B. B. Alston
Amari and the Great Game
A vibrant, fast-paced entry into a magical world that centers Black girlhood without apology or didacticism.
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The Swan's Daughter
by Roshani Chokshi
Middle grade · ages 10–14 · 780L
Roshani Chokshi brings South Asian mythology to life through a contemporary girl's eyes—lush prose and real stakes, though the pacing stumbles slightly in the middle act.
A Prince Among Pirates
by Katie Abdou
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 820L · 2026
A swashbuckling adventure with real emotional stakes about belonging and self-definition—the pirate setting hooks the action, but the identity question lingers.
The Otherwoods
by Justine Pucella Winans
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 800L
Solid middle-grade portal fantasy with a thoughtful protagonist and genuine stakes—reads fresher than the standard chosen-one template because the magic system is genuinely tied to her emotional growth.