Exciting Middle Grade Time Travel Books

On her 12th half birthday, her parents surprisingly gift her their approval to post on social networks. Thrilled, Harper starts posting TikTok videos like her idol, Blake Riley. When Harper tries a TikTok filter, that, combined with a wish to be 22, suddenly makes her 22! Unfortunately, her future is much different from what she imagined. Is being 22 as great as she imagined? Or will she just want her old life back? And can she even get it back? Or is it too late? 12 to 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future is a charming, light, feel-good story about time travel, social media, and treasuring friendships.

Sweet Michael Rosario is shy and anxious about Y2K. The only bright spot in his life besides his doting but BUSY (working three jobs) single mother is his babysitter, Gibby, whom he might have a crush on. One day, Gibby and Michael spot an unusually dressed teenager hanging around their housing complex, and after a confrontation, they realize he’s a time traveler from the future named Ridge. This is a brilliant, highly readable middle grade book from the QUEEN of character-driven middle grade literature. This expansive sci-fi feels at once introspective and cinematic, leaping off the page like something made for a movie. Entrada is gifted at conjuring fully formed characters whose fears and inner lives are wholly and sensitively rendered. Ages 10+

When Rahim’s friend Kasia gifts him her newest invention, he has no idea that it’s a time travel device. Rahim ends up in 1997 meeting his father as a tween before he became the strict dad he is. Can Kasia get him back in time for dinner–and before his actions change the future? Hand this funny, suspense-filled sci-fi release to fans of time travel stories. Ages 10+

Cadets Regan Fitz and Elliot Mason are two “Glitchers” in an academy for learning how to time travel and stop “Butterflies”—rebels traveling through time to change history—from successfully changing American history. Regan is the daughter of the school principal, and Elliot can’t stand her because he thinks she’s a snob. But when a letter from future Regan with a warning about the future threatens to disrupt his career plans, Elliot must team up with Regan to prevent a future disaster. Glitch is a thrilling, sci-fi time travel romp anchored by two formidable protagonists, their burgeoning unlikely friendship, and the United States’s turbulent history. Ages 9+

What if Nazi Germany won WWII? That’s the chilling question this time-travel thriller explores. Two sets of a friendship trio — one in 2023 and the other in 1944 — discover that they can communicate over a radio device present in both timelines. As the two groups figure out the differences in their timelines while trying to avoid making any changes to history, they discover that they’ve unwittingly made an enormously impactful change with shocking consequences. Westfallen is a chilling exploration of a terrifying alternate reality for fans of high-action time travel fiction. Ages 10+

When 12-year-old Maisie gets her first phone at the end of the 6th grade, it turns out to a hand-me-down a distant relative, her great-great-aunt Hazel is living out her last few weeks at a nursing home. Maisie’s parents discover that they’re Hazel’s next-of-kin and move from Ohio to Maryland to support her at the end of her life. But soon, Maisie starts receiving messages from the future and before long is recruited to replace her great-great-aunt as a Moonleaper, learning some family secrets and working hard with to change some of Hazel’s past mistakes before it’s too late. I read this one in a single day and think fans of Westfallen and City Spies will enjoy this intricately woven series starter. Ages 9+

In The Flashback Four: The Hamilton-Burr Duel, four risk-taking friends travel back in time to 1804 to record the infamous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Once in Weehawken, New Jersey, they face a tough decision: should they document the tragic event or try to change history? With real photographs and a mix of fact and fiction, this book offers a fun, fresh take on one of America’s most famous rivalries.

Ranger in Time follows a young Golden Retriever named Ranger. He’s a lovable search-and-rescue dog who’s eager to help but struggles to stay focused during training—especially when squirrels are around! One day, Ranger discovers a mysterious first aid kit in the garden. This magical kit transports him to different historical periods, where he must help children in need before returning home. My son absolutely adored this series! We ended up buying each book individually, but the boxed set would make a perfect gift for any young reader.

After a memorable birthday sleepover with her two best friends, Elise wakes up to realize that time has jumped by six months and her best friends no longer speak to her. With the help of an old friend, she works to figure out what happened and how to undo it. A Split Second is a time travel fantasy with a slightly spooky feel, perfect for kids who like books about magic with a touch of mystery. Ages 9+

Two kids begin communicating across time via letters when one writes a letter to Einstein in this sweet epistolary, time-travel-ish story. Mason lives in 2023, and Talia lives in 1987. Both kids are Jewish, and Talia is facing some serious antisemitism while Mason is getting bullied at school–although not for being Jewish. Initially spooked by the fact that their letters somehow reach each other, the two quickly settle into a warm friendship that becomes a lifeline and helps them get support from the grown-ups in their life. This was super readable, and the font in the ebook is very large. The voice feels true to young middle schoolers, and I can see this appealing to fans of friendship stories and readers who like stories about kids fighting back against bullies. The publisher pegs it as When You Reach Me meets Save Me a Seat, and I couldn’t have said it better! I can picture this being a lovely class readaloud, too–so much to discuss. Ages 9+

Three girls across time communicate through a wormhole in their eighth grade locker in this speculative middle grade novel. This is a friendship story at heart that aptly depicts the messiness of being an eighth grader while learning about science and history. Ages 10+