Amazon Kids+ Middle Grade Books

Miles is devastated to be moving from his town to another one called Yawnee Valley. He loved his town, had good friends, and, most importantly, was well-known as the best prankster around. When he arrives in Yawnee Valley, he immediately discovers that there’s already a superb prankster there — with a secret identity no less. When Miles gets out-pranked by the Yawnee Valley prankster, it starts a prank war between both kids until they decide to join forces. This is a riotous, animated middle grade book about pranks, unlikely friendships, and cows. I recommend this as a great bridge book for kids who like graphic novels and chapter books with wacky humor. It’s super short, and the audiobook is fantastic for the entire family. Grades 3+

This book is about Castle Crenshaw (aka Ghost), who has PTSD from a dad who tried to fire a gun at him as a child. When he meets Coach and the rest of the team, he can finally harness his talent as a sprinter and stop running away from his problems. I love how powerful these kids’ stories are (in the Track series) and that they’re super short — this one is only 185 pages long.

Ben Ripley’s life does a 180 when he gets an invitation to work for the CIA, only to find out that it was a case of mistaken identity because someone on the inside has a secret ploy against the agency. With a new crush roping him into an undercover mission to unravel the plot, Ben discovers that he’s actually not half-bad at being a spy. This isn’t my favorite spy series, but kids love it and can’t stop reading. Perfect for fans of spy and adventure books grades 6+ since there’s gun use involved.

I love Jason Reynolds’ books and have heard great things about this middle grade book about two brothers spending the summer with their blind grandfather.

This is an insanely popular fantasy series for the middle grade crowd. If your kids loved Harry Potter (also on Amazon Kids+) and the Percy Jackson series, there’s a high chance they’ll enjoy this series, too.

This book is a good step up from the Wimpy Kid books and is all about a kid investigating whether or not a puppet on the finger of one of his classmates actually has magical powers. If your kids love funny stories set at school about friendship, this is a good option. Ages 8+

Adrianna and her family travel round the globe saving animals for a TV show. But when an animal encounter injures her brother, Adrianna has to prove herself to her parents to stay on the show she loves. This is a good pick for kids who love adventure stories and animals. Ages 9+

This series feels like the closest readalike to the City Spies series in terms of globetrotting, suspense and enjoyment level, and spy hijinks. Charlie Thorne is a genius tween recruited by the CIA to help stop a terrorist group from accessing a potentially destructive equation by Albert Einstein. It’s fabulous on audio and great for mature 5th graders and middle schoolers.

Real Friends is Shannon Hale’s graphic memoir of her middle school experience with real friends — and girls who weren’t quite friends. Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends since Shannon came out of her shell in early elementary school. She had earlier been the shy middle child who never felt like she quite fit in anywhere. But with Adrienne, it was like she could finally exhale. But when Adrienne starts hanging out with the popular girl, Jen, Shannon suddenly doesn’t know where she fits in anymore. As we go through the stressful roller coaster years with Shannon, each chapter highlights her relationship with one of the girls in the new friend group. This is a realistic, moving depiction of the roller coaster that middle school friendships can be, and how affirming it can be to find true friends. Grades 5+

If middle school were a race, Joseph Friedman wouldn’t even be in last place—he’d be on the sidelines. With an overactive mind and phobias of everything from hard-boiled eggs to gargoyles, he struggles to understand his classes, let alone his fellow classmates. So he spends most of his time avoiding school bully Charlie Kastner and hiding out in the Resource Room, a safe place for misfit kids like him. But then, on the first day of seventh grade, two important things happen. First, his Resource Room teacher encourages (i.e., practically forces) him to join the school track team, and second, he meets Heather, a crazy-fast runner who isn’t going to be pushed around by Charlie Kastner or anybody else. With a new friend and a new team, Joseph finds himself off the sidelines and in the race (quite literally) for the first time. Is he a good runner? Well, no, he’s terrible. But the funny thing about running is, once you’re in the race, anything can happen.

Liam Chapman just bought a real, working time machine for only $3! It’s labeled “World’s Worst Time Machine,” but Liam’s sure that’s an exaggeration… until he realizes it’s definitely not. Now Liam and his friend Elsa get thrown into one disaster after another, bouncing through history with no control. Now, he must figure out how to fix the machine and avoid getting stuck in the past forever. This heavily illustrated book is perfect for readers who love graphic novels but might feel intimidated by a more traditional format.

While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue! Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters — sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

After a horrific Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornbie is ready for a do-over — or so she thinks. Her boyfriend is cheating on her, her dad is planning to move away without asking how she feels, and her car is totalled after an accident with a schoolmate. But she feels better after arriving at her grandma’s house that evening. Except… when she wakes up the next day, it’s Valentine’s Day again! Stuck in the time loop, Emilie tries to undo the calamities, but she keeps running into the same schoolmate, Nick — and falling for him too. This is a charming romance with substance that delves into grief, family, and perfectionism. The time loop will appeal to readers who enjoy that element. Ages 13+

For fantasy fans, this is a fan-favorite option! I don’t read much fantasy but this has wonderful reviews and is available to read on Amazon Kids+ — great for older Harry Potter fans and readers who enjoy the chosen one trope. Ages 12+