Realistic/Real life middle fiction

The Many Masks of Andy Zhou

Jack Cheng

Creative and brave sixth grader Andy Zhou faces big changes at school and at home in this new novel by the award-winning author of See You in the Cosmos…

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Small Acts

Kate Gordon, Kate Foster

From acclaimed authors Kate Foster and Kate Gordon, a special story about being kind to others... and yourself.

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Thunderhead

Sophie Beer

Captivating, memorable and deeply funny, Thunderhead is a heart-squeezing and hopeful illustrated middle grade novel about music, disability, friendship and fandom - beautifully told with humour, art and joy. Perfect…

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Stand Up! (A Graphic Novel)

Tori Sharp

Two hilarious best friends create their very own podcast in this feel-good middle grade graphic novel about making the spotlight your own, from the author of Just Pretend.

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Summer of Shipwrecks

Shivaun Plozza

A funny, moving middle-grade novel about change and friendship from the award-winning author of Meet Me at the Moon Tree

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Jy Goes for Gold (Kimberley Kickers, Book 1)

Carl Merrison, Hakea Hustler, Jy Farrar, Samantha Campbell (illus.)

An action-packed illustrated series for ages 8+, from the award-winning authors of Black Cockatoo and My Footy Boots.

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Six Summers of Tash and Leopold

Danielle Binks

Alytash and Leopold - Tash and Leo - are neighbours who used to be best friends, but aren't anymore, for reasons that Leo doesn't entirely understand. But now it's the…

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Out of Bounds (The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best, Book 1)

Katherine Collette

When you're 12 years old and 6 foot tall, people ask the most annoying questions. The Number One Most Annoying Question according to Alma T. Best is, 'Do you play…

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The Wrong Shoes

Tom Percival

A beautiful and sensitive exploration of the experience of child poverty from leading author/illustrator, Tom Percival, for fans of Boy at the Back of the Class and Julia and the…

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Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution

Sherri Winston

Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature

From the beloved author of President of the Whole Fifth Grade, a story about a young Black girl who summons…

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Cora Seen and Heard

Zanni Louise

Cora Lane gets tongue-tied, is often ignored and would rather hide in the library than step onto a stage. However, when her parents decide to renovate an old theatre in…

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Moonwalking

Zetta Elliott, Lyn Miller-Lachmann

In 1980s Brooklyn, new student JJ Pankowski, an autistic, punk-rock-lover, befriends Pie Velez, an Afro-Latinx math geek and graffiti artist.

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Air

Monica Roe

An action-packed, empowering middle grade novel about a girl who has to speak up when her wheelchair motocross dreams get turned upside down.

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To and Fro

Anton Clifford-Motopi

Sam tries to understand what it means to be black in this funny Australian story about identity, family and friendship.

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City of Horses

Frances Moloney

New home. New friendships. New rules.

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Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

Lisa Yee

Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family’s Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family.

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Not All Heroes

Josephine Cameron

From author of the commercial hit Maybe A Mermaid comes a middle-grade adventure about heroics in the face of grief.

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One Wrong Turn

Chenee Marrapodi

In the competitive world of ballet you always need to be on pointe.

If I wanted the lead role, Valentina had to go.

A contemporary Ballet Shoes set in an…

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The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

Dan Gemeinhart

A girl and her father live on a bus and make a rush trip across America to get to their hometown in time to save a memory box with possessions…

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Harbour Me

Jacqueline Woodson

An unforgettable New York Times bestseller from multi-award-winning Jacqueline Woodson, celebrating the healing that occurs when six children discover a harbour where they can express their feelings and fears.

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Be Brave, Maple Mehta-Cohen!: A Story for Anyone Who Has Ever Felt Different

Kate McGovern

A warm, contemporary classroom story about creative Maple Mehta-Cohen and her dyslexia, perfect for fans of Lisa Thompson, Helen Rutter and R. J. Palacio. A dyslexia-friendly book.

