Themed Book Lists Archives - Reading Middle Grade

20 Sweet Chapter Books Like Sophie Mouse

Katie Wickliff — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 16:12:27 +0000

If your child loves cozy chapter books about forest animals and their sweet friendships, there’s a good chance they’re already discovered The Adventures of Sophie Mouse. In this series, Sophie is a thoughtful young mouse who lives in Silverlake Forest with her family and friends and has many everyday adventures. However, if your reader has finished this series and is looking for something similar, there are plenty of other gentle stories to explore next. Our readalikes for fans of Sophie Mouse include books about friendship, helping others, and learning from mistakes. Many of the adventures take place in nature settings, and all are entertaining but low-stakes– nothing too scary here! If you’re looking for a place to start, our family highly recommends the Heartwood Hotel series, the Wellie Wishers series, and the Good Dog series.

The post 20 Sweet Chapter Books Like Sophie Mouse appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Thrilling Middle Grade Books About Spies

Afoma Umesi — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 10:46:09 +0000

I don't know about you, but I definitely pretended to be a spy when I was a kid. Amazingly, though, the tweens in these middle grade spy books aren't pretending! If you or your kids are looking for high-speed, high-wit spy adventures to take vicariously, then this list is for you.

The post Thrilling Middle Grade Books About Spies appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

14 Books for Kids Who Love Refugee by Alan Gratz

Afoma Umesi — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:40:59 +0000

Recommending readalikes can be a tricky process, but I enjoy the process of finding similar threads running through even books that appear different on the surface. Today’s pick is Alan Gratz’s Refugee, a heartrending middle grade book about three kids (living in different time periods) escaping violence and unrest and becoming refugees in the process. Alan Gratz writes moving adventure/survival stories for kids and it's tough to find an author exactly like him, but I’ve chosen other stories with similar themes. You’ll meet kids who have to leave their homes because of unrest, insecurity, and war and travel with them as they make home in new places. If your kids are looking for books like Refugee by Alan Gratz, you can confidently hand them these books.

The post 14 Books for Kids Who Love Refugee by Alan Gratz appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Showstopping Books About Music and Musical Theater

Afoma Umesi — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:58:09 +0000

I'm pleased that this list has a range of characters of different races and social backgrounds. These stories also have a variety of themes besides music. You'll find among these middle-grade music books, stories about race, homelessness, immigration, sexual harassment, anxiety, neurodiversity, and much more.

The post Showstopping Books About Music and Musical Theater appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

20 Early Graphic Novels for Younger Readers Ages 5-9

Afoma Umesi — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 19:10:18 +0000

By now, you should know my feelings about graphic novels, but this list of the best graphic novels for elementary students (or young graphic novels) has been on my mind for months. Early graphic novels are what chapter books are for middle grade non-graphic novels. They're shorter (typically under 150 pages and always under 200 pages), easier to read and follow, and often super silly -- written to make you giggle. What could be better? Because kids can read a step or two above their grade level, I've also included some simpler middle grade style graphic novels for more voracious elementary readers. I've arranged these graphic novels from "youngest" to "oldest" reading levels. You'll find the recommended reading age at the end of my descriptions.

The post 20 Early Graphic Novels for Younger Readers Ages 5-9 appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Great Kids & Teen Books on Kindle Unlimited

Afoma Umesi — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 15:06:28 +0000

I've been on Kindle Unlimited on and off since 2020, and I think it's a great solution if you have (and/or are) a voracious reader who flies through books quicker than your library or wallet can keep up. Although Amazon switches up Kindle Unlimited books every year or so, they have a pretty solid selection with fan favorites like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I've also been pretty impressed with their selection of less popular children's books, so I wanted to share some of my favorites (with a sprinkling of books loved by kids I know).

The post Great Kids & Teen Books on Kindle Unlimited appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

The 2025 Libro.fm Kids Audiobook Sale

Afoma Umesi — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 17:36:54 +0000

Every summer, Libro.fm does a GREAT summer audiobook sale and I always end up snagging several audiobooks I've been wanting to listen to because the prices are so good -- all under $5 with many less than $1. I have a whole post all about Libro.fm and why I love it, but basically, I like supporting indie bookstores; the audio quality is better than Everand (which I also love), and you can download the audiobook files and load them onto your Yoto player if you have one.

The post The 2025 Libro.fm Kids Audiobook Sale appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Books Like Keeper of the Lost Cities for Fantasy Fans

Katie Wickliff — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:55:46 +0000

Keeper of the Lost Cities is a hit fantasy series that follows Sophie Foster, a telepathic girl who discovers that she’s actually an elf. As Sophie tries to untangle her mysterious past, she’s drawn into a hidden realm filled with adventure, conspiracy, and dangerous secrets that threaten both her worlds. If your reader loved following Sophie’s journey, this diverse list of readalikes will definitely capture their attention. Many of these stories feature young heroes discovering their true identities, fighting against evil forces, and finding their place in magical schools, all while navigating the complexities of growing up. Not sure where to begin? Our family favorites include the Nevermoor series, Witchlings, and the Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall. Let’s get started!

The post Books Like Keeper of the Lost Cities for Fantasy Fans appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

June 2025 New Middle Grade Books

Afoma Umesi — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 11:54:24 +0000

Since many of my favorite June releases are in this year’s Summer Reading Guide, I won’t be rehashing those. I do, however, recommend taking a look at the guide just to check if any of your highly anticipated Summer Reading Guide releases (like The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun) are releasing this month. I’m sharing a handful of June new releases that I enjoyed, but didn’t make it into the guide because I either missed them or didn’t think they were a good fit. You’ll find a wonderful mix of action and adventure, graphic novels, young adult literature, and illustrated books for younger middle grade readers.

The post June 2025 New Middle Grade Books appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Exciting Middle Grade Time Travel Books

Afoma Umesi — Mon, 26 May 2025 14:37:50 +0000

As someone who rarely reads fantasy titles, I hardly run into middle grade books about time travel unless they're sci-fi. But when I do, it's always a blast to take a trip someplace else in time. The books on this list are all about protagonists going back or ahead in time because of one freak accident or another. If you like time travel stories, you'll love this list.

The post Exciting Middle Grade Time Travel Books appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.