Children's Fiction: Middle Grade Fiction

"Seventh-grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is dreading the month he's going to spend on his grandparents' farm. But on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up and steals Eddie's notebook. Tristan chases after it, and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a Bottle Tree. In a last attempt to get it away from the creature, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters. Tristan finds himself in the middle of a battle that has left black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit exhausted. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies will need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding. Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves?"

"Seventh-grader Tristan must return to Alke and enlist the help of African gods and black folktale heroes when Nana is abducted from the Strong family farm in Alabama."

"After reuniting with Ayanna, who is now in his world, Tristan travels up the Mississippi in pursuit of his archenemy, King Cotton. Along the way they encounter new haints who are dead set on preventing their progress north to Tristan's hometown of Chicago. It's going to take many Alkean friends, including the gods themselves, the black flames of the afokena gloves, and all of Tristan's inner strength to deliver justice once and for all."

"Clay has lived his whole life under the mountain. The MudWing dragonet knows war is raging between the dragon tribes in the world outside - a war that he and four other dragonets are destined to end, according to the mysterious prophecy they have been taught. The five "chosen" dragonets were stolen from their homes while they were still in their eggs - and hidden away for years - all to fulfill the prophecy. But not every dragonet wants a destiny. And when danger threatens one of their own, Clay and his friends may choose freedom over fate ... leave the mountain ... and set the dragon world on a course that no one could have predicted."

"Overjoyed to be reunited with her fellow ocean-dwelling dragons, Tsunami the SeaWing continues efforts to end the war for Pyrrhia in spite of a dangerous assassin who is threatening all their lives."

"The five dragonets of the prophecy are hoping to hide in safety in the RainWing kingdom, and Glory is hoping to learn more about her own identity, but when tribe members start disappearing and the old queen does nothing, it is up to Glory and her friends to uncover the lurking evil."

" When Starflight, one of the dragonets of destiny, is kidnapped by the NightWings he finds that the kingdom of his birth is a miserable place, full of terrible secrets. With his fellow dragonets too far away to help, the fate of two kingdoms rests in his talons."

"Sunny has always taken the Dragonet Prophecy very seriously, so Morrowseer's devastating news changes everything--now she must forge a new identity and find a way to stop the futile and destructive war between the dragon clans."

""Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape."

"Mr. Lemoncello has invited teams from all across America to compete in the first ever LIBRARY OLYMPICS...but someone is trying to censor what the kids are reading."

"Mr. Lemoncello holds a contest for his young friends where they must race to bring interesting facts back to his library."

"To win Mr. Lemoncello's new television game show, Kyle and his team have to break out of their comfort zone and walk a mile in other characters' shoes and figure out how to unlock a series of locks and break out of the game before their competition!"

"Four lucky kids go on a scavenger hunt inside Mr. Lemoncello's Gameworks factory, where they compete for a chance to win a titanium ticket."

"Recent immigrants from China and desperate for work and money, ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents take a job managing a rundown motel in Southern California, even though the owner, Mr. Yao is a nasty skinflint who exploits them; while her mother (who was an engineer in China) does the cleaning, Mia works the front desk and tries to cope with demanding customers and other recent immigrants--not to mention being only one of two Chinese in her fifth grade class, the other being Mr. Yao's son, Jason."

"Mia Tang thinks she's going to have the best year ever. She and her parents are the proud owners of the Calivista Motel, Mia gets to run the front desk with her best friend, Lupe, and she's finally getting somewhere with her writing! But as it turns out, sixth grade is no picnic."

"While visiting family in China, Mia Tang witnesses some of the big changes the country is going through, which makes her think about the changes in her own life that need to be dealt with."

"The Women's World Cup coming to Southern California, everyone is soccer-crazy -- especially Mia Tang! The U.S. is playing China in the finals, and Mia feels like her two identities are finally coming together. Less exciting, though? The fact that her P.E. teacher wants Mia to get out of the soccer field, too -- or fall short of the grade she needs to earn a spot at journalism camp. But as always, Mia Tang is ready with a plan: she'll track down the two women's teams, interview them, and write an A-grade article for P.E. instead! It's not so easy, though, finding professional athletes in Pasadena -- or bringing two identities together, even during a game. As Mia aims for her goals, she'll have to face prejudice, discrimination, and her own fears. But if anyone can find a way to win, it's Mia Tang!"