Middle Grade Novels With Teen Appeal

Middle grade is a wide and varied genre. Because of the vastly different reading levels, interests, and maturity within the 8-12 age range, some middle grade will only appeal to a small minority of kids, while others will appeal to many -- and beyond.
Here, I've compiled a list of novels marketed as middle grade, but which have teen appeal. Again, they are not rated in any order. Enjoy!

1. Keeper of the Lost Cities

Image courtesy of Goodreads

A middle grade fantasy in the spirit of Harry Potter. Sophie has heard the thoughts of the people around her since she was five years old. When a mysterious boy turns up, claiming to know more about her and her powers, she is thrust into a strange new world of magic.  This book was decent. While it never surprised me in any way, it was definitely engaging and kept me flipping pages. Some of the characters were well-written, too. 

2. The Ascendance Trilogy

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The False Prince, the first book in the Ascendance trilogy, introduces us to Sage, a young orphan who is unwillingly roped into a plot to impersonate the dead Prince Jaron and take over the throne. All three books are full of unexpected plot twists, revelations, and snarky humor (mostly from our hero, Sage.)

I definitely recommend these books. 4.5/5 stars. 

3. Sweep by Johnathan Auxier

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A beautifully written historical fantasy novel. Nan Sparrow is a chimney sweep -- every day she faces the perils of the climb, of fire, falling, getting trapped. But one day, she is trapped in a chimney fire, and she's sure she's met her end. 

But she wakes up -- and she isn't alone. A strange new creature has saved her life -- a golem made of coal and ash. Suddenly, Nan's whole life changes. Because now, she's not alone. 

This is a novel that speaks unflinchingly about the horrors that children faced as sweeps during the Industrial Revolution. It's a book that will make you smile, and it's a book that will certainly make you cry. While I don't agree with all of the author's worldview, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story. 

4. Harry Potter

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Do I really need to write out a book blurb for this one? Yes? Fine. 

Harry Potter has always been... different. But when he finds out he's a wizard -- and possibly the most famous wizard alive -- things start to make sense. Sort of. He's enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and starts to learn how to control his powers. But there's way more happening under the surface than Harry realizes, and soon, he's fighting for his life. 

Harry Potter was my childhood. Honestly. I remember choking up listening to the Deathly Hallows at age eight, not wanting to watch the movies until I was finally (finally!) convinced, and playing Harry Potter themed games. And I'm being completely honest when I say this. The love of Harry Potter never left me. I love this series. And I always will. 

Honorable Mentions 

(These are books that may not appeal to everyone, or that I read quite a while ago and don't remember very well.)

- The Wingfeather Saga by Andew Peterson (this is a Christian fantasy, but I feel it would appeal to a wide variety of people. The humor might not be for everyone, however, and the first book was a little rambly. The sequel is much more cohesive.)

- The City of Ember by Jeanne Du Prau (Post-apocalyptic. I read this book years ago, but I remember enjoying at fifteen.)

- The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel (A magical realism/historical fiction novel. It's written in third person, present tense, and it's such an unusual POV choice that I feel it might annoy some readers.)

And that about wraps it up for now! Have you read any of the novels I mentioned? Have you read any other middle grade novels that you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments!