Top 10 Middle Grade Books on my Christmas List

10. Lilly's Story by W. Bruce Cameron

Goodreads synopsis:

Lily is the smallest puppy in her litter and the only girl. Her brothers are bigger and stronger and like to push her around. When Lily meets a girl named Maggie Rose at the animal shelter, Lily discovers things are not so bad. Lily's size means that she can help other animals who are in trouble. It's Lily to the rescue

9. Winterhouse Mysteries Series

Goodreads synopsis:

Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms―most notably its massive library. It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to care for, and even Winterhouse itself?

Mystery, adventure, and beautiful writing combine in this exciting debut richly set in a hotel full of secrets.

8. Pages and Co. by Anna James

Goodreads synopsis:

Eleven-year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents' bookshop ever since her mother disappeared shortly after she was born. Like the rest of her family, Tilly loves nothing more than to escape into the pages of her favorite stories. One day, Tilly realizes that classic children's characters are appearing in the shop through the magic of 'book wandering'- crossing over from the page into real life. With the help of Anne of Green Gables and Alice in Wonderland, Tilly is determined to solve the mystery of what happened to her parents all those years ago, so she bravely steps into the unknown, unsure of what adventure lies ahead and what dangers she may face. 

7. Better You Me by Jessica Brody

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ruby Rivera is a twelve-year-old superstar with millions of followers. Skylar Welshman is a seventh-grader who wants to be cool--and she's Ruby's biggest fan. When Skylar and Ruby meet on the set of Ruby's hit show, Ruby of the Lamp, and wish they could switch places . . . it happens!

Now Ruby is living Skylar's life--going to a normal school, eating fro-yo, sleeping in, texting boys . . . it's amazing. And being Ruby is even better than Skylar imagined--her fancy closet is huge, everyone wants to be her friend, and she gets to spend every day with Ryder Vance, her dreamy costar. Life is a blast!

But when Ruby finds herself dealing with mean girls and Skylar discovers that being a celebrity isn't all red-carpet glamour, the girls start to wonder if being yourself isn't so bad after all. Can they swap bodies again? Or are they stuck being each other forever?

6. Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Goodreads Synopsis: 

One minute they’re there: laughing and having fun at the house next door. The next minute, the teens are gone. Like magic. Marin can’t believe her eyes. Who are they? Can anyone else see them? What makes them so happy?

Marin is lonely in this new town of hers and eager to figure out more. Then she meets Charley, who reveals that he knows about them, too.

He calls them the “Remarkables.” Charley warns her to stay away from the Remarkables—and him. Charley and Marin both have painful secrets they’re holding on to, but could solving the mystery of the Remarkables help them both?

5. Wundersmith by 

Wundersmith is the second book in the Nevermoor series so for my review of the first book click here. I am not including a synopsis of this book because of it kind of spoils the ending of the first book.

4.The Magic Misfits by Neil Pattrick Harris

A review for book 1 is coming soon! On my Christmas list is book 2, The Second Part, and book 3, The Mirror Third.  My synopsis for book 1:

Carter is a street magician working with his sly uncle. Togeather they suck people out of there money with useless street games. But that isn't the life Carter wants. So when Carter runs away, he finds friends, fun and a mystery. B.B. Bosso arrives with his crew to steal anything they can get their grubby fingers on. After meeting Dante Vernon, Carter teams up with 5 other social outcasts who have an interest in magic. Together, they'll save Mineral Wells from Bosso's vile scheme.

If the author's name sounds familiar (which it should because he's like the BEST ACTOR EVER!) he played Pattrick in the live-action smurf movies, he was the lead in that old show Doogie Howser, a bunch of other stuff, but most importantly, he was Count Olf in A Series of Unfortunate Events!

3. The Queens Secret by Jessica Day George

This is the second book in The Rose Legacy series. For my review on the first book click here. So same thing with the Wundersmith book, the synopsis of this book basically gives away the biggest plot twist in The Rose Legacy.

2. The Flashback Four by Dan Gutman

So I have a review for the first two books, The Lincon Project and The Titanic Mission coming soon. I still need to read books 3, The Pompeii Disaster, and book 4, The Hamilton and Burr Duel. If you read my last Bookmas post, I talked a little about how I'm a huge Hamilton fan so obviously, I'm really excited to read book 4.

My Synopsis of book 1: Luke, Julia, David, and Isabel live very different lives, but when Madame Z (who is a billionaire) recruits them for a top-secret mission, they join together to have the time of their lives. Madame Z is a collector of rare photographs and she's sending the kids back in time to November 19, 1863, to get a picture of Abraham Lincon giving his famous Gettysburg Address. 

1. The Secret of White Stone Gate

This is the second book in the Black Hollow Lane series. Heres a synopsis of the first book:

The Order of Black Hollow Lane is dangerous. It is also something Emmy should know nothing about. With a dad who disappeared years ago without a trace and a mom who neglects her for work, Emmy is left with no choice but to attend Wellsworth, a boarding school in England. Emmy is sure she won't fit in. Before she leaves though, she finds a box of medallions that belonged to her father. When she arrives at the school, she finds the symbols from the medallions scattered around the ancient grounds. Emmy works with her new friends Jack and Lola to discover the truth about Wellsworths secret society. But could The Society be the reason behind the disappearance of Emmy's dad? And if so, where do the dark secrets of Wellsworth Acadamy end?

I loved the first book in this series. I remember every day last year in reading class just reading The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane while our teacher was talking. It worked out for me because I was in the back corner. I did that with so many other books and my teacher never even noticed. Unfortunately, the only disruption I ever got where from two of my friends, I won't say their names, -cough, cough, PJ, Jared- but they would turn to me like "what book are you reading" or "you shouldn't be reading while someone is presenting- it's rude!". BUT GUESS WHAT GUYS! I don't care if I get in trouble for reading in class because my book is REALLY GOOD.