{"id":34934,"date":"2025-05-26T10:37:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T14:37:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/?p=34934"},"modified":"2025-05-27T14:19:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T18:19:36","slug":"middle-grade-books-about-time-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/middle-grade-books-about-time-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Exciting Middle Grade Time Travel Books"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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SPONSORED POST<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By PJ Davis and Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirteen-year-old Max is a daydreamer. It gets him into trouble at school, but his restless curiosity really turns problematic when he runs into a mysterious professor at his uncle’s bookstore. The old man informs Max that time is being sucked out of the planet by invisible bandits, stolen from unsuspecting people one breath and one sneeze at a time, and is being stored in a central vault. Once full, the vault will fuel a hungry horde of invaders looking to cross into earth, and cross out all its people. What’s more, the professor claims he knew Max’s missing scientist father. With the help of his best friends, Derek and Samantha, Max must harness his compulsive curiosity and find passage to this place called Nemesis to stop the sticky-fingered time thieves and halt their planned invasion. But when the professor goes missing and the clock starts ticking, Max discovers far more than he imagined. Just how much Max is willing to sacrifice hinges on the realization of just who or what he is beyond the bounds of time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As someone who rarely reads fantasy titles, I hardly run into middle grade time travel books unless they’re sci-fi. But when I do, it’s always a blast to take a trip somewhere 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.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Join my Patreon community<\/a> to get a printable version of<\/strong> this li<\/b>st<\/strong>! You’ll also get access to other kid lit resources and perks, like our seasonal guides, book tasting menus, and book discussion guides, to inspire you. You can also buy the standalone printable<\/a> from our shop<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re curious about the content of the books on my list, you can get access to my Content Notes Database<\/a>, where I share information about what to expect from all the books on my lists.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time-Bending Middle Grade Books About Time Travel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are 12 fantastic middle grade books about time travel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12 to 22: POV You Wake Up in the Future<\/h2><\/div>
By Jen Calonita
Published: August 16, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/em> is a charming, light, feel-good story<\/a> about time travel<\/a>, social media, and treasuring friendships.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The First State of Being<\/h2><\/div>
By Erin Entrada Kelly
Published: March 5, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s 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+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Rhythm of Time<\/h2><\/div>
By Questlove, S.A. Cosby
Published: April 18, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When Rahim\u2019s friend Kasia gifts him her newest invention, he has no idea that it\u2019s 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\u2013and before his actions change the future? Hand this funny, suspense-filled sci-fi release<\/strong> to fans of time travel stories. Ages 10+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Glitch <\/h2><\/div>
By Laura Martin
Published: June 9, 2020<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Cadets Regan Fitz and Elliot Mason are two \u201cGlitchers\u201d in an academy for learning how to time travel and stop \u201cButterflies\u201d\u2014rebels traveling through time to change history\u2014from successfully changing American history. Regan is the daughter of the school principal, and Elliot can\u2019t stand her because he thinks she\u2019s 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<\/em> is a thrilling, sci-fi time travel romp anchored by two formidable protagonists, their burgeoning unlikely friendship, and the United States\u2019s turbulent history. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Westfallen<\/h2><\/div>
By Brashares Ann and Ben Brashares
Published: September 17, 2024<\/strong> <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What if Nazi Germany won WWII? That\u2019s the chilling question this time-travel thriller explores. Two sets of a friendship trio \u2014 one in 2023 and the other in 1944 \u2014 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\u2019ve unwittingly made an enormously impactful change with shocking consequences. Westfallen<\/em> is a chilling exploration of a terrifying alternate reality for fans of high-action time travel fiction. Ages 10+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Moonleapers<\/h2><\/div>
By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Published: September 15, 2025<\/strong> <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/em> and City Spies<\/em> will enjoy this intricately woven series starter. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Flashback Four: The Hamilton Burr Duel<\/h2><\/div>
By Dan Gutman
Published: April 16, 2019<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In The Flashback Four: The Hamilton-Burr Duel<\/em>, 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.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ranger in Time<\/h2><\/div>
By Kate Messner
Published: January 6, 2015<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ranger in Time follows a young Golden Retriever named Ranger. He\u2019s a lovable search-and-rescue dog who\u2019s eager to help but struggles to stay focused during training\u2014especially 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<\/a> would make a perfect gift for any young reader.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Split Second<\/h2><\/div>
By Janae Marks
Published: October 1, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/em> 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+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Right Back At You<\/h2><\/div>
By Carolyn Mackler
Published: March 4, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u2013although 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<\/em> meets Save Me a Seat<\/em>, and I couldn\u2019t have said it better! I can picture this being a lovely class readaloud, too\u2013so much to discuss. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Candace, the Universe, and Everything<\/h2><\/div>
By Sherri L. Smith
Published: September 9, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Doomsday Vault: School of Time Travel (and other Odd Sciences)<\/h2><\/div>
By Thomas Wheeler
Published: January 28, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Everwhen School is a place where kids across the ages get to experience historical wonders and future technology. Readers will love the immersive world of this futuristic adventure novel series, following our time-travelling heroes as they try to navigate being new students while solving a mystery that could unravel time itself. Ages 9+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More Middle Grade Book Lists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n