M.T. Khan
Amir and the Jinn Princess
A vibrant, respectful entry into Middle Eastern folklore that feels fresh and accessible for readers who want magic with cultural specificity.
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Caddie Woodlawn
by Carol Ryrie Brink
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 750L · 1970
A genuine historical novel with teeth — Caddie's wildness is funny and real, but the book doesn't shy from the moral weight of 1860s racism and frontier violence; parents should be ready to discuss.
Savvy
by Ingrid Law
Middle grade · ages 9–12 · 780L · 2009
A genuinely imaginative family-magic novel where the magic is actually a metaphor for discovering who you are at thirteen — tender, funny, and worth the rereads.
90 Miles to Havana
by Enrique Flores-Galbis
Middle grade · ages 9–12 · 750L · 2012
A serious, genuinely moving account of the Mariel boatlift told through a 12-year-old's eyes—funny and tender where it can be, unflinching about loss and uncertainty where it has to be.