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All the Way Down

Stewart Foster

A life-affirming story about friendship, adventure and self-belief, from the award-winning author of The Bubble Boy. Perfect for fans of Louis Sachar's Holes and Elle McNicoll's A Kind of Spark.

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Change of Heart

Nova Weetman

Mackenzie loves living in the city, so when she’s offered the chance to live in the country, she has to make some big decisions. Should she stay, and get to…

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The Jammer

Nova Weetman

From the bestselling, award-winning author of Sick Bay and The Secrets We Keep, a powerful, life-affirming middle grade novel about grief and roller derby.

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Ellen Outside the Lines

A. J. Sass

A heartfelt novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, and expanding horizons for fans of Rain Reign and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World.

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Jummy at the River School

Sabine Adeyinka

Jummy has won a place at Unity Hall, the finest girls’ boarding school in Southern Nigeria. It’s everything she could wish for, until her less fortunate best friend from home…

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The Amazing Edie Eckhart: The Big Trip: Book 2

Rosie Jones

From TV comedian Rosie comes a sparky and HILARIOUS series for readers aged 9+. Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and DORK DIARIES.

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Tiger Daughter

Rebecca Lim

Wen Zhou is determined to create a future for herself that is more satisfying than the life her parents expect her to lead. Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, Tiger Daughter…

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Get Your Act Together, Doris Kozlowski

Jo Dabrowski

Doris Kozlowski's life is anything but normal. Her mum plays singing vegetables in TV commercials. Her little brother befriends pebbles and potatoes. And don't even get her started on her…

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Alice Austen Lived Here

Alex Gino

Sam is nonbinary, and when Sam’s home borough of Staten Island opens up a contest for a new statue, Sam finds the perfect subject: photographer Alice Austen, who lived with…

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All Four Quarters of the Moon

Shirley Marr

Eleven-year-old Peijing and her family are adapting to their new life in Australia, but when cracks in her family life start to appear, she must find a way to cope…

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Everything I’ve Never Said

Samantha Wheeler

A powerful novel about a subject rarely tackled - young people with disabilities and the families who love and support them.

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The First Summer of Callie McGee

A.L. Tait

A middle-grade mystery about growing up, figuring things out, and solving the puzzle of who you are.

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No Words

Maryam Master

A uniquely narrated, moving story about a young refugee trying to find his place in the world - from the author of Exit Through the Gift Shop.

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August and Jones

Pip Harry

From the CBCA Award-winning author of The Little Wave comes the story of two extraordinary kids who discover the life-changing power of friendship and teamwork.

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How To Spell Catastrophe

Fiona Wood

Nell McPherson is a catastrophe expert, but nothing has prepared her for the impending catastrophe of her mum’s plans to merge families with boyfriend, Ted and his annoying daughter, Amelia.

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See You in the Cosmos

Jack Cheng

An astonishingly moving middle-grade debut about a space-obsessed boy’s quest for family and home.

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How to Tackle Your Dreams

Fiona Hardy

From the award-winning author behind How to Make a Movie in 12 Days and How to Write the Soundtrack to Your Life comes a warm and funny celebration of following…

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I’ll Keep You Close

Jeska Verstegen

A beautifully written novel based on a true story about a young girl who comes to understand why her mother is so fearful and overprotective when her class starts studying…

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Girl. Boy. Sea.

Chris Vick

Storm, shipwreck, survival. This novel delves deep into the might and majesty of the unpredictable ocean, the strength of an unlikely friendship between a British boy and a Berber girl…

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Songbird

Ingrid Laguna

A unique, tender and heart-warming novel following a young girl’s experience as an Iraqi refugee in Melbourne, her desire to belong, and the importance of friendship.

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Omar Rising

Aisha Saeed

From the internationally bestselling author of Amal Unbound comes a delightful companion novel featuring a new lead character, Omar.

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Dear Greta

Yvette Poshoglian

When everything seems to be going wrong, sometimes you just have to stand up for what you believe in, even if it’s just in your own little corner of the…

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