Forgotten Dragons, Dead Talking Heads, and a Kingdom Made of Cardboard: 10 Middle Grade Adventures for Summer

The Cardboard Kingdom, by Chad Sell
In this unique collaboration between 10 writers, created and drawn by Chad Sell, The Cardboard Kingdom follows a neighborhood of 16 kids who embark on their summer vacation by creating a cardboard kingdom for the ages. They encounter knights, rogues, robots, and monsters, while exploring gender identity, sexuality, race, bullying, and more, in this, colorfully drawn, imaginative, and profound graphic novel.

The Selkie of San Francisco, by Todd Calgi Gallicano
This action-packed sequel to Guardians of the Gryphon’s Claw is sure to keep kids at the edge of their seats as they follow Sam London, the newest recruit for the Department of Mythical Wildlife, who embarks on his second mission to pursue a mysterious selkie in the San Francisco Bay.

Heartseeker, by Melinda Beatty
Gifted with the ability to see when someone lies (and the inability to lie, herself) Only Fallow and her hidden talent take center stage when the king wants to use her to weed traitors out of his inner circle. Only must separate truth from the cunning deception of others, in this richly imagined tale that takes place in Cromwell’s England.

The Legend of Greg, by Chris Rylander
In this humorous and action-packed story, risk-averse Greg Belmont discovers that he’s a fantastical dwarf. When his Dad is kidnapped by a murderous Bro-troll, Greg is swept into the Underground beneath the subways of Chicago, where he discovers a group of new friends, learns all about the history of dwarves, and is thrust into a escalating tensions with the dwarves’ sworn enemy: the elves.

Project Terra Bites Back, by Landry Q. Walker
The next installment of the Project Terra series is all about Elara, whose first year at the Academy of Terraforming Arts is a lot tougher than she expected. Between failed experiments and despite a mute intergalactic sponge for a roommate, Elara is determined to make it. Based on the real science behind terraforming, this madcap adventure is funny and action-packed.

The Language of Spells, by Garret Weyr
In this magical, historical adventure, Grisha, the forgotten dragon, and Maggie, an unusual child who thinks she’s perfectly ordinary, come together to solve the darkest secret in Vienna: where have all the missing dragons gone? Kids will delight in this transformative story about the power of stories themselves.

The Haunted Serpent, by Dora M. Mitchell
Spaulding Meriwether is the latest resident weirdo at Thedgeroot Middle School. He’s just trying to fit in and make friends, but there are a few small distractions standing in the way: some undead friends seem to be making waves in the forest and his dead next-door neighbor materializes (along with the pet boa constrictor who ate him). Spaulding might be strange, but not as strange as the happenings he sets off to investigate.

The Mortification of Fovea Munson, by Mary Winn Heider
When Fovea Munson is stuck working in her parents’ cadaver lab for the summer, her situation turns from totally gross to completely bizarre when three disembodied heads begin talking to her and ask for a huge favor. Kids will love the creepy hijinks that ensue in this hilarious and zany page-turner.

Snared: Escape to the Above, by Adam Jay Epstein
Living in an ancient wizard dungeon underground, Wily Snare is content building traps, mopping slug slime, and herding undead skeletons, until an unusual band of adventurers wants to use his trap-making skills to invade other treasure dungeons across the kingdom.

Babysitting Nightmares: The Shadow Hand, by Kat Shepherd
This spooky adventure is all about Rebecca Chin, whose easy babysitting gig turns into a creepy nightmare. When she’s not dealing with self-opening windows and mossy handprints streaking the walls, she’s left with the most startling discovery of all: baby Kyle has been taken by a paranormal villain and been replaced with a changeling! The Babysitters Club meets Goosebumps in this exciting new series about a group of sitters ready to take on the supernatural.