9 Middle Grade Novels Filled with Magic, Adventure, and Tiny Pomeranian Sidekicks

Time Sight, by Lynne Jonell
When Will and Jamie’s mother is in danger and their father goes to rescue her, the brothers are shipped off to live with their cousin—in a Scottish castle. Will feels helpless. Until he begins exploring his surroundings and discovers something amazing: he can see into the past. But what starts as a grand adventure soon turns into a dangerous journey, all in the hopes of bringing everyone he loves safety home. Perfect for time-traveling fans!

Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse, by Susan Vaught
Journey along with Jesse, a young autistic girl who is navigating the pitfalls of junior high, as she, her friend Springer, and her tiny Pomeranian Sam-Sam investigate the case surrounding the arrest of her father—and try and survive a tornado. Readers will not only root for plucky heroine Jesse—whose mom is in Iraq and whose dad is the number one suspect for stealing the high school library’s fund—but will also adore her unique voice and personality, and gain an understanding of what life can belike for a neuroatypical kid.

A Box of Bones, by Marina Cohen
Twelve-year-old Kallie believes in logic and rational thought and despises all things nonsensical. But when she attends the Festival of Fools with her lovable Grandpa Jess and meets a faceless man who gifts her with a mysterious box, her beliefs are soon challenged. Despite her skepticism, Kallie’s curiosity gets the better of her, and when she attempts to solve the mystery of the box, she discovers new worlds, magical spells, and secrets she can barely believe.

Alex Rider: Secret Weapon: Seven Untold Adventures from the Life ofa  Teenaged Spy, by Anthony Horowitz
Calling all Alex Rider fans! International bestselling author Anthony Horowitz is at it again—with a collection of seven short stories about Alex Rider, teenage spy. Follow along as Alex journeys to Afghanistan, fights off assassination attempts, takes down terrorists, and more!

Shipwreckers! The Curse of the Cursed Temple of Curses—Or—We Nearly Died. A Lot., by Scott Peterson and Joshua Pruett
Get ready to laugh out loud at this crazy whirlwind of an adventure! Twelve-year-old Mike lives and breathes books while his little sister Dani prefers real life adventure. When the family boards a boat with the sign Shipwreckers: tours and adventures with the infamous Captain Kevin Adventureson they know it’s not your average tourist trip. Follow along as Captain Adventureson takes Mike and his family to seek buried treasure, fight off mummies, and escape a cursed temple—will they survive this journey of a lifetime?

How to be a Supervillain: Bad Guys Finish First, by Michael Fry
Part graphic novel, part middle grade fiction, How to be a Supervillain takes readers on a visual and wordy adventure. Victor Spoils is a supervillain who has saved the world numerous times; i.e. he doesn’t make a great supervillain. He’d much rather be a librarian. Until, that is, he discovers that librarians are actually part of a secret society with plans to rule the world. But, that would probably be for the better—or would it? Journey with Victor as he tries to figure out whose side he’s on, one and for all.

The Giant from the Fire Sea, by John Himmelman
When Jat, a boy who collects coal from the Fire Sea, meets Newton, a misfit giant, the two become fast friends. Each teaches the other about his culture, and they soon realize that each can help the other escape the problems he faces. Together, they will defend their friendship and defeat the evils that threaten to destroy them both. A sweet story about the joys of unlikely friendships.

Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes, by Greg James and Chris Smith 
In this illustrated middle grade novel, Murph Cooper, aka Kid Normal, catches bad guys with the Super Zeroes, kids who fight crime while lacking any useful super powers. (All the while keeping it a secret from his mom.) However, his secret may soon be revealed—when a dangerous supervillain, locked away in a cell for thirty years, suddenly requests to speak to Kid Normal. Will Murph be able to defeat a villain like this? Without the powers of a normal super hero?

Order of the Majestic, by Matt Myklusch
A true story of good versus evil, Order of the Majestic introduces readers to two magical societies—one which uses magic for good (Order of the Majestic) and one which uses it for evil (Invisible Hand). When twelve-year-old Joey Kopecky gets shipped off to a school for geniuses, he thinks his life is over. He’s convinced he’ll fail. His only skill? Knowing how to pass a test (which doesn’t make him smart—just savvy.) Yet, when a teacher presents him with a very different test—in the shape of a magic set, Joey is determined to solve it. In the process, he discovers that magic is real; and that he must quickly learn how to hone his own skills and take on the dark magicians or else the Order may never survive.