It’s another new month! Although this post is a few days late (oops), there are still some fantastic books I have to share with you this month! So today, I’m sharing a list of 18 middle grade books to read in November 2020!
Whether you’re a teacher, a parent or simply just love to read middle grade books, than this list is for you! With fantasy, contemporary and everything in between, you’ll find the best middle grade books to read in November 2020 and beyond!
And in case you missed it, I also shared a list of 40 new young adult and adult fiction releases for November!
November 3rd
Contemporary • Scholastic Press
Inspired by a true story of girl empowerment, acclaimed author Lisa Schroeder’s new novel explores trust, self-worth, and speaking up — especially when you’re told to keep quiet.
Hazel doesn’t like to make waves. Middle school is hard enough without causing more trouble, right? She’s happy just eating lunch in the library with her BFF, writing secret haikus, and taking care of an adorable rescue tortoise.
But then Hazel discovers a list that rates the girls at her middle school based on their looks — started by her best friend’s older brother. She knows she has to do something, and she can’t do it alone. The wave she’ll be making might turn into a tsunami, but if Hazel can find the courage to speak up, she might just change everything.
Contemporary • Katherine Tegen Books
Award-winning author Tanita S. Davis delivers a heartwarming and humorous middle grade tale about a young Black girl who finds her own voice through vlogging and learns to speak out. Perfect for fans for Sharon M. Draper and Lisa Greenwald.
JC shines like a 4th of July sparkler. She has the best ideas, the biggest, funniest laugh, and the party starts when she arrives. Serena St. John is proud to be known as her best friend.
Everything changes when JC returns from the hospital with a new kidney — and a new best friend. Out of the spotlight of JC’s friendship, suddenly things aren’t quite so sparkly in Serena’s world.
Lonely Serena works on perfecting her vlogs, hoping to earn a shot at becoming a classroom reporter. If she can be smart and funny on video, why can’t she manage that in real life? If only she could always pause, edit, or delete conversations. It would be so much easier to say the right thing at the right time … instead of not saying what she should, or, even worse, blurting out a secret that wasn’t hers to share.
Life doesn’t have a pause button — but as Serena discovers her voice through vlogging, she learns that she’s not just there to reflect JC’s light — she’s fully capable of shining on her own.
Contemporary • Greenwillow Books
An ice skater without a rink. An artist without a place to draw. Two misfit girls who become unlikely friends over the course of an unusual week. Readers of Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Rebecca Stead, and Lisa Graff will adore Stick with Me.
Izzy’s best friend seems to be ditching her for the Queen of Mean, Daphne Toll. Izzy wants to fit in and have some real friends, but all she really has are her drawings. And then her family rents out their house during winter break for some extra cash — and that family’s daughter is sleeping in Izzy’s room and attending the same camp!
Wren is focused on perfecting her ice-skating routine after tanking at sectionals last year. But when her sister qualifies for a life-changing treatment for her epilepsy, Wren is carted off to stay in a rented home near Boston. It doesn’t help that she’s forced to attend the local theater camp, where it seems like the mean girls have it out for her.
Will Izzy and Wren’s shared status as targets of Phoebe and Daphne bring them closer? Or will middle school drama prevent them from ever becoming friends?
Jennifer Blecher, the author of the acclaimed Out of Place, writes with a pitch-perfect ear for tween girls about the ups and downs of middle school friendships. Told from dual perspectives, Stick with Me is a story about fitting in and figuring yourself out.
International bestselling author John Flanagan returns to world of Ranger’s Apprentice in the fourth installment of the Royal Ranger series starring Maddie, Will Treaty’s fearless young apprentice.
Will Treaty and his apprentice, Maddie have been urgently summoned to Castle Araluen. When they arrive they learn a
shocking truth: the Prince of Gallica is missing — and the King of Gallica has asked for help. All reports suggest that the young prince has been taken prisoner by the dangerous and powerful Baron Joubert de Lassigny. King Duncan knows that sending troops to Gallica to rescue the prince could start a war, as could openly helping Gallica resolve internal convict. But there’s another way to save the prince: the Ranger Corps.
Soon, Will and Maddie are on the road to rescue the missing prince, disguised as father and daughter jongleurs. Maddie will have to use her knifethrowing skills to keep up her disguise, and her ranger’s apprentice training to complete the mission. But going undercover is dangerous — and the road presents its own hazards. Can she and Will use all their talents to save the prince, or will the arrogant Baron uncover their plans and put their lives, and their kingdom, at risk?
Internationally bestselling author of the Ranger’s Apprentice and Brotherband series, John Flanagan returns in the captivating next installment of the Royal Ranger series: The Royal Ranger: The Missing Prince. Perfect for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Jacques’s Redwall, and George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones!
You’ve heard of the Rescue Rangers. Now meet the Mouse Watch.
Around the globe, exceptional mice live in the shadows. Under the direction of famed mouse inventor Gadget Hackwrench, they work together as a team to solve BIG problems using SMALL gadgets. They are high trained. They are nearly invisible. And they love cheese. Their mission: save the world.
Bernadette is a small-but brave-mouse with a score to settle. Jarvis is a sensitive rat with a big appetite and unmatched puzzle-solving skills. Both are eager to prove their worth as the youngest, newest recruits to the Mouse Watch.
But before their first day of training is through, Bernie and Jarvis find themselves at the center of an evil plot orchestrated by the Rogue Animal Thieves Society (R.A.T.S.). Soon they are catapulted from new recruits into full-on action heroes, as they learn how to work together to save the Mouse Watch-and the world as they know it.
Mission Impossible meets “Mice in Black” in this action-packed middle grade adventure that will take readers on an epic thrill ride and leave them ready to join the Watch!
November 10th
The kids at prestigious Greycliff Academy are in for a surprise when their hero, Kirby Finn, turns out to be something he’s not.
To the students at exclusive Greycliff Academy, Kirby seems to have it all: charm, brains, and a lucky streak that won’t quit. He’s also the notorious mastermind behind the snarky videos, “7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up,” which expose how being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Why would any kid want to become one of them?
But there’s also a mystery about Kirby. And when his best friend, Raja, finds out that Kirby isn’t the person he’s pretending to be, Kirby, Raja, and their friends may be forced to grow up sooner than they think and face the world head-on.
The adventure continues in this exciting sequel to Anya and the Dragon in which a dangerous monster lurks beneath the city and only Anya can keep him from taking her friends’ magic — and their lives. Perfect for fans of The Girl Who Drank the Moon.
Contemporary • Scholastic Press
What happens when an online friend becomes a real-life nightmare?
Roisin hasn’t made a single friend since moving from Ireland to Massachusetts. In fact, she is falling apart under constant abuse from a school bully, Zara. Zara torments Roisin in person and on social media. She makes Roisin the laughingstock of the whole school.
Roisin feels utterly alone … until she bonds with Haley online. Finally there’s someone who gets her. Haley is smart, strong, and shares anti-mean-girl memes that make Roisin laugh. Together, they are able to imagine what life could look like without Zara. Haley quickly becomes Roisin’s lifeline.
Then Zara has a painful accident, police investigate, and Roisin panics. Could her chats with Haley look incriminating? Roisin wants Haley to delete her copies of their messages, but when she tries to meet Haley in person, she can’t find her anywhere. What’s going on? Her best friend would never have lied to her, right? Or is Haley not who she says she is …
With twists, turns, and lightning-fast pacing, this is a middle-grade thriller about bullying, revenge, and tech that young readers won’t be able to put down.
Graphic Novel • Dark Horse Books
Original comics with Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven in a deluxe oversized hardcover. Featuring a foreword from Michael Giaimo, Production Designer of Frozen and Frozen 2.
Join the sisters and their friends in four stories of adventure in their kingdom of Arendelle. When Anna meets Mari of Vesterland, they explore all the different jobs Arendelle has to offer — but are they in over their heads? Meanwhile, Elsa is occupied with a mystery in the western woods. Then take a trip with Anna, Elsa, and everyone, to the kingdom of Snoob to reunite Kai and his long lost brother! Along the way, the group encounters dangerous mountain bridges, wild animals, runaway wagons, and strange music, but also helpful surprises! Later, back in Arendelle, when the group sets out to find Olaf’s friend, a courageous girl who has run off to face the world alone, you’ll get a glimpse into Kristoff’s past and understand what he has overcome to become who he is today. Finally, in a story that leads in to Frozen 2, Elsa and Anna embark on a journey exploring the past and present, in a search to recover a hidden treasure from their mother, Queen Iduna.
Don’t miss out on these novella-length stories that bridge some of the gap between the end of Frozen and the beginning of Frozen 2. The library collects Frozen: Breaking Boundaries, Frozen: Reunion Road, Frozen: The Hero Within, and Frozen: True Treasure, and includes a gallery of beautiful cover art, as well as a foreword from Michael Giaimo, Production Designer of Frozen and Frozen 2, who consulted on the art for these stories. The hardcover case is a deluxe printed foil paper with a soft touch finish and selected areas of gloss for a multi-textured look and feel with different levels of sparkle and shine! This library edition is a must for all fans of Disney Frozen!
Science Fiction • Sterling Children’s Books
Filled with excitement, danger, and daring, Jonesy Flux and the Gray Legion is a classic space adventure with deliberate retro trappings.
Enter Canary Station, in the Noraza system, where many died and only a few were left alive. Jonesy is one of a pack of children still living there after the station was brutally destroyed by a mysterious ship and an invasive computer virus. Separated from their families during the evacuation, these intrepid kids have bonded and survived, making the most of what remains, repairing what they can, and planning for a rescue.
One day, as Jonesy salvages in a forbidden section of the station, an accident unleashes strange powers within her. Unfortunately, this burst of energy immediately attracts a malevolent group of adults eager to grab the source of this flare. They kidnap everyone except for Jonesy, who uses her newfound power to stay hidden during the invasion. Now it’s up to her to figure out how to escape the station, rescue her friends, and reunite with her family, all while learning to harness her mysterious new powers.
There’s no other place Tubs Marshfield would rather be than singing a song in his perfect little swamp along the Louisiana bayou. His music can make anyone feel happy.
But something terrible is happening within the swamp that even Tubs’ songs can’t fix — and it’s making his neighbors feel sick! No one knows what to do, least of all Tubs.
A mysterious prophecy may hold the key … or send Tubs away from his friends forever.
Ancient Egypt’s laziest detective must save a missing boy in the latest entry in this Edgar-nominated mystery series about a pampered but lovable royal cat and his wise dung beetle sidekick.
Ra the Mighty is Pharaoh’s Cat, Lord of the Powerful Paw. He is NOT Ra the Royal Babysitter. How’s a cat supposed to fit in all his snacks and naps when his charges keep getting into mischief?
Ra’s new job only gets harder on a voyage up the Nile, leading to a fearsome palace where crocodiles swarm the waters. Then Pharaoh’s son disappears. Has he run away? Has he been eaten by crocodiles? Has he been kidnapped, or worse? Ra and his fellow Great Detectives, Khepri and Miu, set out to discover the truth, but the palace is home to many secrets. Can the Great Detectives unravel the mystery, find the missing boy —and make it out alive?
More than 30 wacky illustrations with fun historical details bring this mystery to life, along with a glossary, pronunciation guide, and detailed author’s note about ancient Egypt. Don’t miss the companion novels: Edgar-nominated Ra the Mighty: Cat Detective, and Ra the Mighty: The Great Tomb Robbery, which was a Junior Library Guild selection.
November 17th
Fantasy • Sterling Children’s Books
From the authors behind the critically acclaimed Sam Wu books, a thrilling new fantasy series about friendship, courage, adventure, and dragon magic.
When 12-year-old Billy Chan finds out his parents are sending him to a language and culture camp in the middle-of-nowhere China, he can’t imagine anything worse. He’s not expecting to become friends with fellow campers Dylan O’Donnell, Charlotte Bell, and Liu Ling-Fei. And he’s definitely not planning to meet any dragons. But when the four kids accidentally open a crack in an ancient mountain, they become involved in an ages-old struggle of good versus evil. Now it’s up to them to save the Dragon Realm — if they don’t, the world as they know it might disappear forever.
Graphic Novel • Katherine Tegen Books
In the first book of this full-color fantasy graphic novel series filled with humor and hijinks, the fate of the land of Nothing hinges on Nathan and an unlikely team of magical beings to save the day — perfect for fans of Amulet and Estranged.
Welcome to Nothing! Despite its name, this is a fantastic land where humans and magical volken coexist peacefully — at least they try …
This is the tale of Nathan, an ordinary human (or so he thinks) living an ordinary life (or so he wishes). Everything changes when he meets Haven, a mysterious creature who is neither human nor volken. Oh, and the two of them are being chased by volken mercenaries — a grumpy wolf named Bardou and a delightful crow named Sina.
Nathan soon learns he has mysterious powers, even though humans aren’t supposed to have magic. But there’s no time to dwell on that because this discovery sets the group on a perilous quest across windswept terrain, through haunted forests, and in ancient tombs. Nathan and his unlikely friends must prevent an impending war and defeat a dark evil to save their land.
No pressure, of course. If they fail, everything will turn into, well … nothing.
Fantasy • Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Cressida Cowell, the author of How to Train Your Dragon, returns with the final installment of the New York Times bestselling Wizards of Once series!
Xar and Wish are on the final leg of their journey — first stop: The Mine of Happiness. Here, starvation is never far away for the Magical creatures who toil in its horrible depths. Xar and Wish must escape and fast; Xar needs to take control of his ever-growing Witchstain, and Wish must achieve her Destiny. But the Tazzelwurm is in their way, a grotesque monster who threatens to block every entrance.
Time is not on their side, but the forests are calling them. Will their combined strength be enough for the biggest quest so far: to defeat the Kingwitch once and for all?
A cursed girl and a young inventor join forces to search for an ancient, forgotten song with the power to bring down a wicked Queen in this epic fantasy adventure perfect for fans of The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Furthermore.
The snowy kingdom of Erkenwald was once a magical place — until an evil ice witch cursed the land and began stealing the voices of the kingdom’s people to increase her powers.
Eska is one of the many prisoners of the Ice Queen. With no memories of her past, Eska only knows that she cannot allow the Ice Queen to take her voice, that it might be special in some way …
When young inventor Flint sneaks into the Ice Queen’s palace in an attempt to rescue his mother, he ends up rescuing Eska instead. Together, Flint and Eska must journey to the Never Cliffs and beyond in search of an ancient, long-forgotten song with the power to end the Ice Queen’s reign and return voice back to the people of Erkenwald.
This is the story of an eagle huntress, a boy inventor, and a wicked queen in a castle made from ice. But it’s also a story about finding a place to belong, even at the farthest reaches of the world.
Fantasy • HMH Books for Young Readers
A boy and his pet fox go on a quest to find a wolf who has eaten all the stars in the sky before the Shadow Witch destroys the stars and removes good magic from the world forever.
Long ago, the land of Ulv was filled with magic. But that was before a wolf ate all the Stars in the night sky, ridding the world of magic and allowing Shadow Creatures, beasts made of shadow and evil, to flourish. Twelve-year-old Bo knows the stories but thinks the Stars and the wolf who ate them are nothing more than myths — until the day Bo’s guardian, Mads, is attacked by a giant wolf straight from the legends. With his dying breath, Mads tells Bo that Ulv is in danger and the only way to prevent the Shadow Creatures from taking over is to return the Stars to the sky.
And so Bo — accompanied by his best friend, a fox called Nix, a girl named Selene who’s magic is tied to the return of the Stars, and Tam, a bird-woman who has vowed to protect Bo at all costs — sets off on a quest to find the three magical keys that will release the Stars. But Bo isn’t the only one who wants the Stars, and the friends soon find themselves fleeing angry villagers, greedy merchants, and a vengeful wolf. And all the while, an evil witch lurks in the shadows and time is running out.
Book 8.5 in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series delivers what fans of the series have been begging for! Told in an exciting new way, the saga continues with plenty of huge reveals and shocking new twists — plus a complete series guide with beautiful color and black-and-white illustrations and other awesome bonuses!
In this extra special installment of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, the story picks up right from Legacy’s particularly devastating cliffhanger. But chapters alternate between Sophie and Keefe’s perspectives to give readers deeper insights into both beloved characters. New powers will be discovered. Hard truths from the past will come to light. And all of your favorite characters will find themselves tested in ways they never imagined.
And that’s not all!
Unlocked also includes a comprehensive guide to the world of the Lost Cities, featuring new character and world details that have never been revealed before — plus fun bonuses like Keeper-themed recipes, a detailed map of the Lost Cities, gorgeous full-color illustrations, and so much more!
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