Middle Grade

by Fred Koehler

To whoever finds this notebook… This is what really happened to Jim Hobbins, the boy lost out of Cedar Key. I’m drifting somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. Out of food. Only a couple sips left of water. And, well… I don't write a lot of stories so I might get my order mixed up.  Still, don’t let nobody tell it different. I just hope that whoever finds this notebook also finds the *Montauk* and figures out how to get it back to my family.  It's a good boat.

by joe7112

Twelve-year-old Tommy never expected an ordinary walk near the Whispering Woods to change his life forever. When he follows a mysterious talking fox named Luna into a hidden world of magic, ancient guardians, and living whispers, he discovers that the forest is in danger. A powerful darkness known as the Hollow Shadow is spreading corruption throughout the woods, draining life from everything it touches. Guided by Luna, a mischievous sprite named Spark, and his friends Lily and Leo, Tommy embarks on a dangerous journey to find the legendary Heart Tree—the source of the forest's magic. Along the way, Tommy uncovers forgotten ruins, ancient secrets, and the tragic history of the First Guardian, whose mistakes long ago helped create the very darkness threatening the forest today. As the corruption grows stronger and an even greater danger awakens beneath the roots of the Whispering Woods, Tommy must learn that true courage is not found in power, but in hope, friendship, and the willingness to listen. Filled with adventure, mystery, humor, and heart, *Tommy and the Whispering Woods* is a magical middle-grade fantasy about friendship, redemption, and discovering that even the smallest voice can make a difference.

by joe7112

Zoey never expected her ordinary day to turn into the adventure of a lifetime. After discovering a mysterious glowing petal, Zoey is transported to the magical Cloud Kingdom, a wondrous world of floating castles, talking creatures, and endless skies. There she befriends Luna, a brave young guardian, and Squeaky, a mischievous rabbit with a big personality. But danger is spreading across the kingdom. An ancient force known as the Darkness is awakening, threatening to consume dreams, imagination, and hope itself. As strange storms gather and the Heart Blossom—the source of the kingdom's magic—begins to fade, Zoey learns that she may be the Dreamer spoken of in an ancient prophecy. Together with her friends, Zoey embarks on a journey through enchanted lands, forgotten secrets, and powerful trials. Along the way she must confront fear, doubt, and the growing threat of the Darkness while discovering the true power of friendship, courage, and imagination. Filled with adventure, wonder, and heart, *The Incredible Adventures of Zoey and the Cloud Kingdom* is a magical fantasy story for readers who believe that hope can shine even in the darkest of times.

by Sarah Bantu

**About the Story** What if the key to your survival was locked inside a secret, ancient bloodline?\ Spun from a fascinating true piece of Russian history and set against the brutal, breathtaking backdrop of the frozen north, *Daughter of the Falcon* blends gripping suspense with an unforgettable romance.\ For centuries, deep within the endless, snow covered forests, an elite and hidden clan of warriors lived by their own laws. They did not just survive the winter they ruled it, training lethal military falcons to hunt, fight, and protect secrets hidden from the world. Today, that fierce bloodline legacy is alive, but the isolation of the frozen north is cracking. A dangerous, unpredictable threat is closing in, forcing old secrets into the light and testing the loyalty of a clan that has never bowed to anyone.\ Filled with high stakes twists, deep betrayal, and a slow burn love story that burns hot against the bitter ice, this fiction novel proves that some family histories can never stay buried. Step into a harsh, beautiful world where danger hides in every shadow, trust is a luxury, and you never know what's going to happen next. Discover what happens when the frost bites deep, and the falcon finally takes flight.

by D. K. Dowdy

*The Awkward Formula for Growing Up* is an honest portrait of early adolescence. It captures the moment when childhood ends in a slow, inevitable bend toward adulthood. The novel stands alone while also opening a multi‑volume cycle that traces Chris’s life. Sometimes funny, exciting, emotional, or tragic.

by D. K. Dowdy

The Awkward Formula follows Chris through the messy, tender years between childhood and adulthood. He stumbles through first crushes, shifting friendships, family tensions, and the quiet moments that end up mattering more than he ever expected. Set in early‑1990s Florida, the series captures adolescence in all its contradictions. This is growing up the way it really happens: slowly, awkwardly, and in pieces.

