10 Short Middle Grade Books Under 250 Pages
by Melissa Taylor
Most kids aren’t reading as much as they should be. We know this. Especially after the pandemic. But could reading less also coincide with so many long books (300+ pages) that seem ubiquitous in publishing and intimidating to our growing readers? This is why I want to highlight shorter-length middle grade books for kids who prefer books with fewer pages.
Admittedly, I’m also a fan of shorter middle grade books, which I elaborated on in a recent Publisher’s Weekly article. My reasons weren’t due to a lack of time spent reading, but my preference for zippy pacing and tight prose that moves the plot forward, something that shorter books around 200 pages lend themselves to more often.
Like me, kids often like books where every word matters. That’s why I recommend sharing these exceptional short middle grade books and seeing if that makes a difference in their reading lives. Here are 10 of my favorites that feel accessible to readers and won’t take months to finish.
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The Eyes and the Impossible
Available from:This New York Times bestselling and Newbery Award-winning story is about Johannes, a wild dog acting as an informant for the three elderly Bison who run the park where they live. When humans arrive in the park and construct a strange building, Johannes hatches a plan that could change everything for the park animals.
(256 pages)Also available from: -
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All
Available from:In this charming, illustrated tour of New York City, Magnolia's goal for the summer is to reunite the lost socks found in her family’s laundromat with their owners. She and a girl visiting from California piece together clues to track down the lost sock customers. As they do, they meet warm-hearted people, develop a friendship, and grow in unexpected ways.
(160 pages)Also available from: -
Escape from Grimstone Manor (Monsterious, Book 1)
Available from:Imagine getting trapped inside a haunted house at an amusement park…at NIGHT! That’s what happens to Zari and her friends. And it seems like they’re not alone. Even if you love spooky stories, you might want to read this scary story with the lights on!
(192 pages)Also available from: -
When Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea
Available from:It’s Oregon 1894, and plucky orphan Sally O’Malley heads west to the ocean after getting booted from her latest job. Sally is determined to be fearless and independent, but she reluctantly joins an old lady, her donkey, a dog, and a bratty boy to make the journey. Along the way, Sally learns to trust the others, and their rag-tag group becomes a family of sorts.
(240 pages)Also available from: -
The Magic Paintbrush
Preorder from:If your readers love beautifully illustrated Chinese-mythology-inspired fantasy adventures, they’ll want to read about Amy, who finds a magical jade paintbrush that brings paintings to life. A villain named Chen also wants the paintbrush, so Amy and her painted-into-existence friend Luna must do everything they can to keep the paintbrush out of Chen’s clutches.
(256 pages)(On sale: 7/1/2025)
Preorder from: -
AJ Torres and the Treasure of Captain Grayshark
Preorder from:When they find a gold coin on Miami Beach, AJ and Jaden hope it belongs to legendary pirate Captain Grayshark’s lost treasure. Finding the loot would help both their families. Joined by a ghost expert named Andrea, they search for the entire treasure on a cursed island haunted by ghost pirates.
(208 pages)(On sale: 6/24/2025)
Preorder from: -
The Queen of Ocean Parkway
Available from:This book is a fun read for mystery fans. Roya podcasts about her diverse apartment building, where her mom works as the superintendent. But when one of her favorite apartment residents, Katya Petrov, disappears, Roya and a new friend launch an investigation. Meanwhile, they attempt to break the Petrov family curse, which is linked to an antique fortune-telling machine at Coney Island.
(240 pages)Also available from: -
Because of Winn-Dixie
Available from:Award-winning, heartwarming, and unputdownable, this classic DiCamillo book is a must-read. Opal lives with her hard-working preacher dad, but she’s lonely and often wonders why her mom left. Then, Opal adopts a stray dog and names him Winn-Dixie after the grocery store where she found him. Winn-Dixie changes everything — he brings friendship, bravery, and hope into 10-year-old Opal’s life.
(192 pages)Also available from: -
Small Spaces
Available from:On a school trip, Ollie discovers the graves of the people in a ghost story she’s recently read. When the bus breaks down and night descends, Ollie’s watch starts a countdown and warns her to “RUN.” The bus driver advises them to stay in small places, but will that work to keep away the murderous scarecrows and the sinister Smiling Man? This is a deliciously spooky read for fans of scary stories.
(256 pages)Also available from: -
The Graveyard Gift
Available from:Do you love magical school stories? At Rosemary’s magical school for part-magic, part-human kids, one of her classmates goes missing. Fern, who can foresee people’s deaths, enlists her classmates to help find the missing student. To succeed, they must work together and use their unique magical powers, like the banshee’s power to kill with a scream and the djinn’s power to grant wishes.
(256 pages)Also available from:
