Top of the Stacks for Fall
There are so many amazing Middle Grade books publishing this fall, so we wanted to let you know what we think should be at the Top of the Stacks! Here’s a preview of 5 of the titles we’re most excited to share with you this upcoming season. Read through and download our Educator's Guide which includes discussion questions for all 6 of these amazing novels.
Newbery Honor winning author of Other Words for Home, Jasmine Warga brings us a robot with plenty of heart in her new novel, A Rover’s Story. Resilience is a Mars rover determined to live up to his name, but as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop human-like feelings. Readers will cheer on Res as he navigates the challenges of traveling across Mars and discovers if he has skills needed to succeed in his mission.
Lisa Moore Ramée makes her fantasy debut with Mapmaker. Walt loves nothing more than passing the time in his new boring town of Blackbird Bay by working on the map of the fantasy world he’s creating, Djaruba. When Walt discovers that he can make his map come to life, his new home is suddenly much less boring. Full of epic worldbuilding, adventure, mystery, and lots of action, this will have wide appeal.
Karina Yan Glasser is back with another installation in the beloved Vanderbeekers series. The Vanderbeekers pile inside of a van for a cross country road trip! With a few unexpected bumps along the way, the family will learn to embrace the constant changes of life and come together even closer as they grow from the adventure of exploring new places.
Perennial favorite Margaret Peterson Haddix brings readers a new series to love with Mysteries of Trash and Treasure. In the first title, The Secret Letters, Colin finds a secret stash of letters while cleaning out a stranger’s attic for his mom’s junk removal company. Instead of tossing the letters, Colin ends up working with his rival Neveah, who finds a similar letter, to uncover a 50-year-old mystery.
Newbery Medal winner Lynne Rae Perkins introduces readers to Violet and Jobie, two house mice who suddenly find themselves far from home…in the wild! Readers will laugh along as the mice struggle to navigate and survive in the strange place known as the woods. Filled with black and white illustrations and lots of heart and humor, Violet and Jobie can’t wait to make their new home on your shelves.
Mylisa Larsen brings readers a heartwarming and inspiring tale of the power of community action in Playing Through the Turnaround. The students in Mr. Lewis’ Jazz Lab are devastated when their teacher is replaced by a sub and the school administration is keeping the reason a secret. Soon the students are championing the arts in a movement which involves the entire middle school.