Last-Minute Gift Guide: Middle Grade Edition!

Books for kids who love to laugh:
Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever., Edited by Betsy Bird 
This book has everything—and it’s all funny. It combines hilarious essays, short stories, poems, and even comics from 25 of today’s most popular female children’s authors. Contributors include Alison De Camp, Lisa Graff, and Cece Bell. It’s an especially smart choice for any young girls looking for a relatable and laugh-out-loud book, as there is a focus on the funny side of growing up as a girl.

The Treehouse Books series, by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Andy and Terry are two kids who live in a treehouse. Not just any tree house, but one of epic proportions that keeps growing as they add new and marvelous features. It starts as a mere 13-Story Treehouse (the first book), with a bowling alley, a secret lab, a shark tank, and a machine that shoots marshmallows into your mouth, and as it grows to a 26-Story Treehouse, then a 39-Story Treehouse, and now a 52-Story Treehouse (out April 5)! As it grows, Andy and Terry add a bumper car rink, a dinosaur petting zoo, a maze of doom, an active volcano and a chocolate waterfall (and much, much more)!

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates, by Liz Pichon
Budding middle-school comedian and storyteller Tom Gates, loves to draw and doodle—when his teachers aren’t watching, of course. He’s just a normal kid who’s desperate to impress the girl he likes (Amy) and snag tickets to see his favorite band. But his grumpy big sister has a way of making life hard. With funny illustrations and a pitch-perfect voice, this book will keep middle grade readers laughing all night.

Jake the Fake Keeps it Real, by Craig Robinson, Adam Mansbach, and Keith Knight 
Breathtakingly hilarious, this middle grade novel follows Jake, a middle-schooler who’s faked his way into the Music and Art Academy for the gifted and talented. Jake is just one of many quirky characters in this art school, so his only hope to survive may just be outweirding the weirdos. Amusing illustrations litter the book, bringing it to life and enhancing the humor.

Books for sports fans:
Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith, by Gabrielle Douglas and Michelle Burford
Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle Douglas has co-written this moving memoir about the challenges she faced as a young girl, and her determination to overcome these obstacles and become the first US gymnast to take home a team and an individual gold medal in the same Olympics.

Sports Illustrated Kids The TOP 10 of Everything in SPORTS, by The Editors of Sports Illustrated Kids 
You’ve got to love a good top 10 list. This book takes that fun format and uses it, along with Sports Illustratedpictures, to tell fans anything and everything about all things sports-related. A detailed and fun look at the world of professional sports, perfect for any athlete, benchwarmer, or fan!

Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars, by Gregory Zuckerman, Elijah Zuckerman, and Gabriel Zuckerman
This book takes an inspiring look at some of the more challenging personal stories our favorite athletes faced early on in their lives—like soccer star Tim Howard’s Tourette Syndrome diagnosis. It’s important to show your kids that evens a great like Stephen Curry was once told he wasn’t good/strong/tall enough to play college basketball—but he didn’t let that discourage him. Instead of giving up, he worked twice as hard.

The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life, by Kwame Alexander
This book is the perfect self-help guide for kids who speak sports fluently. Acclaimed author Alexander provides inspirational advice on how to survive and thrive on the court of life. With wisdom from famous athletes and figures, each “rule” helps to provide direction and motivation. If your child is up against some obstacles, this uplifting book will give them gentle encouragement.

Books for kids who are slogging through the trenches of middle school:
Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom, by Booki Vivat
Life can be funny even when it’s hard—a fact that Abbie Wu already knows. When she starts middle school, she’s not excited. Her friends all have a thing, and she’s sick of being stuck in the middle. Middle child and now middle school? This is a funny story about the everyday hardships and challenges of growing up when you deeply feel all your emotions. The illustrations highlight Abbie’s feelings, helping you connect even more with her (already relatable) struggles.

The Way to Bea, by Kat Yeh
Author Kat Yeh has tapped into tween turmoil with authenticity, and The Way to Bea is an excellent book for a lonely student, or someone trying to find where they fit in. Navigating middle school can be awkward and scary, and it’s often coupled with the difficult experiences of outgrowing of old friendships while nurturing relationships with new friends. Yeh thoughtfully explores the feelings surrounding this these adolescent experiences with insight and grace.

