By Kasey Short
The beginning of a new school year is my favorite time to update my classroom and our school library and create lists filled with new middle grade and YA fiction for our students to explore.
There are many amazing new titles that were published so far in 2025 and more to come later this year. During the summer I create a list of recent and upcoming releases that reflect the voices, experiences, and interests of students; I look for books that explore themes that resonate with adolescent readers, new additions to series, books with diverse perspectives, and recent books from well loved authors.
I hope this collection of new middle grade and YA fiction helps you discover new favorites to read, recommend, and add to your own classroom or school library this fall.
Tear This Down by Barbara Dee
Another amazing book by Barbara Dee that gets to the heart of the adolescent experience while connecting to relevant issues. Freya, a seventh grader, discovers that the historical hero of her hometown held sexist beliefs and did not support women’s right to vote. This leads her to fiercely campaign to remove his statue. Through her experience she learns that change is often difficult and complex, but through research, diligence, and communication kids can make a difference. This story is honest and empowering, and encourages readers to make a difference in their community.
A Field Guide to Broken Promises by Leah Stecher
The book contains common adolescent experiences such as being a new kid, bullying, shifting family dynamics, moving, and perfectionism. The main character, Evie, has a passionate interest in cryptozoology. This story is fast paced and engaging, and a perfect mix of realistic adolescent experiences and a hunt for a golem and Bigfoot. Evie’s best friend from summer camp pretends that she doesn’t even know her when they unexpectedly end up at the same school. This leads to adventures, bullying, new friendships, and more.
Billions to Burn by Taylor Banks
This story is packed with action, adventure, and mystery, all while showing many ways that history impacts the present day. Zeus and his friends use clues and a treasure map to try to solve the mystery of his missing grandfather and find treasure from the Harlem Renaissance. However, they are not the only ones looking for the treasure and face multiple obstacles on their journey. This book is fast paced, engaging, and perfect for middle grades readers, especially those who enjoy mysteries.
The Island of the Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro
This book blends regular middle grades experiences (parents separating; working to achieve a goal) with chupacabra sightings and ancient gods. After finding out that he is wait-listed for a film school, Nico goes to Puerto Rico to spend the summer with his grandmother and cousins while his parents are dealing with a potential divorce. He decides that he wants to make a film essay about Puerto Rico to help him win a film competition and then finds himself running from magical creatures. His summer experience teaches him a lot about his family, his culture, and the connections between Puerto Rico’s history and current challenges.
True Life in Uncanny Valley by Deb Caletti
This young adult book is better for older readers and examines complex family dynamics, romance, and the potential impacts of AI on the future. Eleanor does not have any contact with her billionaire tech-industry father, and her relationship with her mother and sister is strained. To get closer to her dad and half sibling, she lies about who she is to get a job nannying for her half sibling in her father’s house. This leads to her discovering various ethical issues with her father’s business, including his building a robot to serve as a caregiver for children.
Under the Light of Fireflies by Lee Sanders
This book examines friendship, the impact of trauma, loss of a parent, and bullying while also being filled with adventure and a little mystery. Set in the early 1980’s, the book concerns Noah who has recently lost his father and then has lost his memory at the start of summer break following an attack by a tiger that escaped from a zoo. Noah must navigate neighborhood bullies and secrets as well as determine how to do the right thing as a teenager who is struggling to figure out who he is and where he belongs.
The Beat I Drum by Dusti Bowling
This is the third book in the Life of a Cactus series and is told from Connor’s perspective. Connor has Tourette’s Syndrome, has just moved to a new town, and is navigating the possibility that his separated parents may get back together. In his new school he encounters bullies but also finds friends that like him for who he is and a teacher who believes in the power of music to help him control his ticks. This story is engaging and shows a lot about the power of forgiveness, honesty, and music.
Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita
The first in a new series, this book is filled with mystery, friendship, adventure, and magic and will leave readers wanting to read the next book in the series (out in March, 2026). Benny must play a game and solve a set of clues to inherit a fortune from an ancestor she only recently found out existed. The clues lead her to discover a magic island, a cruise, and mysterious connections in the town.
The Lemonade War Graphic Novel by Jacqueline Davies and Karen De La Vega
This is a graphic adaptation of the classic book. This is an easy to read, high interest book that will engage readers with the graphic novel format and relatable sibling rivalry that is at the heart of the story. Evan is people smart. Sister Jessie is math smart – but not especially good at understanding people. They launch an all-out war to see who can sell the most lemonade before school starts. There really is no telling who will win – or if their fight will ever end.
More Recommendations for Your Libraries
Snoop by Gordon Korman
Storm Child by Ele Fountain
Bree Boyd is a Legend by Leah Johnson
Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Dear Manny by Nic Stone
The Enemy’s Daughter by Anne Blankman
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Hidden Treasure by Jessie Burton
All Better Now by Neal Shusterman
Coming Soon: Promising Titles to Watch For
Spy School Blackout by Stuart Gibbs. Scheduled Release Date Oct. 7, 2025
Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi by Angie Thomas. Scheduled Release Date September 16, 2025
The Last Resort Hardcover by Erin Entrada Kelly. Scheduled Release Date September 2, 2025
From the World of Percy Jackson: The Court of the Dead: A Nico di Angelo Adventure by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro Scheduled. Release Date September 23, 2025
Coach by Jason Reynolds. Scheduled Release Date October 14, 2025
Setting the Stage by Lindsay Champion. Scheduled Release Date Oct. 21, 2025
Kasey Short is the Middle School Director of Studies and an 8th Grade English Teacher and Advisor at Charlotte (NC) Country Day School. She loves to share ideas from her classroom and her leadership roles.
Kasey attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned a bachelor of arts in middle school education with a concentration in English and history. She went on to earn a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Winthrop University.
Browse all of Kasey’s MiddleWeb articles here and follow her at Bluesky. Curious to see Kasey’s 2024 recommendations? Go here.
