Growing Reader
Tween
Highly-Anticipated Middle Grade & Chapter Books of 2023
by Janssen Bradshaw
The end of the year is quickly approaching, which means new beginnings and a lot of exciting new books for 2023!
My girls love a good middle grade chapter book, and we can’t wait to get our hands on some of these titles. This list has books full of mystery, adventure, fantasy, and humor. There is something here for everyone!
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Pizza and Taco: Rock Out!
Also available from:Pizza and Taco are back with musical instruments and songs in hand. In this hilarious early graphic novel, the two best friends want to show off their musical skills. Unfortunately, their many talents do not include being in a band.
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Rhinos at Recess
Also available from:Rhinos are getting poached left and right in South Africa and are on their way to extinction. Meanwhile, Jack and Annie are busy playing when they feel the pull of the treehouse. When they get swept into the African savanna, can they find a solution for the rhinos?
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Save the... Blue Whales
Also available from:Do you have an animal lover in your home? This middle grade book about blue whales will shock and inform even the most impressive fact lover. Plus, it gives readers ideas on how to help blue whales avoid extinction.
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The Swifts
Also available from:Shenanigan Swift is excited about their upcoming family reunion, but that comes to a halt when her aunt gets pushed down the stairs to her death. Shenanigan wants to prove she is more than a troublemaker by finding out who shoved her aunt. Full of suspense and tons of twists, this book is perfect for any mystery lover.
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The Human Kaboom
Also available from:Adam Rubin is back with an exciting companion novel to his #1 New York Times bestselling book, The Ice Cream Time Machine. With pages full of danger, chaos, and hijinks, it will satisfy your middle grade reader and feed their imagination. They won’t be able to set it down!
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Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind
Also available from:Calling all Fablehaven lovers! Add this action-packed fantasy novel to your “must-read” list for 2023. Follow Momo as she attempts (and fails) at being the normal kid at school. After her mother becomes very sick and Momo gets attacked by a character from her mother’s stories, she knows life will never be the same.
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Pages & Co.: The Treehouse Library
Also available from:The fifth book in the Pages & Co. series, The Treehouse Library, has Milo as the center of attention. Uncle Horatio is still in an enchanted sleep because of the evil Alchemist, and Milo is off to find the cure. With his friend Alessia in tow, they face many challenges and travel through stories like The Secret Garden, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, and Jabberwocky.
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The Moth Keeper
Also available from:This imaginative graphic novel is perfect for fantasy lovers. Anya is honored when she finally becomes a moth keeper. However, the job is much different than she expected. Lonely and cold during the night, she craves the sun more than anything. When she stays awake to experience the sun, her village, which depends on her as the moth keeper, suffers the consequences.
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She Persisted: Ella Fitzgerald
Also available from:These chapter book biographies are an excellent way to learn about amazing, historical women who defied all odds. Ella Fitzgerald is no exception. Despite many challenges and setbacks, she rose to the top to become a world-renowned singer.
(On sale: 4/4/2023)
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Who Is Tibet’s Exiled Leader?: The 14th Dalai Lama
Also available from:The Who Is series continues with these fantastic graphic novels! In 1959, with Chinese suppression in full force, the Tibetan spiritual leader and others fled the country in search of safety in India. They put their lives on the line with the dangerous journey. Get lost in this story with the full-color illustrations!
(On sale: 4/4/2023)
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The Rhythm of Time
Also available from:Two bestselling authors, Questlove and S. A. Cosby hit the shelves again with a thrilling new series for middle grade readers. This book follows Kasia, her inventions, and Rahim, her best friend, who is always willing to be the guinea pig for said inventions. When Kasia gives Rahim a homemade cell phone for his birthday, he accidentally time-travels to 1997 and realizes that anything he does during this time period will change the future! Can Kasia save him and bring him back to the present?
(On sale: 4/18/2023)
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Doodles from the Boogie Down
Also available from:Eighth-grader Steph loves art and doodling in her notebook. As high school approaches, she is desperate to attend an art school. But her dream art school is in a different city, and she knows her mother won’t approve. She applies anyway—even though it means lying to and keeping secrets from her family and friends.
(On sale: 4/25/2023)
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The Last Comics on Earth
Also available from:What’s better than a middle grade graphic novel? A full-color middle grade graphic novel! Follow best friends Jack, Quint, June, and Dirk as they take matters into their own hands when their favorite comic book gets discontinued. Can they keep the legacy of Z-Man going?
(On sale: 4/25/2023)
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Penny Draws a Best Friend
Also available from:Penny Lowry is a regular, loveable fifth-grade girl. Penny spent the summer without her best friend Violet, and she can’t wait to pick up right where they left off, but Violet has changed. She no longer likes Art Club and hangs out with the mean girls. Is it Penny’s fault that Violet is acting so weird?
(On sale: 5/16/2023)
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Sweet Valley Twins: Teacher’s Pet
Also available from:The New York Times bestselling Sweet Valley Twins books are back as graphic novels! Best friends and twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth, love each other but also compete occasionally. In dance class, the teacher only has eyes for Elizabeth, even though Jessica is the better dancer. Can Jessica win the lead role of Swanilda, or will Elizabeth be the shoo-in? And will the twins' relationship survive the drama?
(On sale: 6/27/2023)
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