Well, That Was Awkward, by Rachel Vail
Middle school relationships can be complicated—a fact middle grade readers know very well. But that awkwardness and weirdness can make for some funny moments, which is exactly what this grin-inducing book is about. It follows Gracie as she tries to woo AJ for her best friend Sienna by crafting Sienna’s texts. Unfortunately, Gracie also likes AJ. It’s a modern Cyrano story told through the lens of text messages and middle schoolers that is as awkward as it is hilarious.

Inspiring books for kids who are going to change the world:
365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Precepts, by R. J. Palacio
Fans of bestseller Wonder will love this companion book, filled to the brim with daily precepts—principles to live by. Each month focuses on a theme, and through a variety of quotes, thoughts, famous lines, and proverbs, different values are explored. Your child will ponder friendship, love, kindness, and courage alongside their favorite characters, including Mr. Browne and Auggie. A perfect pick-me-up with short, daily reminders that provide inspiration and comfort.

It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!, by Chelsea Clinton
In this inspiring resource for young activists, first daughter-turned-activist Chelsea Clinton shows how you can make a difference in the world.

I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World, by Malala Yousafzai
When she was just ten years old, the Taliban took control of the area where Malala Yousafzai lived in Pakistan. The terrorists said girls could no longer go to class, but Malala decided to stand up for what she believed in. She fought for her right to go to school, and one day in 2012, she nearly lost her life when a terrorist shot her point-blank while she rode the bus on her way home from school.

Books for mystery fans:
Liar and Spy, by Rebecca Stead
After his family falls on hard times, seventh grader Georges moves with his parents from their house into a much smaller apartment. At school, his best friend has become somebody he doesn’t recognize, and bullies have deemed Georges their newest target. Things are not going well. Then Georges meets his neighbors, two homeschooled siblings named Safer and Candy who offer a fresh perspective on Georges’s troubles. Safer convinces Georges to help spy on a mysterious tenant, which all seems like fun and games, until the day Georges discovers the mystery goes much deeper than he anticipated.

Click Here to Start, by Denis Markell
Like many 12-year-olds, Ted Gerson is a bit of a video game guru. His ultimate challenge comes when his great-uncle dies, leaving Ted the contents of his apartment, which is packed with junk. Somewhere in that apartment is a treasure, but Ted has no idea where to find it. He soon discovers that the apartment is like one of those escape-the-room video games. Moving things around causes clues to appear—and then disappear. Along with friends Caleb and Isabel, Ted rises to the challenge. But he’s not the only one looking for the treasure. And real life is not like a video game.

Greenglass House, by Kate Milford and Jaime Zollars
Greenglass House, and its upcoming sequel, The Ghosts of Greenglass House, are the perfect picks for those who love a good chilling mystery. In the first book, we meet 12-year-old Milo, the adopted son of the Greenglass House innkeeper. Milo is ready for a quiet winter vacation during the inn’s off-season. But on the first night of winter vacation, the door bell rings, and a guest arrives. And then another. And then another. Soon the inn has five strange new guests, each bearing a story connected to the inn itself. When things start disappearing, Milo and his friend Meddy find themselves neck-deep in mystery and Milo can kiss his quiet, uneventful holiday vacation goodbye.

Chasing Secrets, by Gennifer Choldenko
In 1900 San Francisco, 13-year-old Lizzie is stuck in a girls’ finishing school, when she’d much rather be studying science. It’s while on house call visits with her physician father that she discovers the underbelly of the city, a world as far removed from finishing school as one can get. When Chinatown is quarantined amidst rumors of the plague, Lizzie breaks all social class rules and befriends Noah, their Chinese cook’s son, who has been hiding in the servant’s quarters. Together, the two attempt to unravel the medical mystery that has taken over San Francisco. If you’re looking for a fast-paced blend of historical fiction, medical drama, and mystery, this one is for you.