Price, author of the bestselling How to Break Up with Your Phone, have teamed up to create a new book that speaks directly to kids and early teens. Their goal? To empower young people to stand up for themselves by choosing a life not dominated by screens. Written for nine- to twelve-year-olds--and relevant whether or not they already have smartphones or social media accounts--this engaging guide is packed with surprising facts, a graphic novel, interactive challenges, secrets that tech leaders don't want kids to know, and real-life anecdotes from young adults who regret getting smartphones at a young age and want to help the next generation avoid making the same mistakes. But this isn't just a book about what not to do. It's a bold, optimistic, and practical guide to growing into your most authentic, confident, and adventurous self. Readers won't just discover how to avoid becoming the next Anxious Generation. They'll learn how to become amazing.
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Keeper of the Lost Cities the Graphic Novel Part 2: Volume 1
by Shannon Messenger
After learning she's actually an elf, twelve-year-old Sophie Foster made the impossible decision to leave her human life--and family--behind and start over in the Lost Cities. And life with the elves has been unlike anything Sophie has ever known, filled with new friends, amazing creatures, and incredible powers. But it's also had its share of challenges. Sophie had been an advanced student in the human world--but thanks to her struggles with alchemy, she's not even sure if she will pass her Foxfire Academy midterms! And then there are the bigger worries. Guardians who may or may not adopt her. Whispers of conspiracies. Mysterious fires. Memories in her brain that don't feel like hers. Could someone have hidden those secrets in Sophie's head? Why would they do that? Is Sophie part of something much bigger than she imagined? Something...deadly? This stunning graphic novel retelling of the second half of the thrilling first novel comes to life with all the adventure and epic worldbuilding the Keeper of the Lost Cities series is known for, told in gorgeous full color--plus special bonus features at the end!
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Rose Wolves (Book 2): Out of the Blue
by Natalie Warner
Kids and families who love the beauty of the woods will adore this minimalist graphic novel sequel, which spins a new enthralling fable about family, disability, transformation, and the passage of time. In the first volume of Rose Wolves, a young girl made a wondrous connection with a magical creature linked to a mysterious rosebush. Now she's excited to share this discovery with her mom...but as the seasons change and the forest falls asleep for winter, the world of the rose wolves must change as well. Ahead of them lie new problems, new discoveries, and even more new friends! Acclaimed Canadian graphic novelist Natalie Warner continues her moody, tender, and captivating fable, capturing oceans of meaning without using a single word.
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