by Maria Linn

Twelve-year-old brown bear Cara Dyson has always been drawn to Homo sapiens: dangerous creatures who roamed the planet long ago. Cara inherited this dark, unusual fascination from her father Buick, Animalia’s most renowned historian. He set out on a secret mission two years ago to gather definitive evidence that climate change was humanity’s undoing, and no one’s seen hide nor hair of him since. When Cara finds a clue to her father’s last known whereabouts, she runs away to find him.  But the sheltered young bear isn’t prepared for life outside the gates of her highly regulated, vegetarian society. In the wilds, animals react to Cara in baffling ways: fish flee, rabbits rebuff, hyenas tease. When a starving snake tries to steal her provisions, Cara realizes food—something she never had to think twice about back home—is scarce. Standing between Cara and the truth about her father is a herd of zealots led by Dunkin, a cruel predator who’s trying to bring back a more natural, animalistic way of life. If Cara can’t stop him and expose the shocking secret her father uncovered about humanity’s extinction and the rise of the animals, history will repeat itself. Before Cara can stand up to Dunkin, though, she must conquer an even more vicious enemy: the nasty voice inside, whispering that her famous, brilliant father abandoned her because she wasn’t worthy of his love.

by LESLIE ANN HOWARD

Darcie Reynolds never wants to be picked on again. If she can just get into the Peaks—the most popular group at Silver Pines Middle—no one will dare make fun of her.  So when Amelia Davis, the girl everyone wants to impress, finally notices her, Darcie will do anything to prove she belongs—even follow a mysterious invitation into the woods.  At sundown, Darcie—her little brother Andrew in tow—hikes to an abandoned cabin in the Bitterroot forest, expecting a party. Instead, she walks into a prank that turns deadly when a man covered in animal hides bursts in and disappears with Andrew.  Darcie is convinced it’s the Shadow Man—an urban legend she’s been researching for her civics project, blamed for kidnapping local children. She’d always believed he was innocent.  Clearly, She was wrong.  Now, lost in a snowstorm, Darcie is forced to team up with Amelia to find Andrew. But the deeper they get into the mystery of the Shadow Man, the less the story adds up—and the harder it becomes for Darcie to decide what’s more dangerous: being wrong about the Shadow Man… or being right.

by T Rolan

TOO FAR TO WALK.TOO SMART TO QUIT. Siul just wanted to egg an old lady in Brooklyn. Instead, he ends up on a starship 2.5 million light-years from Earth. Chazlyn just wanted to avoid people. Now, she's the second-in-command of an Earth-based international crew of twenty. Twenty children with three things in common: They are all eleven years old. They are all on the Autism Spectrum. They are the only ones who can see the broken pattern. Recruited by an Al named Protocol, Team Twenty (T-20) has been brought to the Andromeda Galaxy for a mission that shouldn't exist: navigate the Möbius Loop while avoiding the Vessel Protection and Interception Force. But the police aren't the only threat. Orbiting the massive planet Big Papa, the crew must survive static-charged aliens, sentient floating turnips, Mr. Jiggles, enemies that won't die, and a glitch in reality that suggests their whole mission might be a lie. Armed with gravitic nanites, hyper-focused genius, and a penchant for chaos, T-20 must master the Pattern to survive. Because out here in the void, being different isn't a disability-it's a superpower.Welcome to the Cutlass. Don't forget to feed the cat.

by Michelle Luise

Shana is on a mission to become a famous Christmas squirrel, so she can eat all the hazelnut Christmas cupcakes she desires. But when she discovers she's not actually a squirrel, her dream is in jeopardy. A joyful holiday adventure about identity, belonging, and the magic of embracing who you are meant to be. I love reading the reviews! They mean so much to me!

by Judah Ray

INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY! Madison thought she was the only sane one in the house.\ \ Fourteen and isolated in a remote farmhouse ruled by her mother Faith’s rigid devotion, Madison is convinced the madness belongs to the adults around her. Aunt Hope urges patience. Aunt Grace sees demons in everything. Faith stands between doubt and doctrine.\ \ Certain she is being suffocated by religious extremism, Madison secretly launches a livestream channel to expose her mother to the world. The followers grow. The comments validate her. And no one in the house knows they are being broadcast live.\ \ When Grace convinces Faith that Madison’s rebellion is something darker, prayer turns to accusation. Accusation turns to restraint. An exorcism unknowingly unfolds live as viewers watch religious fanaticism spiral out of control.\ \ This may seem like just another story about a rebellious teenager and her controlling mother.  Another story about faith gone too far.\ \ But the footage tells a different story.\ \ UNORTHODOX is a claustrophobic psychological horror about faith, rebellion, and a mother who refuses to abandon her child, even when the world calls her crazy.