Beware the “summer slide!” Summer break is a long time for kids to take a break from educational activity. To avoid a slide in their academic development, one of the best things parents can do is help their kids discover books they’ll love. Books can take children (and adults) to distant places, introduce them to fascinating characters, expand their imagination, expand their worldview, and, yes, teach them new vocabulary and exercise their brains.

Check out this list of 100 fantastic middle-grade books (ages 8-12) published from June 2016 to July 2017. You’ll even find books especially selected for reluctant readers.

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Almost Paradise: A Novel $17

Amina's Voice $10

The Best Man $11

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground $10

Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang $10

Georgia Rules $11

One Hundred Spaghetti Strings $10

Wish $10

Mice of the Round Table #1: A Tail of Camelot $12

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Young Reader's Edition $6

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Elisa Schmitz

I love this, Ann Marie Gardinier Halstead ! Thanks for the great suggestions!

Like Reply 1 6 years ago

You're welcome. I can't wait to look at this list with my 11 year old and make our selections!

Tiffany C

Cool list!

Like Reply 2 6 years ago

Isn't it fantastic??

Meredith Schneider

Perfect timing, Ann Marie Gardinier Halstead! Need to go book shopping for our soon to be 5th grader. Do you have list for soon to be 2nd graders?

Like Reply 1 5 years ago

Great! Not officially, but I can tell you what my own 2nd grader was into (he just finished 2nd)! Dog Man, Magic Treehouse, Mr. Louie is Screwy, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid (which was a little beyond his reading level but he read that series near the end of the year because he wanted to be like big brother!). His older brother was into Big Nate and the Stink books, but he didn't get into those. Hope this helps!

Like Reply 5 years ago

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