Your Kid’s Next Read Favourites 2024: Middle Grade

by Allison Tait | Nov 15, 2024 | Blog, Books, Reading, Your Kid's Next Read

The Your Kid’s Next Read community now comprises 36,000+ members – and it’s growing every day! Each year, we ask the group to share their young readers’ favourite reads of the previous 12 months.

As is the case each year, some of these books were published in 2024, some were not. There are always new books that bubble to the top straight away, and there are always older books that rediscovered by a new group of readers every year.

Once again, I’ve broken the lists into categories: picture books, early chapter books (5-7), junior fiction (6-9), middle grade (9-13) and young adult (14+). (NB: There is always crossover, particularly across ages 7-10, as readers develop at their own pace and to their own level of interest, but I’ve done my best to place the books according to expected independent reading age.)

Stand by also for Team YKNR’s favourite reads in 2024, coming soon.

These lists are great starting points when you’re looking for the next great read for your kid/s. Click the title to find out more about each book*.

Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2024: Middle Grade

As nominated by the members of the Your Kid’s Next Read community.

Most nominated

‘The Midwatch’ by Judith Rossell

‘The Wild Robot’ (series) by Peter Brown

‘The Explorer’ by Katherine Rundell

‘We Are Wolves’ by Katrina Nannestad

‘Friday Barnes’ (series) by R. A. Spratt (A huge hit with my 11 yo this year. – Mary)

‘The Book Of Wondrous Possibilities’ by Deborah Abela (We did this as an audiobook and loved this creative and beautiful story about friendship, adventure, bravery and the power of stories to inspire bravery… – Darren)

‘Runt’ by Craig Silvey

‘The One and Only Ivan’ by Katherine Applegate

‘The Lost Library’ by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

‘Zadie Ma And The Dog Who Chased The Moon’ by Gabrielle Wang (It was my favourite and my kids loved it too. It’s such a special book, which stays with you long after you finish reading it. – Alison)

‘Wonder’ by R. J. Palacio

‘The Year The Maps Changed’ by Danielle Binks

‘Silver Linings’ by Katrina Nannestad

‘The Mapmaker Chronicles’ (series) by A. L. Tait (Was enjoyed for its smart protagonist and interesting ‘almost earth’ history/geography – Sabine)

‘Arkanae’ (Medoran Chronicles #1) by Lynette Noni

‘The Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger’ (series) by John Flanagan

‘Keeper of the Lost Cities’ (series) by Shannon Messenger

‘Impossible Creatures’ by Katherine Rundell (Her first fantasy novel and the start of a series has a dazzling array of fantastic creatures and characters, an epic quest and has left readers in great suspense for the next book. – Sarah)

‘Wings of Fire’ (series) by Tui T. Sutherland

‘Wishtree’ by Katherine Applegate

‘Percy Jackson’ (series) by Rick Riordan

‘Elsewhere Girls’ by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman (A fun, insightful timeslip, body swap story with two interesting and relatable female characters, one based on the first female Australian swimmer in the Olympics. Both characters gain greater clarity about what’s important to them. – Katja)

‘Rooftoppers’ by Katherine Rundell

‘Lightfall’ (series) by Tim Probert

‘Nevermoor’ (series) by Jessica Townsend (So imaginative. Daughter loved it and will re-read it when she gets her hands on the next instalment. – Sarah)

‘Kensy & Max’ (series) by Jacqueline Harvey

‘The Explorer’ by Katherine Rundell

‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’ by Brian Selznick

‘Thunderhead’ by Sophie Beer (My 11yo fell hard and fast for this. She says she loves the main character, the sense of humor and the music (amazing playlist accompanies on Spotify). – Cristin)

‘The Last Bear’ by Hannah Gold

‘Turtle Moon’ by Hannah Gold

‘The Sugarcane Kids and The Red-bottomed Boat’ by Charlie Archbold

‘Nanny Piggins and The Origin Story’ by R. A. Spratt

‘Landovel’ by Emily Rodda (It’s been published as three books but really it’s one story in three parts. It’s very well written and a unique story with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Note: I feel it’s aimed at an older audience than her other books – it’s gritty and a bit dark. I would say 12+. – Leah)

‘Robin Hood’ (series) by Robert Muchamore

‘The Daugher of Auschwitz: The Girl Who Lived To Tell Her Story’ by Tova Friedman (My son could not put this down and said it was one of the best books he has ever read. Definitely for the older end of this age bracket but it lead to so many good conversations. – Louise)

‘Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief’ by Katrina Nannestad

‘Pages and Co’ by Anna James

‘Crookhaven’ (series) by J. J. Arcanjo

‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ by William Kamkwamba (An oldie but a goody, Mr 12 says best read of the year, he was so inspired by the story of William going from dire poverty to teaching himself how to bring electricity to his family farm. – Claire)

‘Skyborn’ (series) by Jessica Khoury

‘Adventures Of A Girl Called Bicycle’ by Christina Uss

‘When This Bell Rings’ by Allison Rushby

‘The Glimme’ by Emily Rodda

‘The Song Walker’ by Zillah Bethell

‘Waiting For The Storks’ by Katrina Nannestad

‘Skandar and The Chaos Trials’ (Skandar #3) by A. F. Steadman

‘Spies in the Sky’ by Beverly McWilliams

‘The Mona Lisa Vanishes’ by Nicholas Day

‘Grace The Amazing’ by Aleesah Darlison

‘Andromache Between Worlds’ by Gabriel Bergmoser

‘Cora Seen and Heard’ by Zanni Louise

‘Starling and the Cavern of Light’ (Fireborn #3) by Aisling Fowler (The whole trilogy is a fave (for my 11 year old), all the action, intensity and magic this age group loves, and the books don’t shy away from putting leading characters through really tough times. There were tears when she finished reading, both because it’s over but also for some tragic character arcs. – Amy)

‘Two Wolves’ by Tristan Bancks

‘Amari and The Night Brothers’ (series) by B. B. Alston

‘The Dangerous Business Of Being Trilby Moffat’ by Kate Temple

‘The Midnight Children’ by Dan Gemeinhart

‘Stand on the Sky’ by Erin Bow

‘The First Summer Of Callie McGee’ by A. L. Tait

‘A Small Collection of Happiness’ by Zana Fraillon. illustrated by Stephen Michael King

‘The Mapmakers’ Race’ by Eirlys Hunter

‘A Rover’s Story’ by Jasmine Warga

‘Mars Awakens’ by H. M. Waugh

‘Mars Underground’ by H. M. Waugh

‘Eragon’ (series) by Christopher Paolini

‘Scar Town’ by Tristan Bancks

‘The Bone Sparrow’ by Zana Fraillon

‘The Grandest Bookshop In The World’ by Amelia Mellor

‘The School Master’s Daughter’ by Jackie French

‘Where The Mountain Meets The Moon’ by Grace Lin

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Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of middle-grade series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries. My latest novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE is out now. You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.

If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.