Middle Grade Books by Black Authors for Kids Ages 8–12

Bestselling author Nic Stone’s first middle grade novel doubles as a summer road trip adventure and a history lesson through the segregated South. William “Scoob” Lamar doesn’t think twice about escaping his dominating father’s plan for his summer vacation when his G’ma pulls up in her brand new Winnebago. Not knowing where they are going, he grabs his suitcase, hastily scribbles a note to his dad, and hops aboard. Using a 1963 copy of the Green Book as a guide, they set off on the trip that his G’ma and grandad, a mixed-race couple, could not complete in the 1960s. On the journey, Scoob learns his family history has more twists and turns than a pretzel.

Sunday, Bo, Lee, and Lil live with two sets of parents and a menagerie of animals, smooshed together in a brownstone in Harlem. In the second book in this fun series, Sunday offers to write an original musical for Operation Sisterhood’s next community project. The only problem is that Sunday has lost her creative spark, and everyone is on edge. The sisters must work together to pull off the musical event of the season. This one will speak to the fans of Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club reboot.

Inspired by Disney’s 2023 live-action The Little Mermaid film comes a deeper, more complex look at Ariel’s story. Ariel is turning fifteen, and during the Coral Moon festivities, King Triton will grant her a territory of the sea to protect, as is tradition. Since their mother’s death a year ago, a rift formed between Ariel’s sisters, and she hopes that they can reconcile before the festival. However, when one of her sisters gets kidnapped, Ariel finds a clue linking the crime to her mother. Now, she must unify her remaining sisters, travel across the seven seas, and unravel the mystery behind their mother’s death to find their missing sister. This book is best for readers aged 12 and up.

Henson Blayze has always wanted to play high school football, and his small Mississippi town has always wanted an elite athlete to root for. When Henson is put on the high school team as an eighth-grader, he becomes a local celebrity and gets inundated with special favors and excessive praise. But fame, Henson learns, is fleeting when your best friend is involved in an incident and you choose to speak out against injustice. Henson’s choice quickly divides the small town, prompting even his friends and family to choose sides. Award-winning author Derrick Barnes delivers a powerfully moving tall tale with a human twist that has already been long-listed for the National Book Award.

Every summer, Kaya Morgan lives for the magic of the Renaissance Faire. She and her dad hoped she’d be crowned its first Black Queen. But two years after his death, Kaya’s stuck with the not-so-glamorous role of Court Jester instead. Between clashing with campers, missing her dad, and figuring out who she wants to be, Kaya must decide if holding onto her old dream is worth the trouble or if it’s time to write a new story where she rules in her own way.

12-year-old Misty and her cousins, Aidan and Brooke, return in this second book in the Moko Magic series. This time, the trouble starts at the museum where their uncle’s art exhibit features a Benin Bronze. This famous statue, one of several artworks looted from Nigeria in 1897, gives Misty unsettling visions of an ancient king. Even worse, dust bunnies have started attacking people, and museum patrons are getting sucked into artworks. With magical Night at the Museum-type chaos, the cousins will need all their powers to save the day.

Bree Boyd is a 7th-grader who has her whole life planned out. From spelling bee wins to perfect grades, she is on a mission to live up to her family’s sky-high expectations of Black Excellence. But when a lightning strike zaps her with telekinetic powers, Bree’s meticulous life gets flipped upside down. Now, she must juggle secret superpowers, strict family rules, and the pressure to excel. Her real challenge is figuring out if being perfect is worth the stress. This book is a charming follow-up to Ellie Engle Saves Herself.

When eighth-grader Candace Wells opens her locker, a bird flies out, and she finds a mysterious notebook from 1988 on the shelf. The discovery links her to Tracey, now a college professor, and Loretta, a physicist who’s been studying the same strange phenomenon since 1948. Together, the three unravel the secrets of the time-bending locker, while Candace navigates the ups and downs of middle school friendships. Equal parts mystery, science, and heart, this intergenerational adventure proves eighth grade is anything but ordinary.

Tristan Strong, a Chicago seventh-grader, is reeling from the loss of his best friend when he accidentally tears open a hole into the magical world of Alke—home to African American folk heroes and West African gods. With the hilarious Gum Baby at his side, Tristan stumbles into a quest he never asked for, facing dangers tied to history, myth, and his grief. Action-packed, funny, and heartfelt, this adventure blends folklore, fantasy, and genuine emotion in a fresh way that middle grade readers will love.

In the summer of 1984, 12-year-old space-obsessed Ebony-Grace Norfleet leaves Alabama to stay with her dad in Harlem — a place she nicknames “No Joke City.” Missing her grandfather (a pioneering NASA engineer) and struggling to fit into a world buzzing with hip-hop, graffiti, and big city energy, Ebony-Grace retreats into her sci-fi daydreams. Caught between her intergalactic imagination and real-life challenges, she learns that even a girl with her head in the stars can find her place on Earth.

The epic conclusion to the award-winning Dragons in a Bag series is here! It all started when Jaxon got stuck with a cranky witch named Ma, unexpectedly became her apprentice, and found himself responsible for three baby dragons. Now our favorite dragon wrangling Brooklynite and his friends must figure out if they can keep the peace. The witches are preparing for war against The Scourge, the dangerous monster who has his sights set on the human realm. Can they put out the flames before all magic disappears forever?