The Best Middle Grade Books of 2023!

Stand outs for the year of 2023 for your middle-grade reader.

I am so excited to present to you five amazing new novels published this year. These are five completely different books. I’ve even included one non-fiction!

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln has been much talked about this year, and for good reason. Think The Addams Family in the middle of an Agatha Christie story, told by Agatha as a teenager! It’s quirky. It’s a mystery. It’s a wordplay at its finest. And, most of all, it is a story about family, love, and acceptance. 

Next, we have Wrecker, by Carl Hiaasen. Wrecker is the main character in this mystery, adventure novel. It is a contemporary, realistic fiction. Wrecker’s family comes from a long line of shipwreck divers in Key West. Which is the jumping-off point for this fast, action-packed adventure. However, Wrecker also has some ghosts from his past that he will also have to face. I fell in love with Wrecker and was rooting for him the whole book.

Jacqueline Woodson has written yet again, another book for middle-grade readers that is just breathtaking. Remember Us is set in the ‘70s in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, NY. Sage is an African-American teen who aspires to be a professional basketball player. The only problem is…she’s a girl. Jacqueline Woodson pulls from her own years of growing up in the ’70s and ‘80s in Brooklyn to bring this neighborhood and Sage to life. It is a definite must-read. 

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow is on many people’s shortlist for the Newbery Award this year. Erin Bow describes her book as: “a breathtaking testament to the lasting echoes of trauma, the redemptive power of humor, and the courage it takes to move forward without forgetting the past.” Simon and his family moved to the “National Quiet Zone” two years after he became famous for being a school shooting survivor. This is the only place where the internet is banned. We get to follow along as Simon makes a new friend and finds his way in his new home where everyone seems to be obsessed with finding signs of life from space. 

Finally…my non-fiction pick. I am so excited to tell you about The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day. Nicholas Day presents to readers the story of the heist of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris in such a beautifully spun narrative tale one forgets you are reading non-fiction! It is a true crime thriller that is a page-turner hard to put down. Pick up a copy of The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity for your history lover, mystery enthusiast, or thrill seeker!

I have provided the links to these books on Amazon. Feel free to read a more in-depth summary of each book there. Also, I encourage you to buy from your local, independent bookseller whenever possible! 

*Please be aware: I am an Amazon Affiliate and will earn a small commission if you purchase using one of the links below.