Diana Harmon Asher
Upstaged
A sharp, funny look at the high-stakes world of school theater that validates the specific anxieties of kids who feel like they're always performing.
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How to Write Really Badly
by Anne Fine
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 720L
A genuinely clever premise (kid tries to write badly, accidentally learns to write well) that keeps the humor sharp without slowing down; rewarding for kids who feel self-conscious about writing.
Snoop
by Gordon Korman
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 720L · 2025
Korman's reliable formula — fast-paced, funny, and genuinely clever mystery plotting that makes reluctant readers want to keep up with the clues.
A Long Way from Chicago
by Richard Peck
Middle grade · ages 10–14 · 730L
A beautifully constructed episodic novel that uses humor and warmth to teach Depression-era history and the particular resourcefulness of rural American women—the kind of book that makes kids actually want to know more about their grandparents' lives.