Take Five: 2024 Middle Grade Books by Minnesota Authors

Minnesota has been in the news a lot lately. It’s so exciting to see the many progressive and inclusive policies Walz and friends have implemented in our great state shared more widely with the world, thanks to the new interest in our governor and our state. Outside of a handful of years in Massachusetts, I have always lived in Minnesota. It’s a wonderful place for many reasons, not the least of which is our amazing children’s lit community. Not only do we have a huge numbers of authors and illustrators who call Minnesota home, but we have an abundance of independent bookstores, literary festivals, and author events.

My Take Five list today is just a teeny sampling of some of the many amazing authors writing for children and teens. Here are five recent and forthcoming 2024 middle grade books from Minnesota authors.

All descriptions from the publishers.

Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu (ISBN-13: 9780062275158 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 01/16/2024, Ages 8-12)

From the award-winning author of The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy comes an unforgettable and deeply personal story of the ghosts that surround us—and the ones we carry inside.

The house seemed to sit apart from the others on Katydid Street, silent and alone, like it didn’t fit among them. For Violet Hart—whose family is about to move into the house on Katydid Street—very little felt like it fit anymore. Like their old home, suddenly too small since her mother remarried and the new baby arrived. Or Violet’s group of friends, which, since they started middle school, isn’t enough for Violet’s best friend, Paige. Everything seemed to be changing at once. But sometimes, Violet tells herself, change is okay.

That is, until Violet sees her new room. The attic bedroom in their new house is shadowy, creaky, and wrapped in old yellow wallpaper covered with a faded tangle of twisting vines and sickly flowers. And then, after moving in, Violet falls ill—and does not get better. As days turn into weeks without any improvement, her family growing more confused and her friends wondering if she’s really sick at all, she finds herself spending more time alone in the room with the yellow wallpaper, the shadows moving in the corners, wrapping themselves around her at night. 

And soon, Violet starts to suspect that she might not be alone in the room at all.

Samira’s Worst Best Summer by Nina Hamza (ISBN-13: 9780063024946 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 05/14/2024, Ages 8-12)

From the author of Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year comes another wryly humorous tween novel about finding belonging in an unexpected place. A must-read for fans of Hena Khan, Kelly Yang, and Karina Yan Glaser.

Samira knows this is going to be the worst summer ever. Her best friend, Kiera, ditched her for the cool girls. Her parents and older sister are taking a trip to India, so Sammy is staring down endless weeks spent with Imran, her little brother, and her Umma. To top it all off—literally!—her house gets TP’d. 

The TP’ing upsets Imran, who is convinced that they’re being targeted because they’re the only brown family on the block. When Sammy attempts to solve the problem, she creates a bigger mess instead. But she also meets new girl Alice, who is determined to figure out who was behind the TP’ing.

Suddenly, Sammy’s “boring” summer is full of clue-finding hunts, garage band practices, and getting to know her neighbors like never before. But when Kiera starts stealing Alice away, Sammy must decide if she wants to stand up for herself. One thing is certain: This summer is either going to be the worst (or maybe the best) of Samira’s life.

The Night Librarian: A Graphic Novel by Christopher Lincoln (ISBN-13: 9780593617656 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 07/30/2024, Ages 8-12)

Night at the Museum meets The Land of Stories in this thrilling new graphic novel adventure series in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library

Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work.

But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous hero’s (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction.

The Diamond Explorer by Kao Kalia Yang (ISBN-13: 9781984816337 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 09/17/2024, Ages 10-13)

From APALA-winning author and Guggenheim Fellow Kao Kalia Yang, a middle-grade debut about a Hmong American boy’s struggle to find a place for himself in America and in the world of his ancestors.

Malcolm is the youngest child of Hmong refugees, and he was born over a decade after his youngest sibling, giving him a unique perspective on his complicated immigrant family.

In the first part of the story, we meet Malcolm as an elementary school kid through the eyes of the adults in his life—his parents and siblings, but also the white teachers at his Minnesota schools. As middle school begins, we encounter Malcolm in his own words, and suddenly we see that this “quiet, slow Hmong boy” is anything but. Malcolm is a gifted collector of his family’s stories and tireless seeker of his own place within an evolving Hmong American culture, and his journey toward becoming a shaman like his grandparents before him is inspiring and revelatory.

Answers to Dog by Pete Hautman (ISBN-13: 9781536234886 Publisher: Candlewick Press Publication date: 10/01/2024, Ages 9-12)

National Book Award winner Pete Hautman explores a friendship like no other—and the universal truth that dogs make life better, especially for underdogs.

Evan doesn’t seem to fit in at school or at home. He goes out of his way to avoid attention. He sits at the back of the bus, keeps his head down in class, and keeps to himself. But when a burr-covered border collie—a survivor with a gut instinct about the Boy—starts following him around and joining him on his runs, Evan’s simple duck-and-dodge existence becomes a lot more complicated . . . a lot more like life. Evolving from wary companions to steadfast friends, Evan and the dog run fast and far together, thwart an abusive dog breeder and the school bully, and find the courage to stand up for themselves and to open up to those who matter most. Narrated in alternating viewpoints, this relatable contemporary novel with classic coming-of-age themes has all the hope, pathos, and emotional complexity that mark Pete Hautman’s books for middle-grade readers—and is a deeply satisfying read for animal lovers.

Filed under: Take 5