I love middle grade books and always have, but having my own 11-year-old means I get to see beloved novels — and upcoming stories — with fresh eyes. There’s something so special about this genre of books, with lots of coming-of-age storylines and a whole lot of heart, and that’s why I’m so excited about all the books for middle schoolers coming in fall 2025.
From gorgeous stories set in some of the darkest parts of the world’s history to age-appropriate romances and character-driven worlds, there is a whole lot to choose from for your middle schooler. Some of the books on the list may feel too young for them — a lot of them are recommended for ages 9 to 12 — but I always believe in a good mix of stories and levels for kids. (Some of the books on this list go up to ages 14 through 17 as well.)
There are also some graphic novels included, as well as installments of beloved series set to release this fall. So, basically, every middle schooler has something exciting to read in the next few months!
And my favorite part of these books for middle schoolers? The fact that many of them are going to open up major discussions and talks in your family. Your kids might have questions about immigration, about racism, about antisemitism. They might ask you about big moments in history, about love, about how hard it is to do the right thing — and all of it can be talked about beautifully with the books on this list.
A Character-Driven Story With a Unique Setting
Busted is about to be your kid’s new favorite. The story of a 12-year-old who lives in a retirement home with his grandpa will make your kids laugh out loud and appreciate the beauty and joy of being a bit of a weirdo. And trust me, if you were a Hey Arnold! fan growing up, this is the kind of character-driven story you’ll fall in love with, too.
Release Date: October 7, 2025
An Endearing Story About Grief & Family Legacy
For another unique setting, try This Way to Happy, a gorgeous story about loss, friendship, and all the ways a quest for happiness can take you. This story focuses on Reilly Rhoades, a young girl who grows up in an amusement park with her grandparents. But when her beloved grandfather dies, she must grapple with her own grief while trying to keep a happy place running for others to enjoy — and for her family’s legacy. It’s endearing and sweet and just the loveliest story of that bittersweet middle space between happiness and grief.
Release Date: September 23, 2025
A Sweet Hockey-Themed Love Story
An age-appropriate romance set in an idyllic winter story? Yes, please. Breaking the Ice is about Harper, a young girl who grows up in the world of ice hockey and loves it tremendously, but after an accident, has to learn who she is if hockey isn’t the center of her identity anymore. The book sweetly weaves anxiety, trauma, perseverance, and more into a beautiful story.
Release Date: September 2, 2025
A First-Person Retelling of the Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials are a dark part of American History, and Did You Hear What Happened in Salem? The Witch Trials of 1692 shares that story in an incredible way with middle schoolers. With a snarky first-person narrator telling the story of what actually happened to the most vulnerable and unprotected of Salem, it’s sure to open up some serious conversations with your kids, too. This isn’t just true crime as entertainment — this is deeper than that.
Release Date: September 2, 2025
A Story About Immigration & Identity
The author of How to Say Goodbye in Cuban bases the book on his own father’s true-life story, and it’s both heartbreaking and endearing. In this retelling, 12-year-old Carlos and his family make a harrowing escape to America amid the Cuban revolution. It will crack your heart wide open, and could start some really important discussions in your family.
Release Date: September 30, 2025
A True Story About The Determination Of The Mexican Community
Two decades before Brown v. Board of Education, the United States had its first successful school desegregation case, and A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez tells that story. Roberto Alvarez, just 12 years old and born on American soil, is his family’s hope for a better future for all of them — even his fellow immigrants — as Roberto is chosen to be the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the school board for segregation.
Release Date: September 16, 2025
The Third Installment Of A Beloved Series
Whether your kids have read the Warriors series as chapter books or only the graphic novels, they’ll be delighted to finally have the third installment of Warriors: The Prophecies Begin in their hands.
Release Date: September 30, 2025
A Historical Fiction Book About The 1936 Olympics
The Olympics are always iconic, but the 1936 Berlin Olympics truly set the world on a new path. In War Games, the story is narrated by a girl named Evie Harris who’s competing in the Olympics as a gymnast. But with all of the turmoil happening in the world, Evie ends up learning some secrets that are too dangerous to share — or keep.
Release Date: October 7, 2025
A Retro Set Of Books
Oh, the joy of a Choose Your Own Adventure book. Now your middle schooler can enjoy the same stories with this Retro Box of Choose Your Own Adventure books. It comes with four books, but in those four books, you could have up to 160 different adventures.
Release Date: September 30, 2025
The Final Installment Of A Fantasy Series
If your kids have been waiting for the final installment, it’s almost here. The group’s first campaign is coming to a pretty epic closure in Dungeon Club: Final Face-Off, and fans are going to be eager for more. Even non-D&D players can enjoy this series.
Release Date: September 30, 2025
A Heartbreaking Companion To A Lovely Story About Friendship
You’ve Found Oliver is the companion novel to the bestseller You’ve Reached Sam, but even if your middle schooler hasn’t read it yet, this one stands on its own beautifully. Oliver is still heartbroken over the death of his best friend Sam and can’t stop texting Sam’s old number. But when he accidentally calls it and someone answers, a whole new path opens up for Oliver and his heart.
Release Date: September 30, 2025
A Long-Awaited Story From an Iconic Author’s Daughter
You know your middle schooler best, so The Academy might be one you want to read on your own first. However, this debut novel from Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, is dramatic and thrilling as secrets and drama unfold in the setting of a boarding school and among teenagers.
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Which book are you looking forward to the most for your middle schooler?
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