Ages 9-12: Grades 4 - Middle School

Middle grade readers who love books that combine words and pictures will love Wonderstruck, the latest book by Brian Selznick, which like The Invention of Hugo Cabret combines words and sequential illustrations in a long work of children's fiction for middle grade readers.

Both The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book and the first edition, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book, are journals for kids 8-12 and young teens. The Wimpy Kid DIY books include middle school humor, writing prompts and comics. The second edition has additional content to engage kids as they write their own journals based on the Diary of a...

Guinness World Records 2012, the latest annual book of world records, will appeal to boys who are reluctant readers as well as kids who love to collect facts and trivia.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger is a very funny book. The humorous middle grade chapter book will delight both eager and reluctant readers.

Jeff Kinney, the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series of books about middle school student Greg Heffley, also serve as the executive producer of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie. In this illustrated account of the making of the movie, Kinney provides a behind the scenes look at the casting and the making of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie and its relationship to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, t…

The Skinny on Bullying is a good book about middle school bullies and bullying, including cyberbullies and cyberbullying, particularly for kids entering middle school.

A Smart Girl's Guide to Staying Home Alone is a book that a girl staying alone at home can use to learn to be safe and have fun

An Egret's Day is one of a number of children's poetry books about nature that combines poetry and science. I recommend An Egret's Day by Jane Yolen, with photos by nature photographer Jason Stemple. To find out why, see this children's poetry book review.

Enjoy award-winning Richard Peck's third work of children's fiction that features the unforgettable Grandma Dowdel, A Season of Gifts. For good children's fiction for ages 9-13, I recommend books by Richard Peck.

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot is a nonfiction children's book, part of the Scientists in the Field series. The author is Sy Montgomery. Wildlife photographer Nic Bishop is the illustrator.

The Percy Jackson & the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan is a popular fantasy series about middle school student Percy Jackson and his adventures when he learns he is a demigod, the son of a god and a mortal. I recommend the Percy Jackson & the Olympians Series for ages 11-14, grades 6-9.

If your kids loves to collect interesting facts, the National Geographic Kids Almanac 2012 should appeal to them, whether they are eager or reluctant readers.

Fans of Christopher Paolini and his Dragon Rider Eragon, will enjoy Eragon's Guide to Alagesia, a book in scrapbook format that purports to be written by Dragon Rider Eragon Shadeslayer for a new Dragon Rider as an introduction to a new Dragon Rider.

101 Great Science Experiments: A Step-by-Step Guide provides a variety of hands-on science experiments for tweens and young teens. DK Publishing is the publisher of 101 Great Science Experiments for Kids by Neil Ardley, an illustrated guide.

Middle school students love Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney because of its humorous slant on school and home life for a boy just starting middle school. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney has been so popular that it is now a middle school series series. The second book is Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is an excellent book. It will particularly appeal to tweens and young teens, ages 10-14 who are fans of mysteries and time-travel. When You Reach Me is the second book by Rebecca Stead.

Despite being more than 500 pages long, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is the 2008 Caldecott Medal Winner for picture book illustration. More than 280 pages of the book are illustrations by Brian Selznick. Despite being a novel for 9-14 year olds, The Invention of Hugo Cabret can also be classified as a picture book since Brian...

This edition of the children’s novel Pippi Longstocking was published in 2007, the 100th anniversary of the birthdate of Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. The 2007 edition of Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren features illustrations by Lauren Child. Lauren Child is the award-winning author and illustrator of the Clarice Bean and Charlie and...

Learn all about The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the classic fantasy novels for children by C.S. Lewis. Find out about the new movie version - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Louis Sachar's "Holes" has been enormously popular with upper elementary and middle school students.

The 39 Clues book series has proven popular with kids ages 8-12. The 39 Clues series is full of adventure and mystery. A brother and sister try to figure out 39 clues to solve a mystery about their family.

Although Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit is a young adult novel, which was translated from Japanese, it is full of action and appeals to middle school students as well as teens.

Readers respond to questions about the 39 Clues series of books for ages 8-12 and read what others think about the 39 Clues series.

The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan is a new book series, which begins with The Red Pyramid. The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, is full of adventure and Egyptian Mythology.

Readers respond to questions about The Kane Chronicles, specifically The Red Pyramid, Book 1 in The Kane Chronicles for ages 10-15 and read what others think about The Red Pyramid and The Kane Chronicles.

The Heroes of Olympus is another excellent series for kids and teens by author Rick Riordan, whose Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an enormously popular series of fantasy novels for kids and teens.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth is Wimpy Kid Book 5 in the enormously popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series - Here's an overview of the enormously popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and other Wimpy Kid Books, all by Jeff Kinney. There are five Diary of a Wimpy Kid books in the series. Another Wimpy Kid book is The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary. Still another Wimpy Kid Book is the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book. Tweena...

Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths provides an introduction to Greek myths and mythology for kids in grades 4-6+ and is an excellent read aloud for younger kids. Both the stories and the illustrations in D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths make this a fascinating children's book of Greek myths. Are looking for kids' books about...

Wildlife photographer and writer Nic Bishop is the author ad illustrator of Digging for Bird-Dinosaurs. The subtitle of Digging for Bird-Dinosaurs is An Expedition to Madagascar. Digging for Dinosaurs is part of the Scientists in the Field Series of children's nonfiction books about scientists, science and nature.

I recommend The Wildlife Detectives for kids ages 9-14. It is a nonfiction children's book about science, specifically the investigation of forensic scientists into the death of a bull elk in Yellowstone National Part. The Wildlife Detectives is part of the Scientists in the Field series. If you are looking for good books about science for your...

Historical Fiction for Middle Grade Readers

Inside Hurricanes is a good nonfiction book about hurricanes for middle grade readers. Written by Mary Kay Carson it includes fold-out pages, diagrams, photos and more.

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming

This book list from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) "represents NEH's long-standing effort to highlight classic literature for young people." Many of these children's books are also good read-alouds.

This is an excellent list of 10 books that really are "too good to miss."

This reading list for kids in grades 7 and 8 is from The Logan Library in Logan, Utah. Click on each title for more information about the book.

This excellent reading list of books for kids in grades 6 and 7 is not annotated, but if you click on each title, you'll find more information about the book.

While this list itself is not annotated, it includes some excellent books for kids in grades 5 and 6, and if you click on each title, it will take you to more information about the book.

This site contains a list of Newbery Medal winners and summaries of each book, along with the recommended reading level.

This list from the Arrowhead Library System in Janesville, Wisconsin, is briefly annotated and, most helpfully, is divided into categories by genre or theme.